Arch Linux

Antidote

Member

Registered: 2008-05-11

Posts: 8

Can I move unallocated space into an extended partition?

Hi, I don't know if this is possible but currently I have 4 primary partitions, my windows partition, a /boot partition, an extended partition with / and  a small ntfs partition for storing some windows drivers on, and the fourth partition is the swap I guess.  My problem is that outside of the extended partition I have a small amount of free space (about 6 gigs) which I would like to create into a new primary partition so I can use it as an encrypted drive.  I already have 4 primary partitions so I can't create it, so is it possible to move it into my existing extended partition or is that just crazy talk?  Also if I can't do that what can I do to add this partition?  Thanks.

Aaron

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From: PA, USA

Registered: 2007-12-19

Posts: 108

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Re: Can I move unallocated space into an extended partition?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you make a logical partition even when you have four primaries?

If not, use gparted to resize the partition to include those 6 gigs.

Antidote

Member

Registered: 2008-05-11

Posts: 8

Re: Can I move unallocated space into an extended partition?

Well my problem is that using parted, gparted, and qtparted, I was unable to create the partition in this free space.  I can't just resize my main partition because I want this to be seperate.  I did try making a logical partition with parted but when I specified the start and end it said that that range wasn't available even though using parted free they were the exact ranges given.

MoonSwan

Member

From: Great White North

Registered: 2008-01-23

Posts: 881

Re: Can I move unallocated space into an extended partition?

Your only option, if you don't want to delete other partitions and repartition entirely, is to see which partition the free space abuts.  If its next to your logical partition, you can make another inside the extended partition that exists already.

However, if this is *not* the case, your choices are -

- Clone the partitions within the existing extended partition or back them up; delete those logical partition & extended partition itself.  Make new extended partition that includes the free space.

- delete them all & start over, or remake them with LVMs.

INCSlayer

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From: Sweden

Registered: 2007-09-06

Posts: 296

Website

Re: Can I move unallocated space into an extended partition?

well since you can only have 4 primary partitions you cant make a new one you have to either:
1. delete one of the other primary partitions and make one that encompass that space aswell
2. resize one of your other partitions
you can make a new partition in the extended one when you have resized it
you can resize a extended partition but you have to unmount everything in the extended and then unmount the extended partition aswell. Since you have your / inside the extended partition you need to reboot and use another OS that dont have them mount i suggest you use parted magic http://partedmagic.com/wiki/PartedMagic … .Downloads

Last edited by INCSlayer (2008-05-18 07:03:32)

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dovie andi se tovya sagain

Antidote

Member

Registered: 2008-05-11

Posts: 8

Re: Can I move unallocated space into an extended partition?

Hey thanks parted magic worked great!