Hi,

I installed Debian on a machine with several other pations (window,
RH9.1, etc). During the installation, it indicated one of my linux
partition had some problems (it is formated by ext3, but can only write
to the disk with used space only higher than 70%). Now I am going to fix
that partition before I am going to mount it to Debian. Also, I am no
longer need to use MS window and I am going to remove all window
partitions. I know it is risk operation and I need to take advice here
before I delete or alter the partitions.

Should I use fdisk to remove the window partition or if there is a
better partition tool I can use in Debian?

Can I remove the window partition from Linux?

Is there a partition tool in Debian which can detect the ext3 partition
problem and to fix it without re-format or re-partition?

Also, I have only one window OS, but I don't k now why both hda1 and
hda2 are for window partitions, can I delete both of them? Please see
following partition information and the debian boot is in Master section.

sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/hda: 32.0 GB, 32003112960 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 3890 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 1 255 2048256 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2 256 1275 8193150 b W95 FAT32
/dev/hda3 1276 3890 21004987+ 5 Extended
/dev/hda5 1276 1504 1839411 83 Linux
/dev/hda6 2296 2298 24066 83 Linux
/dev/hda7 2299 2364 530113+ 82 Linux swap /
Solaris
/dev/hda8 2365 3890 12257563+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda9 * 1505 1863 2883636 83 Linux
/dev/hda10 1864 2295 3470008+ 83 Linux



Thank you.

Jim



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On Sun, Aug 19, 2007 at 11:36:41AM +1000, jupiter.hce@gmail.com wrote:
>
> I installed Debian on a machine with several other pations (window,
> RH9.1, etc). During the installation, it indicated one of my linux
> partition had some problems (it is formated by ext3, but can only write
> to the disk with used space only higher than 70%). Now I am going to fix
> that partition before I am going to mount it to Debian. Also, I am no
> longer need to use MS window and I am going to remove all window
> partitions. I know it is risk operation and I need to take advice here
> before I delete or alter the partitions.
>
> Should I use fdisk to remove the window partition or if there is a
> better partition tool I can use in Debian?

Personally, for this sort of thing I use cfdisk.

>
> Can I remove the window partition from Linux?
>

Sure.

> Is there a partition tool in Debian which can detect the ext3 partition
> problem and to fix it without re-format or re-partition?
>

The 'partitions' are only numbers in a table that OS's refer to to see
what block starts the next partition and where it ends. I'm assuming
that your problem with the partition is actually with the filesystem on
that partition. With it unmounted, run e2fsck -cc on it.

The -cc means that a non-distructive read/write badblocks test will run
on it. With modern drives you should not actually find any bad blocks
unless the drive is at end-of-life and has used up its remapping space.
However, if it completes fine you'll know that writing beyond the 70%
range worked for the drive.

Which partition has the problem?

> Also, I have only one window OS, but I don't k now why both hda1 and
> hda2 are for window partitions, can I delete both of them?

I haven't run an MS product since windows 3.1 so I don't know. But
since you don't need windows and you know that neither partition is
needed, you should be able to remove them. This may end up changing the
numbering of the extended partition from hda3 to either 1 or 2.
However, the partitions in it should still start at hda5.


> Please see following partition information and the debian boot is in
> Master section.
>
> sudo fdisk -l
>
> Disk /dev/hda: 32.0 GB, 32003112960 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track,
> 3890 cylinders Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
>
> Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
> /dev/hda1 1 255 2048256 7 HPFS/NTFS
> /dev/hda2 256 1275 8193150 b W95 FAT32
> /dev/hda3 1276 3890 21004987+ 5 Extended
> /dev/hda5 1276 1504 1839411 83 Linux
> /dev/hda6 2296 2298 24066 83 Linux
> /dev/hda7 2299 2364 530113+ 82 Linux swap
> / Solaris /dev/hda8 2365 3890 12257563+ 83
> Linux /dev/hda9 * 1505 1863 2883636 83 Linux
> /dev/hda10 1864 2295 3470008+ 83 Linux
>

Since hda3 goes from cylinder 1276 to 3890 yet hda10 ends at 2295, there
should also be some free space at the end.

Good luck,

Doug.


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On Sun, Aug 19, 2007 at 11:36:41AM +1000, jupiter.hce@gmail.com wrote:

> Should I use fdisk to remove the window partition or if there is a better
> partition tool I can use in Debian?

You could try parted or the graphical frontends qtparted and gparted.
You could also use partimage by booting with your install CD and
skipping directly to the partitioning step.

> Can I remove the window partition from Linux?

Yes.

> Is there a partition tool in Debian which can detect the ext3 partition
> problem and to fix it without re-format or re-partition?

e2fsck. See 'man e2fsck' for details.

> Also, I have only one window OS, but I don't k now why both hda1 and hda2
> are for window partitions, can I delete both of them? Please see following
> partition information and the debian boot is in Master section.

According to that I am guessing hda1 is your C: drive and hda2 is your
D: drive. You can check the contents by mounting them somewhere
temporarily (ntfs is restricted to read-only):

mount -t ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/ntfs
mount -t vfat /dev/hda2 /mnt/vfat

You need to create the respective dirs before that.

