[Wylug-help] Partitioning HDD

[Dave Fisher]

On Sun, Mar 16, 2003 at 09:47:29PM -0000, Salil Khamkar wrote:
> Any ideas on how I can split my secondary partition ?? Am unable to use
> FIPS since it can only split FAT32 partitions.

Can you please describe how the two partitions are currently used?

Several laptops (e.g. IBM stinkpads) use a secondary partition
(/dev/hda2 in Linux speak) to keep a copy of the original XP install so
that it can be restored once the inevitable corruption has set in.

Others may put me right on this, but I am only aware of one (expensive)
non-destructive method for partitioning an NTFS partition, i.e. using a
Windows product like Partition Magic.  If that's an option for you, take
it.  If not, here's some ideas:

If the data on your second partition (/dev/hda2) isn't a recovery
partion, you could save the raw data on it to removable media or another
networked device (using the dd or netcat commands from a bootable Linux
CD like Knoppix), then destructively repartion it with fdisk or parted
into /dev/hda2 and /dev/hda3 (making sure that /dev/hda2 is identically
sized or larger than the raw data you copied), then use dd to copy the
data back to the smaller /dev/hda2.  This would leave an empty /dev/hda3
for installing an alternative OS like Linux.

If that option is not available, because recovery data occupies the
entire second partition, you may be able to copy the raw data on your
first partion (/dev/hda1) to backup media or networked device (using the
dd command), destructively repartion the primary partition into two
(arguably /dev/hda1 and /dev/hda3), then restore the raw data to the
first bit of the repartioned drive (/dev/hda1), leaving /dev/hda3 empty
and /dev/hda2 containing your recovery data.

The problem with this method, is that the tiniest slip-up (e.g.
miscalculating the size of your data or its position on the disk) could
leave the XP install on /dev/hda1 unbootable.  In this case, your
recovery partion could possibly restore the original XP install but will
probably do so destructively, i.e. wiping out all the programs and data
you added after you installed XP.

Let us know your existing partition layout, current usage and how you
would like it.  At the very least we should be able to tell you whether
it's worth making an effort.

Best wishes,

Dave