Ubuntu partion merging

[Kenshin]

Hello everyone....My hdd is partitoned as follows


Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xc55dc55d

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 3648 29302528+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 3649 14593 87915712+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 3649 5606 15727603+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda6 * 5607 6275 5373711 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 6276 7053 6249253+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda8 7054 7296 1951866 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda9 7297 10944 29302528+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda10 10945 14593 29310561 7 HPFS/NTFS


Ubuntu is intalled in sda6.....its a 5GB partition....when i get my new hdd on monday..I want this partion to be merged with sda5 and sda 7 so total will be about 27GB....How can this be done..

Can i make a image using acronis or ghost then "format","merge" and then paste the image...will it work..I dun wanna lose all my ubuntu updates...tats why dun wanna reinstall over all again..

[praka123]

u may easily merge the two partitions to /dev/sda6 in 2 operations via launching gparted from ubuntu livecd. u may have to format /dev/sda5 and /dev/sda7 as ext3 though.also am doubtful about /dev/sda5 be merged.

[Rahim]

Use GParted Live CD to merge/create/delete partition.
Alternatively boot with Ubuntu Live CD and open a terminal and enter gparted.
I would prefer the first option of using GParted Live CD.
Dont know much about your 2nd query

[Kenshin]

Originally Posted by praka123

u may easily merge the two partitions to /dev/sda6 in 2 operations via launching gparted from ubuntu livecd. u may have to format /dev/sda5 and /dev/sda7 as ext3 though.also am doubtful about /dev/sda5 be merged.

so i can merge sd5 if i format it...?...

[praka123]

^chances are low with gparted.still try!else u can use CLI tools later to merge reg /dev/sda5 to /dev/sda6

[Kenshin]

Ok will try then.,....I still wanna know if the Ghost or acronis image option will work..

[Rahim]

Originally Posted by Kenshin

so i can merge sd5 if i format it...?...

Yes you can . Use GParted for it. I have done it previously.

Originally Posted by praka123

^chances are low with gparted.still try!else u can use CLI tools later to merge reg /dev/sda5 to /dev/sda6

Hi Praka123, I dont know why it cant be done through GParted Live CD or am i missing something?

[praka123]

^it was my experiance.but still let him try and report back!

[infra_red_dude]

Take a backup of everything Kenshin...then attempt anything.

[Kenshin]

I am gonna do this on tuesday....wt kind of backup...I mean take a image.....

I hv updated ubuntu a lot...so shud i create a aptcd or sumthin??

[infra_red_dude]

yeah create apt on cd. should be enough. other things you may wanna take a backup is the /home folder (if its on the same partition as root). That will preserve all your settings/themes/icons and customisations etc.

[Kenshin]

ok thnxx...will make the apt iso just now...
will report back on tuesday when i get my new hdd..

[praka123]

^ /var/cache/apt/archives

[Kenshin]

So this is how the story goes....
1)Created a image of the whole ubuntu partition with seagate tool,backed up everythin..
2)Booted with gparted tried to merge sd6 and sd7....was success.
3)tried to merge sd5 and sd6...and as Prakash sir predicted...everythin got fugged up..
4)Used the gparted to delete the 3 partitions and make them one..booted with seagate disk and pasted the backed up image..
5)Ubuntu din boot..so reinstalled the grub...and voila...everythin is as it is and boots well...

Thanx all of u for helping...

Another query..I added a 320GB hdd...and partitioned it in windows...now when i boot in linux...the partitions are there but i hv to give passwd to access...how to get rid of this ..."insert passwd thingy"..

i did a fdisk its not showin the partitions...just the whole second drive

kenshin@cutie:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for kenshin:

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xc55dc55d

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1        3648    29302528+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2            3649       14593    87915712+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5   *        3649        7053    27350631   83  Linux
/dev/sda6            7054        7296     1951866   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7            7297       10944    29302528+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda8           10945       14593    29310561    7  HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x57889e1c

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1       38913   312568641   42  SFS