<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 TRANSITIONAL//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; CHARSET=UTF-8">
<META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="GtkHTML/3.28.3">
</HEAD>
<BODY>
I've shrank Windows partitions with GParted successfully -- I just make sure I run chkdsk on M$ to make sure Bill is "happy". If you can successfully resize the partition and create the appropriate "unallocated space" then I wouldn't worry about formatting that space -- I'd just install Ubuntu to the unallocated space and be done with it. This is exactly what I did last weekend on a build for a buddy who is dual-booting XP and 9.10 and he loves it! So much so he can't imagine why in the world anyone would want to use Windows when you have Linux to choose from!! : )<BR>
<BR>
The scenario under-which I did this was: WD 160GB HDD "System C:" 40GB NTFS; "Storage D:" 40GB NTFS and the remainder as Unallocated Space for Ubuntu 9.10 to install to (which it did flawlessly!) I had attempted an installation of 64 Studio on this box after installing XP but the whole build got corrupt during the late phases of the install of Studio (boot loader crapped-out). During that installation the "Storage" drive got repartitioned to 56GB from the original 40GB I specified so I used GParted on the Live CD I have for 9.10 and parred it back to 40GB. I then nuked the ext3 partitioning from the botched 64 Studio installation, rebooted to M$ and ran chkdsk on D: and confirmed all was well. Then back to my Live CD and did the installation on the Unallocated Space. Viola! <BR>
<BR>
Note: I did not format the unallocated space prior to Linux installation...I did that during the installation.<BR>
<BR>
Fly low, beat the radar and may the wind at your back not be your own....R<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
-----Original Message-----<BR>
<B>From</B>: Jim Philips <<A HREF="mailto:Jim%20Philips%20%3cbriarpatch.jim@gmail.com%3e">briarpatch.jim@gmail.com</A>><BR>
<B>Reply-to</B>: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts - Yes! We run Linux! <ale@ale.org><BR>
<B>To</B>: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts - Yes! We run Linux! <<A HREF="mailto:Atlanta%20Linux%20Enthusiasts%20-%20Yes!%20We%20run%20Linux!%20%3cale@ale.org%3e">ale@ale.org</A>><BR>
<B>Subject</B>: Re: [ale] GParted & unallocated space<BR>
<B>Date</B>: Sat, 25 Sep 2010 12:25:55 -0400<BR>
<BR>
I went back to Windows and tried to format the "unallocated space". It wouldn't let me. So, I used the Windows partition tool to regrow the Windows partition to its maximum size and reclaim that space. I then tried to shrink that partition again, thinking I could format the empty space as ntfs. When I went to shrink, Windows complained that tghe partition could not be shrunk because it was corrupted and I needed to run chkdsk to fix the problem. I ran chkdsk twice, but I s'm still not being allowed to shrink that partition in Windows. I could shrink it again in GParted, but I will end up again with "unallocated space" that GParted refuses to format. This is getting to be less fun as it goes along.<BR>
<BR>
On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 10:43 AM, justin caratzas <<A HREF="mailto:justin.caratzas@gmail.com">justin.caratzas@gmail.com</A>> wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
I've seen people advocate with either choice for shrinking the windows<BR>
partition. I just went through a similar situation where I wanted to<BR>
keep the Windows installation on a new laptop (Civ 5 ftw) and install<BR>
Archlinux to occupy half of the hard drive. Unfortunately for me, the<BR>
archlinux installer didn't like the partition that windows had setup<BR>
as a result of the shrinking, something about cylinder boundaries and<BR>
such. GParted wasn't working either, giving a similar message when I<BR>
tried to just give archlinux the large partition to work with. One<BR>
challenge was all the partitions that Lenovo had in place (recovery,<BR>
installation, etc). What I ended up having to do is manually<BR>
partition the unallocated space in GParted, and only make the<BR>
archlinux installer assign mount points, and it seemed fine with that.<BR>
<BR>
As far as the space being unformatted, I think I ran into that<BR>
situation and got around it by formatting the partition as NTFS in<BR>
windows, and then simply reformatting once GParted was able to see it<BR>
upon reboot.<BR>
<BR>
<FONT COLOR="#888888">-- justin</FONT>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 10:14 AM, Damon L. Chesser <<A HREF="mailto:damon@damtek.com">damon@damtek.com</A>> wrote:<BR>
> On Sat, 2010-09-25 at 09:58 -0400, Jim Philips wrote:<BR>
>> I bought a new laptop and I'm trying to install Ubuntu on it. The firs<BR>
>> time around, I ended up destroying the Windows installation (which I<BR>
>> did not want to do). The second time I went in and looked for the<BR>
>> "side by side" option for installing from the live CD. It wasn't<BR>
>> there. So, I decided to try GParted. I shrank the nearly 475 gigs<BR>
>> dedicated to Windows in half. After that, I am left with 235 gigs of<BR>
>> unallocated space. The Ubuntu installer will neither format nor<BR>
>> install to that space. Gparted won't format it either. So, from where<BR>
>> I am now, there is nothing I can do with that space either with the<BR>
>> Ubuntu installer or GParted. The "Format to" option is just grayed out<BR>
>> in GParted. I don't remember my last install being this hard.<BR>
>><BR>
>> This is a Windows 7, 64 bit laptop.<BR>
><BR>
> It is desirable to "shrink" the partition from with-in windows. Right<BR>
> click on "my computer" select "manage" go down to "disk manager". I<BR>
> don't remember the exact thing to do, but from there (perhaps by right<BR>
> clicking menu on the disk partition?) you can select to change the size<BR>
> of the partition. Give that a try. I have never "seen" the situation<BR>
> you are describing, however, I have broke windows 7 by NOT using windows<BR>
> built in disk manager to change the size.<BR>
><BR>
> HTH<BR>
>> _______________________________________________<BR>
>> Ale mailing list<BR>
>> <A HREF="mailto:Ale@ale.org">Ale@ale.org</A><BR>
>> <A HREF="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale</A><BR>
>> See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at<BR>
>> <A HREF="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo</A><BR>
><BR>
> --<BR>
> Damon<BR>
> <A HREF="mailto:damon@damtek.com">damon@damtek.com</A><BR>
><BR>
> _______________________________________________<BR>
> Ale mailing list<BR>
> <A HREF="mailto:Ale@ale.org">Ale@ale.org</A><BR>
> <A HREF="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale</A><BR>
> See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at<BR>
> <A HREF="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo</A><BR>
><BR>
<BR>
_______________________________________________<BR>
Ale mailing list<BR>
<A HREF="mailto:Ale@ale.org">Ale@ale.org</A><BR>
<A HREF="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale</A><BR>
See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at<BR>
<A HREF="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo</A><BR>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
<PRE>
_______________________________________________
Ale mailing list
<A HREF="mailto:Ale@ale.org">Ale@ale.org</A>
<A HREF="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale</A>
See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at
<A HREF="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo</A>
</PRE>
<BR>
</BODY>
</HTML>