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From: Raphael C. <ra...@cl...> - 2003-11-30 17:07:27
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I have a dual boot system with windows 2000/linux and wanted to grab some of the spare space on the ntfs partition for linux. I made a systemrescuecd (0.2.8) but it couldn't resize the ntfs partition as it was fragmented. I rebooted into 2000 and defragmented it (noticing that it gave a list of files it hadn't actually defragmented at the end). After rebooting using the systemrescuecd I got the same error about the ntfs filesystem being fragmented. I then defragmented it again, it appeared to actually do some more but still had a few files it said it had not defragmented. After rebooting, systemrescuecd gave me a very similar (but not identically phrased) error to before and still wouldn't resize the partition. Essentially I have two questions and a request a) What am I to do? Is there a different more aggressive way of defragmenting in 2000 that I have missed? b) Could there be some docs on how to defragment so that ntfsresize will work? I very rarely use Windows and am quite lost. c) If ntfsresize were able to do this for you it would be fantasic! Kind regards, Raphael |
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From: Szakacsits S. <sz...@si...> - 2003-12-02 23:11:18
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On Sun, 30 Nov 2003, Raphael Clifford wrote: > I have a dual boot system with windows 2000/linux and wanted to grab > some of the spare space on the ntfs partition for linux. I made a > systemrescuecd (0.2.8) but it couldn't resize the ntfs partition as it systemrescuecd has ntfsresize 1.8.0. Could you do send me the output of ntfsresize -i device? Then I can tell what you might do. Cheers, Szaka |
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From: Raphael C. <ra...@cl...> - 2003-12-03 10:15:23
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Szakacsits Szabolcs wrote:
>On Sun, 30 Nov 2003, Raphael Clifford wrote:
>
>
>
>>I have a dual boot system with windows 2000/linux and wanted to grab
>>some of the spare space on the ntfs partition for linux. I made a
>>systemrescuecd (0.2.8) but it couldn't resize the ntfs partition as it
>>
>>
>
>systemrescuecd has ntfsresize 1.8.0. Could you do send me the output of
>ntfsresize -i device? Then I can tell what you might do.
>
>Cheers,
> Szak
>
Hi,
As I am running it from the sysrescuecd I have copied out the important
bits by hand and abbreviated some bits.
NTFS Volume version 3.0
volume/device size 4294MB
Space in use 2385MB (55.5%)
Last used at By Inode
$MFT 33 0
$MFTMirr 4220 1
Compressed 2898 9577
Multi-Record 4287 2694
Ordinary 4288 14944
Could resize to 4288MB (freeing 6MB)
Cheers,
Raphael
P.S. I have tried defragging over and over again in Win 2000 as someone
suggested. This is the result after the 5th defrag.
P.P.S. In Win 2000 it is clear from the defrag picture that some system
files are kept at the end of the ntfs partition and they are causing the
problem.
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From: Szakacsits S. <sz...@si...> - 2003-12-03 11:15:42
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Hi,
First of all, sorry for the late reply for your first email. The list
became moderated due to the huge amount of spam lately and your email was
approved only 3 days later, I didn't get it earlier. [Anton, as I noticed
SourceForge started to use spam filtering. Is there still a lot of spam?
If not, it could be switched back to unmoderated, also less job for you]
> As I am running it from the sysrescuecd I have copied out the important
> bits by hand and abbreviated some bits.
OK. Do you have floppy or is sysrescuecd capable to automaticallly setup
the network for you? If yes, you could redirect ntfsresize output to a
file, e.g by
ntfsresize -i device > ntfsresize.out
or
ntfsresize -i device | tee ntfsresize.out # you see also the output
then save ntfsresize.out to a floppy or to somewhere else on the network.
> volume/device size 4294MB
> Space in use 2385MB (55.5%)
>
> Last used at By Inode
> $MFT 33 0
Ok, the problem is not here.
> $MFTMirr 4220 1
The development (BETA) version of ntfsresize can cope with this.
> Compressed 2898 9577
This one also but it's disabled even in the BETA since it's untested. Thus
in the best case you could resize at 2899 MB with the BETA version (unless
I enable support for this as well) if we find solution for the below
problem.