> sudo fdisk -l
>
> Disk /dev/hda: 32.0 GB, 32003112960 bytes
> 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 3890 cylinders
> Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
>
> Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
> /dev/hda1 1 255 2048256 7 HPFS/NTFS
> /dev/hda2 256 1275 8193150 b W95 FAT32

Regards,
Andrei
P.S. Be careful to backup any data you need BEFORE deleting any
partition.
--
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
(Albert Einstein)

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Douglas A. Tutty wrote:

> The 'partitions' are only numbers in a table that OS's refer to to see
> what block starts the next partition and where it ends. I'm assuming
> that your problem with the partition is actually with the filesystem on
> that partition. With it unmounted, run e2fsck -cc on it.
>
> The -cc means that a non-distructive read/write badblocks test will run
> on it. With modern drives you should not actually find any bad blocks
> unless the drive is at end-of-life and has used up its remapping space.
> However, if it completes fine you'll know that writing beyond the 70%
> range worked for the drive.
>
> Which partition has the problem?

hda8 (12 G), it does not have any OS installed to it. It is an
independent partition with /work on it.

>
>>Also, I have only one window OS, but I don't k now why both hda1 and
>>hda2 are for window partitions, can I delete both of them?
>
>
> I haven't run an MS product since windows 3.1 so I don't know. But
> since you don't need windows and you know that neither partition is
> needed, you should be able to remove them. This may end up changing the
> numbering of the extended partition from hda3 to either 1 or 2.
> However, the partitions in it should still start at hda5.
>
>
>
>>Please see following partition information and the debian boot is in
>>Master section.
>>
>>sudo fdisk -l
>>
>>Disk /dev/hda: 32.0 GB, 32003112960 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track,
>>3890 cylinders Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
>>
>> Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
>> /dev/hda1 1 255 2048256 7 HPFS/NTFS
>> /dev/hda2 256 1275 8193150 b W95 FAT32
>> /dev/hda3 1276 3890 21004987+ 5 Extended
>> /dev/hda5 1276 1504 1839411 83 Linux
>> /dev/hda6 2296 2298 24066 83 Linux
>> /dev/hda7 2299 2364 530113+ 82 Linux swap
>> / Solaris /dev/hda8 2365 3890 12257563+ 83
>> Linux /dev/hda9 * 1505 1863 2883636 83 Linux
>> /dev/hda10 1864 2295 3470008+ 83 Linux
>>
>
>
> Since hda3 goes from cylinder 1276 to 3890 yet hda10 ends at 2295, there
> should also be some free space at the end.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Doug.

How can I use fdisk or other partition tools to display free space?

What command should I call to remove window partition and to
re-partition to ext3? Are following correct?

fdisk -s /dev/hda1 ?
fdisk -s /dev/hda2 ?

Thank you.

Jim




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On Sun, Aug 19, 2007 at 11:13:42PM +1000, jupiter.hce@gmail.com wrote:
> Douglas A. Tutty wrote:
> >that partition. With it unmounted, run e2fsck -cc on it.
> >
> >The -cc means that a non-distructive read/write badblocks test will run
> >on it. With modern drives you should not actually find any bad blocks
> >unless the drive is at end-of-life and has used up its remapping space.
> >However, if it completes fine you'll know that writing beyond the 70%
> >range worked for the drive.
> >
> >Which partition has the problem?
>
> hda8 (12 G), it does not have any OS installed to it. It is an
> independent partition with /work on it.
>
> >>Please see following partition information and the debian boot is in
> >>Master section.
> >>
> >>sudo fdisk -l
> >>
> >>Disk /dev/hda: 32.0 GB, 32003112960 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track,
> >>3890 cylinders Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
> >>
> >> Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
> >> /dev/hda1 1 255 2048256 7 HPFS/NTFS
> >> /dev/hda2 256 1275 8193150 b W95 FAT32
> >> /dev/hda3 1276 3890 21004987+ 5 Extended
> >> /dev/hda5 1276 1504 1839411 83 Linux
> >> /dev/hda6 2296 2298 24066 83 Linux
> >> /dev/hda7 2299 2364 530113+ 82 Linux swap
> >> / Solaris /dev/hda8 2365 3890 12257563+ 83
> >> Linux /dev/hda9 * 1505 1863 2883636 83 Linux
> >> /dev/hda10 1864 2295 3470008+ 83 Linux
> >>
> >
> >
> >Since hda3 goes from cylinder 1276 to 3890 yet hda10 ends at 2295, there
> >should also be some free space at the end.
>
> How can I use fdisk or other partition tools to display free space?
>
> What command should I call to remove window partition and to
> re-partition to ext3? Are following correct?
>
> fdisk -s /dev/hda1 ?
> fdisk -s /dev/hda2 ?
>

cfdisk /dev/hda

Then you'll see the partitions and free space. You can scroll down the
list, delete what you want. Once you are finished you "W"rite the
partition table and exit. Then you need to format your new partition:

e2fsck -c /dev/hda8 (or whatever it ends up being).

Doug.


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