Problems Cloning/Creating New Partition in KDE Partition Editor

[Xplorer4x4]

Just got a new 3TB HDD(using GPT partition table format), and I need to clone an existing HDD to format from NTFS to EXT4, then reimaging the newly formated drive, then clone another existing but dieing HDD. So I launch the KDE Partition Manager. I right click on the partition table lay out for the source drive, and click copy. I then right click on the new 3TB HDD which shows as unallocated now, and click paste. Then I get an error after say minute. Using KDE Partition Manager Version 1.0.3 the error is:

Copy partition ‘/dev/sdb1’ (1.82 TiB, ntfs) to unallocated space (starting at 31.50 KiB) on ‘/dev/sda’ and grow it to 2.73 TiB 
Job: Check file system on partition ‘/dev/sdb1’ 
Command: ntfsresize -P -i -f -v /dev/sdb1 
ntfsresize v2012.1.15AR.1 (libntfs-3g)
Device name        : /dev/sdb1
NTFS volume version: 3.1
Cluster size       : 4096 bytes
Current volume size: 2000396743168 bytes (2000397 MB)
Current device size: 2000396746752 bytes (2000397 MB)
Checking for bad sectors ...
Checking filesystem consistency ...
Accounting clusters ...
Space in use       : 1872462 MB (93.6%)
Collecting resizing constraints ...
Estimating smallest shrunken size supported ...
File feature         Last used at      By inode
$MFT               :   1826562 MB             0
Multi-Record       :   1883194 MB         24058
$MFTMirr           :         1 MB             1
Sparse             :   1821866 MB         15861
Ordinary           :   2000397 MB          3258
You might resize at 1872461049856 bytes or 1872462 MB (freeing 127935 MB).
Please make a test run using both the -n and -s options before real resizing! 
Check file system on partition ‘/dev/sdb1’: Success

Job: Create new partition ‘Copy of /dev/sda1’ 
Failed to add partition ‘Copy of /dev/sda1’ to device ‘/dev/sda’. 
Create new partition ‘Copy of /dev/sda1’: Error

Creating target partition for copying failed. 
Copy partition ‘/dev/sdb1’ (1.82 TiB, ntfs) to unallocated space (starting at 31.50 KiB) on ‘/dev/sda’ and grow it to 2.73 TiB: Error

[luckyone]

I don't know a lot about GPT but I suspect that you can't image a disk/partition to unallocated space. It needs to be a partition the same size or larger.

[Xplorer4x4]

I don't know a lot about GPT but I suspect that you can't image a disk/partition to unallocated space. It needs to be a partition the same size or larger.

The paste option does not appear if the partition is already using ext,and when I tried to copy and paste the first time, that's actually when it unallocated the space. I had already formated to ext4 via Partition Magic. Speaking of PM, it seemed to work fine, but with KDE PE I can't even create an ext partiion on the allocated space because it fails.

[oshunluvr]

"ext4" is not a partition format, It's a filesystem. I think luckyone is suggesting you create a partition prior to the copy operation, but do so without putting a filesystem on it. You should be able to do it with the partition manager, but if not - use gdisk if you're using GPT formatting or fdisk if not.

However, according to the KDE Partition Manager handbook copy should work into unallocated space. I do not believe it will change ntfs to ext4 during the copy operation.

With all the cloning, converting and back-and-forth you've got planned you're in for a long weekend. Good luck.

[Xplorer4x4]

"ext4" is not a partition format, It's a filesystem.

Sorry still waking up. I think it is clear what I have done despite the misuse in terms.

I think luckyone is suggesting you create a partition prior to the copy operation, but do so without putting a filesystem on it. You should be able to do it with the partition manager, but if not - use gdisk if you're using GPT formatting or fdisk if not.

This is what I am doing already. As I said, the disk is using GPT, but is unallocated. When I hit paste on the unallocated space, I get an error shortly after that. As for gdisk, can't say I feel like messing with cli on this. Generally I don't mind cli but in this case, I am just trying to get the ball rolling on a LONG hill.

However, according to the KDE Partition Manager handbook copy should work into unallocated space. I do not believe it will change ntfs to ext4 during the copy operation.

It does change to NTFS. As I said, the partition was ext4 and after initiating the initial paste, it decided to wipe out the ext4 file system. This is why it is unallocated atm. I can't get the 3TB to accept a file system if I wanted due to the error in the OP.

With all the cloning, converting and back-and-forth you've got planned you're in for a long weekend. Good luck.

Yeah, I figured, but in the end it will be worth it to ditch NTFS.


EDIT: I have decided to simply use luckybackup to rsync the data rather then mess with cloneing.