Resizing partitions during installation

[Eric Weir]

Well, I ran the live cd, and I want Linux Mint. I actually started the installation, then chickened out during the disk partitioning phase.

In my previous installation -- of Xubuntu -- I had an approximately 7.5 Gb /root partition and a separate partition of approximately 30 Gb. I tried enlarging the smaller partition without changing the size of the larger one first, and it didn't go through. I ch1ckened out in resizing the larger partition. It has my /home folder on it, and I don't want to loose anything, though I've backed up my data files to my laptop running XP.

On a 40 Gb HD is 10 GB too much for the /root partition? I ran out of space with the 7.5 Gb partition in Xubuntu. [Don't ask me why? I don't know. All I know it made my system unusable. That's why I'm doing a fresh install.] I don't want to do that again, but as I recall, 7.5 Gb should have been plenty.

And am I at risk of loosing any data on the larger partition if I decrease it's size.

Yes, I probably should have downloaded the manual and consulted it.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Sincerely,

[Fred]

Eric Weir,

I would suggest you use the latest stable version of Gparted Live cd to adjust your partitions. Then use the install cd to install the partitions you have pre-made.

First, I think it is simpler to do it that way. Less likely to get confused. More importantly, partition resizing and moving is a relatively new feature and the later versions are more mature and reliable than the version on the install cd.

Go to the url below and download and burn the latest stable version of the Gparted Live cd iso, s-l-o-w-l-y. Use that to adjust your partition size. then go to the install cd and select manual when you get to the partitioning part. Assign your mount points and you should be good to go. Be sure not to select to format your /home partition if you want to keep your data intact.

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfile ... _id=271779

10 Gig should be plenty for your / partition. If you are using it as a general purpose desktop and you are maxing out a 10 Gig partition, I would suspect something to be wrong with the install.

Fred

[Eric Weir]

I would suggest you use the latest stable version of Gparted Live cd to adjust your partitions. Then use the install cd to install the partitions you have pre-made.

Thank you, Fred. For the suggestion, the explanation, and the instruction. I never understood the reason for using the Gparted Live CD. I'll do what you suggest.

Sincerely,

[Eric Weir]

I would suggest you use the latest stable version of Gparted Live cd to adjust your partitions. Then use the install cd to install the partitions you have pre-made....

Go to the url below and download and burn the latest stable version of the Gparted Live cd iso, s-l-o-w-l-y. Use that to adjust your partition size. then go to the install cd and select manual when you get to the partitioning part. Assign your mount points and you should be good to go. Be sure not to select to format your /home partition if you want to keep your data intact.

One more question. I've heard it's a good idea to have your swap partition at the front of the drive. Currently it's at the end, after the partitions that are mounted to / and /home. Can I move the swap partition between them without losing any of the data in the /home partition?

Thanks,

[Husse]

Can I move the swap partition between them without losing any of the data in the /home partition?

Yes, but you risk loosing data, this is definitely not a manoeuver I'd recommend

[Eric Weir]

Yes, but you risk loosing data, this is definitely not a manoeuver I'd recommend

Nuff said. Won't try it.

Thanks,

[Eric Weir]

Go to the url below and download and burn the latest stable version of the Gparted Live cd iso, s-l-o-w-l-y. Use that to adjust your partition size. then go to the install cd and select manual when you get to the partitioning part. Assign your mount points and you should be good to go. Be sure not to select to format your /home partition if you want to keep your data intact.

OK, now I have a dilemma. The /root partition under my current installation is almost completely full, so when I attempt to download the Gparted live CD the system won't let me because "there's not enough space on the partition."

I ran Gparted under sudo, thinking I'd just go ahead and attempt to edit the partitions with the version of Gparted that I have under Xubuntu. However, even though I've sudo'd Gparted, it still won't let me edit the partitions. All the options on the edit and partition menus are greyed out.

Is my only option to resize the partition during the installation process?

Oh, and one other thing. I notice that my swap partition does not have a mount point.

Should it have? If so, what should it be?

Thanks,

[Fred]

Eric Weir,

Don't worry about adjusting your partition sizes at this point. Install Mint / into the 7.5 Gig partition you have. Select manual on the partitioning screen of the installer and assign your mount points. Again, don't select to format /home if you want to keep your data.

After the install you can then download the Gparted cd and resize your / partition if you wish.

Fred

[Eric Weir]

Don't worry about adjusting your partition sizes at this point. Install Mint / into the 7.5 Gig partition you have. Select manual on the partitioning screen of the installer and assign your mount points. Again, don't select to format /home if you want to keep your data.

After the install you can then download the Gparted cd and resize your / partition if you wish.

