To me this is all pretty simple now that I've done it at least one time. But it does take careful study and it costs some money. I haven't tested this procedure on a source disk which contains both Linux and Microsoft Windows partitions. So I don't know how well this will work on such a source disk. I have done it on a source disk containing only Linux partitions. It went just fine. The method used here does not in any way destroy your source drive, so you always have a full backup of the data right there. Of course, you want to make absolutely sure that you don't partition your source drive by accident. So pay close attention to the device names. Step 1. Read the hard drive upgrade how-to at the Linux Documentation Project. Step 2. Read the partitioning how-to as well. Step 2a. Use df -h to get a clear idea of the partitions on the old (source) disk. I assume this disk is mounted and df shows all the partitions of every mounted volume. Step 3. Power down your computer. Open your computer case. Add a new hard drive to it. It can be any size equal to or larger than your present drive. Make sure you know the device name of the new drive. Step 4. Partition the new drive to the sizes you want for each partition. Format partitions for the desired filesystems. Before partitioning, make real sure this is definitely the drive you want to partition. Step 5. Transfer data from the old hard drive to the new drive following the instructions given in the hard drive upgrade how-to. Pay very close attention to what the how-to suggests. Step 6. Don't forget to assign disk labels with the 'e2label' program. Step 7. Adjust /etc/fstab if needed. Step 8. Power down computer. Swap the new hard drive with the old hard drive. Reboot the computer. Step 9. Check that all is well. You should be just fine. Possibly you may need to add forgotten disk labels with e2label and/or make further adjustments with /etc/fstab. If need be, use your Linux CD #1 and go into rescue mode to fix these. Notice that the old disk is the backup disk. If you are sure that you didn't miss copying any files, you can put the old drive to other uses. Otherwise just put it in an antistatic bag and shelve it somewhere safe for a few weeks. This process can be made much easier with an ADS USB 2.0 drive adapter containing the new disk which is plugged into a USB hub, but I haven't tested this method yet. I'm concerned about the relatively low USB 1.1 transfer speeds you will get if you plug into a USB 1.1 style hub. Bob Cochran Greenbelt, Maryland, USA Stephen Liu wrote: > Hi Muhammad, > > Thanks for your detail advice. > > At 09:52 PM 10/14/2002 -0400, you wrote: > >> You have 3 partitions... >> How big are these partitions and what are these partitions mounted on? >> I guess partition /dev/hda1 is "/" and /dev/hda2 is the physical >> which holds the >> logical /dev/hda3 swap partition. In which case you may as well >> re-install, >> or use some backup software or ghosting utility. > > > 1) > > I will check it later because I am answering your posting on a Windows > machine. > > The hard drive is 40G in size which was running RH7.3 only, now > upgraded to RH8.0 It was not installed by me previously. > > There is plenty of free space there. Now my job is to resize existing > partitions getting more free space and add new partitions for users. > > I have Norton Ghost and I am in doubt whether it runs on Linux. I > also have Instant Recovery which runs on CDRom, backup OS drive > without starting it and write directly on CD-Writer. I have used the > Windows version of the later on Windows environment but never use the > Linux version on Linux. On Windows It can backup partitions and > restore them selectively. > >> Is there a real special setup you have on this machine that you >> choose not >> to re-install, if not i'd go for the re-install option. By far the most >> stress free, and just back-up your user data and any special config >> files >> that may aid a speedy re-configuration of your newly re-installed >> system. > > > 2) > > Yes, there are some special setup and special applications running on > RH8.0 > >> You are backing up on to CD, unfortunately there is no magic command to >> restore the backup data, unless you were using some special backup >> software >> or ghost utility in which case you could have this magic command. > > > 3) > > Please refer to my reply in point 1) above. > > >> I have had similar problems over the last few months i solved them by >> getting an >> 80GB hard drive. My desktop machine which now has two HDs a 20GB >> Primary >> Master with 5 partitions. /dev/hda1 is a Windoze XP partition, >> /dev/hda2 is a >> RH8 partition, and /dev/hda3 is a SlackWare 8.1 partition, /dev/hda4 >> is physical >> partition which holds /dev/hda5 my logical swap partition, which is >> used by both >> Slack and RH. All my user data, music, movies, and software are held >> on my Primary >> Slave which also has quite a few partitions but one in particular >> that is just used >> in case I need to backup a partition to re-install one of the OS's or >> something. > > > That is what I do on Windows machine, slave drive or a partition > "Drive D". But I stop allowing 2 OSs sharing a hard drive after an > accident, partition table collapse. It took me very long time and > paintsticking effort to get the drive and all data back. > > I could not resolve if I have all users partitions on slave drive how > can Linux finds the respective folder for him automatically when a > user starts Linux and login. Any special links have to be created > >> My drive cost me about £75 GBP, and believe me it is much less of a >> headache to >> re-install and mess with my system now. > > > Yes, that is true. But in this case it is a dual OS PC, RH8.0 and > WinXP with their own hard drive mounted on mobile rack. I don't know > what will happen if a RH8.0 Slave is attached to WinXP, secondly how > to make use of the free space in Primary drive > > Thanks > > Stephen > > > > -- Psyche-list mailing list Psyche-list@redhat.com https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/psyche-list
