--- Bruce R Miller <brucemiller1 [ at ] rogers [ dot ] com> wrote: > Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2008 08:15:02 -0500 (EST) > From: Bruce R Miller <brucemiller1 [ at ] rogers [ dot ] com> > Subject: Re: [OCLUG-Tech] partitioning problems > To: Ralph Boland <rpboland [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com> > CC: OCLUG Technical mailing List <linux [ at ] lists [ dot ] oclug [ dot ] on [ dot ] ca> > > Short answer: install the Ubuntu package ntfsprogs and use the > application ntfsresize > > A little more detail: > In this context, "volume" is equivalent to "block device" in > Linux-speak. In the context of a hard disk, that means > partition. > > If I ever knew the technical reasons why, I have long since > forgotten it, but it is in the nature of NTFS to spread data > across the entire partition. Defragmenters do not usually > touch > this spread. They merely consolidate all files into contiguous > blocks. > > The manpage for ntfsresize claims that defragging is not > necessary. Mistrustful soul that I am, I do it anyway. There > is > one commercial Windows defragger that _*does_* move everything > to the beginning of the disk. It is PerfectDisk and is > available > from www.raxco.com. BTW, this product generally comes first in > reviews of Windows defraggers. No need to buy; there is a > 30-day > trial which is fully functional, just time-limited. > > Again, it goes without saying that any time you play with > partitions and with partition boundaries, your data is at > risk. > Make sure that any data on the partition is adequately backed > up. If you are just starting at a new job, this might not yet > be > an issue. > > I believe that ntfsresize is on the Ubuntu install disk. Try > Ctl-Alt-F2 for a root shell. > > Any of the standard Linux partition utilities should show your > disk layout, and if there is any unused space. The "missing" > 20GB might be "hidden partitions" containing Windows disk > images > and manufacturers' utilities images. Large manufacturers > typically save themselves pennies by putting images on the HD > rather than providing media to the purchaser. A decent > ncurses-based partition utility is cfdisk; but there is > nothing > wrong with gparted on the Ubuntu installer. > > Hope this helps. > > --- Ralph Boland <rpboland [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com> wrote: > > > Hi > > For those of you who know me I should point out that I have > > finally found a job, in Lethbridge Alberta. I start work on > > Monday. > > > > Everyone at work except myself uses windows but I have been > > allowed to use Linux as long as I am my own sys admin. > > I will be the user of the machine 90-99% of the time. > > > > So this weekend I am trying to do a dual boot of Ubuntu 7.10 > > for the first > > time. > > Eventually I need to create a shared area that I and others > > can > > both use but to keep things simple I did a dual boot without > > creating a > > shared area > > (I have never partitioned a disk before). > > > > Windows XP seems to use about 10G but even after multiple > > defragmentations > > it is spread out over appx. 40G. Also, the windows > > defragmentor only > > references about 140G even though I have a 160G drive. > > So when I installed ubuntu 7.10 I (thought I) set it to use > > 95G of memory > > (68%) > > for Linux. > > This was selected by moving an arrow selecting between 0 and > > 100 %. > > This didn't give me the result I expected. Windows does run > > but when I do a > > > > df from ubuntu I see only about 60G of disk space (about 68% > > of 95G) > > and it seems I have a volume? of approximately 95G. > > > > So now I am confused. > > I assume that what I should do is run some kind of > > partitioning program and > > partition my 160G drive into: > > 40G for windows (I would like it to be less, say 30G). > > 30G for Linux (I would prefer 40G). > > 90G for a shared space accessible by Windows and Linux. > > > > I downloaded and burned the system rescue CD > > systemrescuecd-x86-0.43.iso. > > Its documentation says I can use it to do the partition. > > > > Must I partition my disk into volumes? Any what is a volume > > anyway? > > Any explanation as to what things I did wrong much > > appreciated. > > Any explanation as to what I do now even more appreciated. > > If I am provided with enough information by Sunday I will > try > > again then. > > > > By the way, my work machine is a Dell with an Intel dual > core, > > 4G of memory > > and a dual head graphics card (which I haven't got working > > yet). A big > > improvement over my home machine. > > > > Regards, > > > > Ralph Boland > > _______________________________________________ > > Linux mailing list > > Linux [ at ] lists [ dot ] oclug [ dot ] on [ dot ] ca > > http://oclug.on.ca/mailman/listinfo/linux > > > > > -- > Bruce Miller > Ottawa ON, Canada > bruce [ at ] brmiller [ dot ] ca > (613) 745-1151 > This message is from a webmail login and not from my regular > mail system. It does not have my customary digital signature. > -- Bruce Miller Ottawa ON, Canada bruce [ at ] brmiller [ dot ] ca (613) 745-1151 This message is from a webmail login and not from my regular mail system. It does not have my customary digital signature.