Thanks, Fred. Will do.

What about my swap partition? Does it need a mount point? If so, what should it be?

Thanks again,

[Fred]

Eric Weir,

The mount point for the swap partition is "swap." Just select it from the drop-down list that you select the other mount points from.

Fred

[Eric Weir]

The mount point for the swap partition is "swap." Just select it from the drop-down list that you select the other mount points from.

Thanks, Fred. Another solution to the resizing problem has occurred to me. I have an extra hd that I was going to put in as a place to backup stuff. I think instead, I'm gonna install it as sda and install Mint on it, partitioning it the way I want. The current sda will be moved to sdb, and then I can move my /home folder from it to the /home partition on the new sda.

I assume that after doing that I can reformat the old sda/new sdb so that I wipe out all data and traces of the previous installation and start with a clean slate on it.

I realize I'm taking a long time actually getting around to just doing this. I'm trying to give appropriate time to other things in my life, like real work and relationships with family and friends.

Barring any negative reactions to my new plan I'm ready to go.

[Eric Weir]

A question that's not exactly related to this thread. I bought a video card yesterday. Under Xubuntu, I have to go out and get the driver and install it. I've got instructions for doing that. I'm wondering if that would be necessary under Mint.

I'm guessing that the driver -- the card is an nVidia GeFore 5200 FX AGP -- is already on Mint. If so, if I wait till after I install Mint, will it recognize the card and automatically apply the appropriate driver?

I promise, no more pestering after this.

Sincerely,

[Fred]

Eric Weir,

You should be able to install the appropriate driver with "envy," which is part of the distro. "envy" downloads the driver and installs it for you.

Fred

[Eric Weir]

I have an extra hd that I was going to put in as a place to backup stuff. I think instead, I'm gonna install it as sda and install Mint on it, partitioning it the way I want. The current sda will be moved to sdb, and then I can move my /home folder from it to the /home partition on the new sda.

I assume that after doing that I can reformat the old sda/new sdb so that I wipe out all data and traces of the previous installation and start with a clean slate on it.

Well, Mint is finally installed, on the new hd, so I was able to set the partitions up the way I wanted without having to repartition the old hd. I've moved the contents of my old /home folder to the new on on the new drive.

There's something weird, though. My very first installation back last August was on a 10 Gb hd. The next installation -- immediately preceding the installation of Mint -- was to the 40Gb hd that I'm now using as my second drive. At the time of that installation I made the 10 Gb drive my second drive, copied over my /home folder, then trashed everything on the drive. I thought I had an empty drive. Now, after installing Mint, this installation, to the 10 Gb hd, is showing up as a third drive, even though it's no longer in the machine.

How do I get rid of the two unwanted installations, the one on my current second drive, from which I just copied the /home folder, and the one before that, that I thought I'd gotten rid of? Deleting and trashing don't seem to do it.

I hope this isn't confusing. I'm also wondering of this "ghost" installation -- after deleting it I never saw it again on the last installation -- explains how the /root partition of the last installation got almost completely full, which is apparently why my system became so excruciatingly slow.

Thanks for your help.

Sincerely,

[badmotor]

I have an extra hd that I was going to put in as a place to backup stuff. I think instead, I'm gonna install it as sda and install Mint on it, partitioning it the way I want. The current sda will be moved to sdb, and then I can move my /home folder from it to the /home partition on the new sda.

I assume that after doing that I can reformat the old sda/new sdb so that I wipe out all data and traces of the previous installation and start with a clean slate on it.

Well, Mint is finally installed, on the new hd, so I was able to set the partitions up the way I wanted without having to repartition the old hd. I've moved the contents of my old /home folder to the new on on the new drive.

There's something weird, though. My very first installation back last August was on a 10 Gb hd. The next installation -- immediately preceding the installation of Mint -- was to the 40Gb hd that I'm now using as my second drive. At the time of that installation I made the 10 Gb drive my second drive, copied over my /home folder, then trashed everything on the drive. I thought I had an empty drive. Now, after installing Mint, this installation, to the 10 Gb hd, is showing up as a third drive, even though it's no longer in the machine.

How do I get rid of the two unwanted installations, the one on my current second drive, from which I just copied the /home folder, and the one before that, that I thought I'd gotten rid of? Deleting and trashing don't seem to do it.

I hope this isn't confusing. I'm also wondering of this "ghost" installation -- after deleting it I never saw it again on the last installation -- explains how the /root partition of the last installation got almost completely full, which is apparently why my system became so excruciatingly slow.

Thanks for your help.

Sincerely,

I'm curious, as I have had this happen as well.