Resizing /var, /tmp and swap partition

jocom · 2010-10-26 06:27:58

Hello,

Some time ago I installed Arch with the following partition table:
---
Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 247MB 247MB primary ext4 boot
2 247MB 50.2GB 50.0GB primary ext4
3 50.2GB 62.2GB 12.0GB extended
5 50.2GB 54.2GB 3997MB logical ext4
6 54.2GB 58.2GB 3997MB logical ext4
7 60.1GB 62.2GB 2121MB logical linux-swap(v1)
4 62.2GB 204GB 142GB primary ext3
---
With /dev/sdb5 = /var; 6 = /tmp; 7=swap.

I managed to resize the swap (as you can see [for there is a gap between 6 and 7]) with gparted. But it seems to be impossible to resize /var and /tmp with a gui. I would like to reduce 6=/tmp to 2GB and increase 5=/var to 8GB. For my /var is nearly full, due to pacman cache...

Can anyone give some help or tips? I thought of the solution of running some liveCD and resizing the partitions from the liveCD, but I prefer finding a solution with out liveCD.

Thanks,
jocom

tomk · 2010-10-26 07:49:10

I wouldn't even consider doing this without a live cd, but each to their own, I guess.

ext4 supports online resizing, so it should be possible to do what you want. What exactly are you finding impossible? Are there any error messages that might give us more details regarding this alleged impossibility?

vacant · 2010-10-26 08:16:01

jocom wrote:

my /var is nearly full, due to pacman cache.

4GB? Have you done

pacman -Sc

Anyway, I have never bothered with separate /var & /tmp partitions. Why do you have them?

Do you need a swap partition? Would a swap file suffice?

jocom · 2010-10-26 10:47:42

I indeed considered

pacman -Sc

So no my /var uses 2.5GB. Still I would like to size it up.

Concerning the swap partition, I managed to resize it, so that one is done.

tomk wrote:

ext4 supports online resizing

I would be very glad to learn how to do that. Google didn't give me answers. (Which probably means I gave it a wrong query.)

tomk · 2010-10-26 11:03:47

man resize2fs

jocom · 2010-10-26 11:08:17

tomk wrote:

man resize2fs

Yes, but I read

man resize2fs wrote:

...The resize2fs program does not manipulate the size of partitions. If you wish to enlarge a filesystem, you must first make sure you can expand the size of the underlying partition first.
...

and thought it wasn't exactly what I was looking for. Because I need to expand the size of the partition too.

But, thanks for helping.

Stebalien · 2010-10-26 12:26:13

http://gparted.org/download.php

tomk · 2010-10-26 12:27:22

Yeah, resize2fs just deals with the filesystem - if you're running it, it is assumed that you have already arranged your partitions as required.

You can deal with your partitions separately, again without a live cd, by booting into single user and running cfdisk, making sure that the affected partitions are not mounted first of course. Then run resize2fs.

Now you're going to say "well what's the point of supporting online resizing then, if I have to go offline first anyway?" - and my answer is "you should have just used an appropriate live cd in the first place".

The more serious answer is that the devs of e2fsprogs and cfdisk work on their own tools, each of which does the intended job well, in line with existing unix tradition. It is up to others e.g. the gparted devs, and others of similar intention, to design ways of combining these tools to do the job that they (and you) want.

Ashren · 2010-10-26 13:20:28

Reinstall your system and set up your partitions using LVM2.

You'll never look back. I promise.

Arch Linux

#1 2010-10-26 06:27:58

Resizing /var, /tmp and swap partition

#2 2010-10-26 07:49:10

Re: Resizing /var, /tmp and swap partition

#3 2010-10-26 08:16:01

Re: Resizing /var, /tmp and swap partition

#4 2010-10-26 10:47:42

Re: Resizing /var, /tmp and swap partition

#5 2010-10-26 11:03:47

Re: Resizing /var, /tmp and swap partition

#6 2010-10-26 11:08:17

Re: Resizing /var, /tmp and swap partition

#7 2010-10-26 12:26:13

Re: Resizing /var, /tmp and swap partition

#8 2010-10-26 12:27:22

Re: Resizing /var, /tmp and swap partition

#9 2010-10-26 13:20:28

Re: Resizing /var, /tmp and swap partition

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