Arch Linux

Open-Source

Member

Registered: 2010-11-28

Posts: 8

Convert root partition filesystem?

hi.
(sorry - i can not write english very good)

this is list of my partition in my system:

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *          63    73400984    36700461    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2        73401046   312580095   119589525    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5        73401048   146801969    36700461    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6       146802033   198017189    25607578+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7       198017253   243079514    22531131    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda8       243079578   279386414    18153418+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda9       279388160   308695039    14653440   83  Linux
/dev/sda10      308697088   312580095     1941504   82  Linux swap / Solaris

my arch linux partition (root partition) is 'sda8'
but it is ntfs.

in windows explorer i can see this partition, but i can not open this.

in need convert this partiotion from ntfs to linux format (like ext4).
(without change data).

please help me.

Last edited by Open-Source (2010-12-01 14:18:42)

stqn

Member

Registered: 2010-03-19

Posts: 1,191

Website

Re: Convert root partition filesystem?

Interesting, I wouldn't have thought it was possible to install Arch on NTFS...

You can boot on a Linux live CD/USB, mount your sda8 partition, and backup it with something like:

sudo tar --one-file-system -C /media/yourpartition/ -cvaf /media/destinationpartition/arch.tgz "*"

Check that the backup seems ok, unmount your partition, format it with mkfs.ext4, remount it and restore the backup with something like "sudo tar xaf /media/destinationpartition/arch.tgz /media/yourpartition/" (not sure.)
I can't garantee that this will work perfectly but that's what I'd do.

Last edited by stqn (2010-12-01 16:08:20)

Open-Source

Member

Registered: 2010-11-28

Posts: 8

Re: Convert root partition filesystem?

Interesting, I wouldn't have thought it was possible to install Arch on NTFS...

You can boot on a Linux live CD/USB, mount your sda8 partition, and backup it with something like:

sudo tar --one-file-system -C /media/yourpartition/ -cvaf /media/destinationpartition/arch.tgz "*"

Check that the backup seems ok, unmount your partition, format it with mkfs.ext4, remount it and restore the backup with something like "sudo tar xaf /media/destinationpartition/arch.tgz /media/yourpartition/" (not sure.)
I can't garantee that this will work perfectly but that's what I'd do.

tnx.
but i need to best way.

help.

tavianator

Member

From: Waterloo, ON, Canada

Registered: 2007-08-21

Posts: 858

Website

Re: Convert root partition filesystem?

The type indicator in the partition table (that says "7  HPFS/NTFS") is not necessarily the real type of your filesystem.  What is the output of the "mount" command, with no arguments?  That will list the current partitions and what types they are.

If you just want to change the type in the partition table and leave the filesystem untouched, use cfdisk.

Last edited by tavianator (2010-12-01 21:15:58)