Using Gparted to partition WD external hdd

[vint]

Howdy folks,
I have a 1tb Western Digital Passport external HDD, I purchased it 2 years ago before I installed Linux Lite and dual booting with W7.  The Passport has less than 900 megabytes used and what I want to accomplish is dividing the space evenly in half and using one formatted in ext 4 so I can use it for time-shift.  I have read almost everything Gparted has on their website and followed tutorials but I am unable to complete the process for some reason, an error window comes up stopping the process.  Is there anyone out here in the forum who has some knowledge going through the process of partitioning an external HDD using Gparted?

Best regards,

[stevef]

Please boot Linux Lite and connect the external drive.
Ensure the external drive is mounted and then open a terminal session.
Stretch the terminal session so it is full height

Type the command followed by return

Code:

sudo parted -l

Enter your password if asked.

Copy the terminal output text (ensuring all the information about the external disk is included) and post it back here so we can see what you are working with.

[vint]

Howdy stevef,
I appreciate the response and I have much to do today but will do my best to get back as soon as possible.

Best regards,

[vint]

Welcome to Linux Lite 5.8 vint

Saturday 15 April 2023, 09:57:50
Memory Usage: 2459/3834MB (64.14%)
Disk Usage: 49/119GB (44%)
Support - https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/ (Right click, Open Link)

 vint  ~  sudo parted -l
[sudo] password for vint:
Model: ATA WDC WD3200LPVX-1 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 320GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/4096B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number  Start  End    Size  Type      File system  Flags
1      1049kB  106MB  105MB  primary  ntfs        boot
2      106MB  190GB  190GB  primary  ntfs
3      190GB  191GB  537MB  primary  fat32
4      191GB  320GB  129GB  extended
5      191GB  320GB  129GB  logical  ext4


Model: WD My Book 1110 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 499GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number  Start  End    Size  Type    File system  Flags
1      1049kB  499GB  499GB  primary  ntfs


Model: WD My Passport 2626 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdc: 1000GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags:

Number  Start  End    Size    File system  Name        Flags
1      1049kB  1000GB  1000GB  ntfs        My Passport  msftdata


Model: Unknown (unknown)
Disk /dev/zram0: 2010MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 4096B/4096B
Partition Table: loop
Disk Flags:

Number  Start  End    Size    File system    Flags
1      0.00B  2010MB  2010MB  linux-swap(v1)


Warning: Unable to open /dev/sr1 read-write (Read-only file system).  /dev/sr1
has been opened read-only.
Error: The partition's data region doesn't occupy the entire partition.
Ignore/Cancel?                                                           


stevef,
The Passport is the external drive that I am wanting to partition FYI, let me know if you need anything else.

Best regards,

[stevef]

If there are any documents on the Passport that you need to keep back them up to a safe place.
There is a risk of loss of any utilities which came with the Passport.

As the Passport drive is essentially a Windows device, you may want to consider resizing the NTFS partition using a Windows tool.
I don't have Windows 7 (or a Passport) so can't verify the Windows steps, but with Windows 10, reducing the partition size would look something like this....

Press 'Windows' and 'X' keys
Select Disk Management
Navigate to the Passport
Right click on the 1TB
Select 'Shrink Volume...'

If you do resize with Windows 7 and it works, obviously skip the section 2) Resize with GParted

I have verified the Linux process below (not on a Passport) with some file on the original NTFS partition.
If it doesn't work for you, please describe where it goes wrong and the messages you get.

Boot Linux Lite and connect the passport.
If the drive mounts automatically and opens a Thunar window, close the Thunar, then right click on the desktop icon for drive and click 'Unmount Volume'

1) Select drive with GParted

Open GParted with Menu->System->Partition Drives
Enter password if asked
Using the pull down in the upper right select the Passport dev
Check you are editing the correct device - if in doubt stop.

2) Resize with GParted

Check again you are editing the correct device.
Right click on the graphic representing the 1TB partition
Click 'Resize/Move'
Adjust the 'New Size' or 'Free Space following' values to reduce the NTFS partition size and create free space to your required proportion.
Click 'Resize/Move'
This will add  an operation pending in the lower section.
Click Edit->Apply All Operations
Read the warning and click 'Apply' if you are sure.
On completion you should see the message 'All operations successfully completed'
If not, click 'Details' and expand each entry to see what the problem was.
The errors can be saved by clicking 'Save Details' if necessary.
Click 'Close'
The graphic should show a reduced NTFS partition and an unallocated section.

3) Create ext4 partition with GParted

Check again you are editing the correct device.
Right Click on the unallocated section
click 'New'
Check that Create as = 'Primary Partition' and File system = 'ext4'
Enter a meaningful name in the Label field
Click 'Add'
This will add  an operation pending in the lower section.
Click Edit->Apply All Operations
Read the warning and click 'Apply' if you are sure.
On completion you should see the message 'All operations successfully completed'
If not, click 'Details' and expand each entry to see what the problem was.
The errors can be saved by clicking 'Save Details' if necessary.
Click 'Close'
The graphic should show an ext4 partition where the unallocated section was.
Close GParted.

4) Take ownership of new Partition with Disks utility.

Open Disks with Menu->Settings->Disks
Select the newly formatted partition
Click the Cog icon and select 'Take Ownership...'
Select 'Enable recursive mode'
Click 'OK'
Enter your password
Close Disks

5) Check in Linux
There should now be two icons on the desktop representing the Passport.
If you applied a label in section 3 this should be visible.
Double click on the original (shrunken) partition to mount and open Thunar
Check it is R/W by Right Click on empty space and ensure 'Create Document' is not greyed out
Double click on the new partition to mount and open Thunar
Check it is R/W by Right Click on empty space and ensure 'Create Document' is not greyed out
Close Thunar windows
Open Timeshift and confirm the new partition is listed as a viable location.

6) Check in Windows
Windows may try to format the new partition - ensure you don't let it
The original (shrunken) partition should be R/W

[vint]

[member=9039]stevef[/member],
Thank you so much for your advice and help with this matter.  As I look at your step by step through G Parted I think I know where I went wrong.  I will give it a go soon and then let y'all know how it went.

Best regard,