dual boot Win/Kubuntu: resizing possible after install?

[tomcloyd]

I'll soon be setting up a dual boot WinXP/Feisty machine. At this point I have only one simple question:

After Feisty's up, and after I've found additional ways to reduce the size of the partition my WinXP is needing for the few things I'll keep doing with it, can I again (i.e., post-install) resize the partition so as to give more space to Feisty?

This would be a wonderful thing, if possible. I'll give me reason to get Feisty on board quicker, for one thing.

Thanks for the assist.

[dibl]

Re: dual boot Win/Kubuntu: resizing possible after install?

can I again (i.e., post-install) resize the partition so as to give more space to Feisty?

This is one of those "should" answers .... YES, it should work. But back up everything valuable first.

In Windows, if you will (a) delete known junk, (b) Disk Cleanup, and then (c) Defrag, and then (d) Defrag a couple more times, the result should be a pretty compact Windows partition, for about the next 10 seconds. So get out of Windows at that point, run GParted, and you'll be safe to shrink the Windows partion down to leave only a little unused space in it. "Little" being a relative term, I guess -- depends on the size of the files that you need to sling around in it, but a couple of GB of free space should be sufficient.

[eriefisher]

Re: dual boot Win/Kubuntu: resizing possible after install?

The best tool for resizing is Gparted.

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php



edit: I see dibl beat me to it again.

eriefisher

[tomcloyd]

Re: dual boot Win/Kubuntu: resizing possible after install?

Regarding "http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php" - are you saying its better to use this than to use the partitioner that comes on the Kubuntu install disk image?

[benerivo]

Re: dual boot Win/Kubuntu: resizing possible after install?

I would use gparted as well. You could just use the Kubuntu partitioner, but I would install gparted from the Adept package manager in Kubuntu and then resize (don't burn a cd just for a gparted live cd, when you can install it from the repositories).

[Fintan]

Re: dual boot Win/Kubuntu: resizing possible after install?

Regarding "http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php" - are you saying its better to use this than to use the partitioner that comes on the Kubuntu install disk image?

In a word yes. qtparted, to use another word, sucks.

[tomcloyd]

Re: dual boot Win/Kubuntu: resizing possible after install?

I really appreciate this help. I'm quite excited to launch myself into the Linux world, and especially via Kubuntu, about which I've heard nothing but good things. I'm philosophically very committed to open source software, AND eager to leave Microsoft behind. Don't want 'em, don't need 'em!

So, the plan is to use the Kubuntu boot disk to set up initial partitions, and then use gparted per your advice to make further adjustments as opportunities present themselves. That's what you're advising, yes?

Thanks again.

[Snowhog]

Re: dual boot Win/Kubuntu: resizing possible after install?

What no one has warned about yet, is what will happen if after resizing your Windoze partition, you create additional partitions out of the unused 'new space.'

If all you do, initially, is to resize (make smaller) the existing Windoze partition, then you won't have any problems. If however, after resizing, you create new partitions, your /etc/fstab and /boot/grub/menu.lst files are going to need adjusting, as the partition numbering will have been changed.

[dibl]

Re: dual boot Win/Kubuntu: resizing possible after install?

Snowhog's advice is correct.

Realistically, I tell new Linux installers to plan on doing it 3 times. (It took me about 5 .... :P). First time, you do it wrong. Second time, you do what you think is right, but discover differently. Third time, if you're both smart and lucky, you'll nail it.

Implied in this is that you have every bit of your important data safely backed up and sitting on the shelf where you can't hurt it.

[eriefisher]

Re: dual boot Win/Kubuntu: resizing possible after install?

Windows will probably complain about the file system when when you resize so just let it boot and fully start then shut it down it will fix it itself. Try not to look though you may hurt your eyes.

eriefisher

[Fintan]

Re: dual boot Win/Kubuntu: resizing possible after install?

eriefisher is right.
defrag the win partition at least 3 times before resizing.

then take a gparted cd and resize. it will take some time depending on the size of your HD and partition size.