Aftermath of partitioning problems - what to do now?!?

[hansdevr]

In another thread I sketched the problems I faced when Partition Magic wrecked my Linux file system. I managed to set things right and re-installed Kubuntu. Now, for some reason, I am faced with 5 partitions. Firstly, the Ext3 partition for Linux, a NTFS partition on which I run WinXP (just my DAW), two other NTFS partitions of which I don't know where the hell they came from and finally the Kubuntu swap partition.

What I would like to do is add the first empty NTFS partition to the WinXP partition and the other to the Ext3 Linux partition, giving me a disk that's roughly divided in two equal portions.

Now comes the problem. The WinXP partition has been assigned drive letter G: What will happen if I just delete the empty partitions and add the resulting free space to both partitions? Will deletion of those partitions change the WinXP drive letter, making some applications useless? Is there a way to add a "label" to the disk partitions that will keep the WinXP drive on G:, whatever I do next?!?

Any help is very much appreciated. I'm still something of a noob, so please keep it as simple as possible. Excuse me for asking your patience...

[dibl]

Re: Aftermath of partitioning problems - what to do now?!?

I'm surprised at the notion of Parted inadvertently creating NTFS partitions -- but, whatever happened, you've got a problem.

YES, with GParted you can certainly delete unwanted partitions, and expand the remaining partitions to fill the unallocated space. But, YES, all partitions after the one(s) that you delete will be renumbered sequentially, and of course that has implications for both Linux (Grub and /etc/fstab come to mind) as well as Windows. Except for the drive that it is installed on, which is always "C:" (to Windows), I don't think Windows has the drive numbers "burned in", does it? Isn't the next one always "D:", and the one after that "E:"? I don't understand why a Windows application would become useless, unless it has been given hard settings to use "G:". It's been awhile since I fiddled with multi-drive Windows hardware, sorry.

And of course, if there is needed data on any of those partitions, you should use a Live CD or otherwise copy it off to a save location, prior to running re-partitioning maneuvers on the drive.

[hansdevr]

Re: Aftermath of partitioning problems - what to do now?!?

Hi dibl and thnx for your quick reply. When I first created the dual boot system (Kubuntu was already installed at the time), the NTFS partition was created by Gparted, and subsequently formatted by the WinXP installer. At that point it was assigned drive letter G: Some, but not all WinXP applications depend upon that letter staying unchanged until the final trumpet sounds. As I said in the other thread, Partition Magic f.....d up my Kubuntu file system, after which I had to go and install a new version.

When I delete the unwanted partitions, all others will me renumbered, that much is clear. Hence my second question: will labelling those partitions not solve the problem? Along the way the UUID functions?!?

[dibl]

Re: Aftermath of partitioning problems - what to do now?!?

Hence my second question: will labelling those partitions not solve the problem? Along the way the UUID functions?!?

Answer: YES, for the purpose of easy editing of /etc/fstab, to enable Linux mounting
NO, for Grub purposes (booting)
NO, for Windows purposes (except you'll be able to see that the former G:\ is now F:\ MYLABEL)

[hansdevr]

Re: Aftermath of partitioning problems - what to do now?!?

The logical question, captain, would be then: how to solve the two NO's ?!?

[dibl]

Re: Aftermath of partitioning problems - what to do now?!?

Welllll ....

There are prior forum posts on the topic of Grub installing and fixing -- see Qqmike's excellent Grub2 tutorial in the "How To" section of documentation.

Likewise, there are links in my FAQs to dealing with dual boot situations with Windows -- see #4 there.

If you want "what would I do?" advice, and thinking about what you've already been through, I'd do this:

1. Bearing in mind that Parted Magic only does what you tell it to do, I'd boot my Parted Magic Live USB stick and partition those drives like I really want them.

2. Install Windows on whichever drive you want (it does best in the first partition of your selected drive).

3. Install Kubuntu in the partition that you want, and enjoy its "auto setup" of a boot menu with Windows as the alternative OS.

That's pretty high level, but if you go in that sequence, you can avoid a lot of futzing around.

[hansdevr]

Re: Aftermath of partitioning problems - what to do now?!?

....I can see where you are coming from, but that would involve losing a LOT of data in the process...
And it would cost a LOT of time...

But you have given an answer, so I won't nag too much about it...