Re: an ext2 partition saw like a swap partition

[Andrew Clausen]

Wolfgang Hubert wrote:
> recently I heared from the GNU parted software and I installed the version
> 1.4.11 on one of our PCs with Linux (SuSE 6.4) and I had the same problem
> (see subject) as Olivier Gondouin discussed on the Bug-parted web site
> (archive january 2001). A "print"-command from hard disk /dev/sda shows
> the right information about the partitions, but for /dev/sdb and /dev/sdc
> all ext2 partitons are shown as swap partitions although they are really
> (!) ext2 partitions.
> Concerning this I have 2 questions now:
> 1) Is it possible to work with such partitions with GNU-parted (e.g.
> resize) all the same?

No.  You need to destroy the swap signatures.

> 2) In the last mail from the archive about this topic you wrote something
> about destroying the linux-swap signature with the "dd"-command or with a
> hex editor. Is the "dd"-method applicable in every case and if not what do
> I have to do with the hex editor (and where can I find such an editor)?

There are two versions of the swap space.  Anyway, with a hexeditor,
if you look for SWAP, and replace it with anything else, then that
should fix it ;-)

> In addition I have a fundamental question about GNU-parted:
> You wrote in the 26-page description "USER" that one have to create a boot
> disk for working on the root disk (page 4). But I'm only able to work with
> partitions which are unmounted (the choice of "Ignore" in the
> "Ignore/Cancel"-question on mounted partitions don't work).
> In general, should it be possible to e.g. resize mounted partitions?

No.  Andreas Dilger has a resizer to resize mounted partitions,
however.

> If yes, could this cause problems?

It will cause problems, if you try it with parted.

> If not, why a boot disk only "to resize a root or boot partition" (I think
> you can't unmount e.g. a /var partition in normal running mode)?

You can switch to single user mode for /var.
(telinit 1)

Andrew Clausen