Linux Lite Forums
Hardware - Support => Hard Drives and SSDs => Topic started by: pauloz on February 09, 2015, 11:26:57 PM
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Hi everybody
I've recently installed Lite on my ASUS EeePC 1005HA netbook and I'm thrilled with the way it's performing. I have an issue with unallocated space of about 93GB and I want to allocate the entire hard drive to Linux Lite. FYI, I've attached a screenshot of my partitions. I've searched high and low for the answer but it evades me. I only have basic understanding of partitions etc and would appreciated step by step instructions .
Thanks
Paul
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Hello!
If you can, back up what you have now first, in case something goes wrong. After that, boot to a Live CD/LiveUSB and select Menu > System > Partition Drives (GPartEd).
Run GPartEd, choose the drive and partition you want to 'grow', right-click on it, and select 'Resize/Move'. A new window will open. Increase the partition size to use the unallocated space, select the broken arrow (Apply All Operations), and wait while your partition is expanded.
If I missed anything, I'm sure someone will say so...
73 DE N4RPS
Rob
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For screenshots, please follow Forum guidelines - https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/index.php?topic=29.0
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Jerry - Your request concerning guidelines for screenshots has confused me somewhat. I chose the option available to me at the time to attach a pdf file, which was the screenshot (converted from png to pdf) and was only 39.2 kB in size, well within the guidelines. Are you saying all attachments must be done the way you have indicated. If so, can you point me in the right direction please?
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If the images are stored else where it reduces the storage required on the server and also lessens the bandwidth the server uses.
This post might help you https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/index.php?topic=1604.0 (https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/index.php?topic=1604.0)
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Hi Pauloz,
Here's a link to a tutorial on the guidelines Jerry mentioned in reply#2.
https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/index.php?topic=487.0 (https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/index.php?topic=487.0)
Post back if you have any other questions.
Scott
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N4RPS
Thanks for your help, however it's the next step that always stumps me. In the Resize/Move window, the following is displayed:
Free space preceding (MiB) = 0 (default)
New size (MiB) = 56253 (This is the partition I want to increase the size of, but it won't let me. It states this is the maximum size)
Free space following (MiB) = 0 (default)
Align to = MiB (default)
The rest of the space is showing as an unallocated partition 93.12 GiB, but it looks like I need to do something to this unallocated partition to allow me to increase my sda6 (Linux Lite) partition.
Any help appreciated.
Paul
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Can you do a "sudo blkid" in the terminal and post the result as code
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Hi pauloz,
If you have not done to much configuration, or installed many program.?
It maybe just easier to start from scratch, boot your LL Live media, and select "Use Entire Disk" during install.
You could spend more time trying to figure out what's going on with gparted than it will take you to re-install.
just my thoughts...
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Hi Wirezfree
Thanks for your suggestion - I've already considered that but the options given to me were:
1. Installing alongside existing Lite 2.2 (obviously no point)
2. Replace existing Lite 2.2 (I considered this option but it gave me no guarantee I would have access to all of the hard drive)
3. Something else, which is resizing the partitions, which is where I'm at.
The other 2 options were to encrypt the new Linux installation for security and use LVM with the new Linux installation. Not sure what would have happened if I had checked these - I'm still in the beginner stage of my knowledge of Linux!
I have no issues wiping the floor again and trying a fresh reinstall, however I want to know beforehand I will have access to all of the hard drive.
Any further suggestions appreciated.
Paul
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... however it's the next step that always stumps me. In the Resize/Move window, the following is displayed:
Free space preceding (MiB) = 0 (default)
New size (MiB) = 56253 (This is the partition I want to increase the size of, but it won't let me. It states this is the maximum size)
Free space following (MiB) = 0 (default)
Align to = MiB (default)
The rest of the space is showing as an unallocated partition 93.12 GiB, but it looks like I need to do something to this unallocated partition to allow me to increase my sda6 (Linux Lite) partition.
Haven't seen any screenshot or terminal output showing your partitions, so just making educated guesses here.
1. If "rest of space" is an actual "partition" instead of being un-partitioned free space, then delete that partition before trying to expand the other into the space.
More likely what is happening ...
