Partition resize fails

[richard_355]

Trying to install SuSE 9.1 as dual boot with XP on new Pavilion zv5323EA. Have done many successful Linux (and MS) installs in the past including dual (& triple) boot. Laptop is brand new (delivered on 30th Jan), all I have done is configure it (for XP) and install some software, then done a defrag.

Problem: Partition resize tool (SuSE) fails warning of filesystem problem.

Next, tried qtparted from a rescue CD, same problem. Finally, ran MS chkdsk tool, this reported 'unspecified error' at end of otherwise clear check but didn't seem to correct anything (i.e. no change in initial problems following check).

Have I got a faulty HDD? If not, can anyone advise a way forward? I need to keep XP for the wife to use else I'd wipe it...

Thanks and regards, Richard.

[Steven E. Protter]

I would follow these steps.

Let Microsoft do a full scan on the hard disk. If there is trouble, get it swapped out.

If not:

Use the system restore cd and put XP back full.


What i did:

I downloaded and created a boot cd of a Linux distribution specifically designed to let me modify the partition sizes.

The name of the distribution is system rescue cd.

http://www.systemrescuecd.org

I booted off this cd and reduced the XP parition from 60 GB to 15 GB.

Then I booted off my chosen Linux distribution and let grub be the boot manager.

To boot XP i have to intervene with a keystroke at boot time and arrow down to XP.

Simple, functional, reliable.

SEP

[Cuitlahuac]

I remember that there are problems Resizing NTFS in SuSE 9.1, maybe you should try with
9.0 or 9.2, you may download a small net install here:

ftp://ftp.rediris.es/pub/linux/distributions/suse/pub/suse/i386/9.2/iso/

or maybe you may try with parted that comes in

the CD recommended before or in gentoo cd s

[NiCK_76]

Hi Richard,

You can try another partition resize tools such as pqmagic to resize partition and leave free space to install linux.

NiCK

[richard_355]

Hi All,

Thanks for your thoughts. I have tried a few of these things:

I already have "system rescue cd" - that's how I tried qtparted, same result.

The MS check tool (from C: -> Properties) ran for 20 minutes without finding any problems then reported an 'uknown error' as it exitted.
Still couldn't resize with either SuSE9.1 or qtparted.

Am downloading the SuSE9.2 mini image suggested by Cuitlahuac, will try that later. I've not heard of pqmagic, I'll see if I can find that too.

Cheers, Richard

[Steven E. Protter · Accepted solution]

You might want to do this:

Extract the installaton cab files from XP and make an install CD. that has to be done from a working installation.

Then wipe the hard disk.

Partition it up.

boot and install windows in its partition and then Linux in the other.

SEP

[richard_355]

Hi again Steven,

I suspect that your suggestion above (backing up XP install, wiping the disc, creating 2+ partitions etc.) is what I'll end up doing. My main hesitation is that (a) I have spent a while installing Mozilla Firefox / Thunderbird and OpenOffice (-> a pain to repeat) and (b) not too sure that XP install won't trash the partition table anyway? The installer shows M$ at it's "finest" in knowing better than I do what I want!

You seem to be more familiar with XP (I managed to avoid it till this year) - is it (trashing my partioning) likely? I have a 'recovery' CD from HP but I am not too familiar with the details of using it!

I'm currently downloading SuSE9.2 and will try that as soon as I can, looks like the last resort before doing as you suggested.

Thanks again, Richard

[F.O. Bossert]

Yoo,

I had same problem. Only solution for me that worked is same. Make backup of Windows XP, whipe disk, resize, return backup and install linux which will create dual boot if using right distro.. good luck

[richard_355]

Hmm, rather remiss of me not to keep this thread up-to-date but I got SuSE 9.3 and the YaST partitioner that came with it successfully resized the M$ partition and allowed me to put Linux on the machine. I now almost never use M$ and may even delete it completely some time soon.

My suggestion FWIW is to try SuSE 9.3 or possibly the free / open version 10.0

Good luck!
Richard.

[percy123]

Well,Partition Assistant developed by AOMEI Tech would be a greater choice in solving this problem.U may get a lot of profits with this kind software.