2. I'm guessing that /dev/sda6 is a logical partition contained within an expanded partition (probably sda4). If so, you need to first resize the boundary of the expanded partition into the free space; then you will be able to expand sda6.
P.s. The expanded partition doesn't have to be called "sda4" -- that's just an example. It could also be sda3, 2, or 1 depending on how partitioning was first done on drive.
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Hi pauloz,
Yes you are correct, I just booted my LL Live usb stick, and there is no "Use Entire Disk"
I re-checked the Help Manual, and that shows the option on the screen shot..!!!
Maybe that option only comes up if it is "new and/or empty" disk.?
gold_finger is far more skilled at this than me, so I would follow/see what he recommends.
Other than that,
You could just delete all the partitions whilst you are in gparted,
You will need to do a "swap off" on the "swap partition"
When they are all deleted,
Use the "Device" menu, and create "New" partition table.
Then do the install.
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Hi pauloz,
Just adding my contribution to try to clarify things for you.
If you do decide on a completely fresh install to replace the existing Lite 2.2 installation, the installer will allocate the full hard drive to LL apart from a small Linux swap partition which it will set up. It would give you a tidier installation, with LL on sda1. However, it shouldn't be necessary to do this if you prefer to keep your current installation.
Your present LL partition, being sda6, is a logical partition within an extended partition, as gold_finger said, since the file system will only support 4 primary partitions, one of which can be an extended partition. An extended partition can contain many logical partitions. I think your swap partition will also be a logical partition.
You will need to boot and work from the live CD or USB stick that you used to install LL initially, as you can't resize your LL partition when that system is running. I think you will then find that your sda1, sda6 etc partitions will appear as sdb1, sdb6, etc when you look at them in gparted (listed as "Partition Drives" in LL System menu).
Working in gparted, you will need to:
- Ensure all the partitions are unmounted.
- Select the linux-swap partition, right click and select Swapoff.
- If your "unallocated partition" is shown as a grey block with the word "unallocated" in gparted, then it is unallocated space rather than a partition. If, on the other hand, it is an unused partition, then you should delete it.
- Select the extended partition and use the Resize/Move option to extend it into the unallocated space.
- Select your LL partition and use the Resize/Move option to extend it into the resultant free space within the extended partition.
Having said all that, if I were you I would create a large separate data partition for all your files and reduce the size of your LL partition to about 10 or 15Gb. The process is similar in principle to that described above, but if you needed more help I'm sure you'd only need to ask.
Good luck!
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Hi bobw,
per pauloz's comment and my comment.
There is "no" option showing to use "Entire Disk"..!!!
I have verified this by booting my live USB stick
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Hi Wirezfree,
Although it's a while since I used the "replace existing installation" option, I'm sure that it formatted and used the entire drive.
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Thanks for all the replies - really appreciate your comments. Friends of mine just recently acquired an old Acer Aspire 3680 which had Vista on it, which I quickly disposed of when installing Lite and it is humming along beautifully. You're right bobw, the "replace existing installation" option does indeed format and use the entire drive, so really my problems are answered. I'm not prepared to risk messing around with partitions and I'm happy to do a fresh install of Lite on my ASUS EeePC. My contribution to the "suggestion box" would be to make sure the wording in the installation process makes mention of the fact the "replace existing installation" option will format and use the entire drive.
Cheers
Paul
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Hi bobw,
Yes,
I'm sure it does,
but the issue I was seeing(or not seeing) when I checked for pauloz
was that the option was not present on the install screen.!!
Dave
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Had the same problem, and solved it as below -
Step 1: Deleted the "unused" partition using GParted
Step 2: Clicked on the Linux partition to "grow" and selected Resize/Move. Now the next step (pop-up window) showed as follows -
Free space preceding (MiB) = 0 (default)
New size (MiB) = XXXXX (This is the partition to increase the size of)
Free space following (MiB) = YYYYY (This is the "unused", now deleted, partition)
Align to = MiB (default)
Just make the value for "YYYYY" = 0 and apply the operation(s).
At the end of all operation(s) "XXXXX" becomes a single partition increased to "XXXXX+YYYYY" size.