> Multi-Record 4287 2694
This is a very fragmented file. Handling this case is not yet supported
unfortunately. But maybe you can overcome this. You can check what's this
file if you mount your NTFS partition:
mkdir windows
mount -t ntfs <device> windows
cd windows
find -inum 2694
If this file is pagefile.sys (great chance) then you could temporarily
turn off Windows' Virtual Memory under
Start->Settings->Control Panel->System->Advanced->Performance
and try again the ntfsresize process.
If the file is something else then on Windwos you may either just delete
it if you don't need (but be careful you don't delete something useful) or
copy file file_new
erase file
rename file_new file
Using just 'rename' is not enough.
> Ordinary 4288 14944
The ntfsresize BETA can cope with this also.
> P.S. I have tried defragging over and over again in Win 2000 as someone
> suggested. This is the result after the 5th defrag.
Windows defragmenter can't defragment files in use (e.g. system files,
NTFS internal files). Some commercial defragmenter can achieve this at
boot time. ntfsresize BETA can also overcome most of these problems
(supporting all cases still needs some time). If it make sense and you're
willing to try it out, please let me know.
> P.P.S. In Win 2000 it is clear from the defrag picture that some system
> files are kept at the end of the ntfs partition and they are causing the
> problem.
Usually it's the Windows pagefile.sys and that can be turned off. Cheers,
Szaka
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From: Raphael C. <ra...@cl...> - 2003-12-03 16:11:29
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Hi, Thanks very much for the great reply. >This is a very fragmented file. Handling this case is not yet supported >unfortunately. But maybe you can overcome this. You can check what's this >file if you mount your NTFS partition: > > mkdir windows > mount -t ntfs <device> windows > cd windows > find -inum 2694 > > The answer is find -inum 2694 ./WINNT/system32/config/software.LOG >If this file is pagefile.sys (great chance) then you could temporarily >turn off Windows' Virtual Memory under > > Start->Settings->Control Panel->System->Advanced->Performance > >and try again the ntfsresize process. > >If the file is something else then on Windwos you may either just delete >it if you don't need (but be careful you don't delete something useful) or > > copy file file_new > erase file > rename file_new file > >Using just 'rename' is not enough. > > > a) Can I simply delete/copy+delete that file. It looks like it might be important :) b) Will it just be instantly recreated when I do that (before I can exit windows 2000)? Cheers, Raphael |
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From: Szakacsits S. <sz...@si...> - 2003-12-03 17:04:28
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On Wed, 3 Dec 2003, Raphael Clifford wrote:
> The answer is
>
> find -inum 2694
> ./WINNT/system32/config/software.LOG
>
> a) Can I simply delete/copy+delete that file. It looks like it might be
> important :)
Yes, a search on google says it's part of the registry so you won't be
able to delete it even if you tried.
A possible strategy,
1) backup everything, you can do an exact _copy_ (sector-to-sector)
of your NTFS by either partimage or ntfsclone. Both is on the
SystemResceCD.
2) try to install Captive NTFS. It's a free read-write NTFS
driver that copies your Windows ntfs.sys to the Linux
then uses it to access NTFS.:
http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/
Check the law and licensing conditions of your Windows in
your country if you can use it:
http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/doc/Architecture.html.pl#law
3) now you should be able to copy + delete + rename the file.
4) check if Windows still works, if not, recover from backup, we
will try something else.
Well, looks like a quite exciting project ;) If you're not willing to do
it, I'll suggest something else. Thanks,
Szaka
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From: Szakacsits S. <sz...@si...> - 2003-12-04 15:48:26
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> > find -inum 2694
> > ./WINNT/system32/config/software.LOG
> >
> > a) Can I simply delete/copy+delete that file. It looks like it might be
> > important :)
>
> A possible strategy,
A less exciting but simpler one,
> 1) backup everything, you can do an exact _copy_ (sector-to-sector)
> of your NTFS by either partimage or ntfsclone. Both is on the
> SystemResceCD.
2) Start the Windows Recovery Console and
copy software.log software.log.orig
erase software.log
rename software.log.orig software.log
> 4) check if Windows still works, if not, recover from backup, we
> will try something else.
Cheers,
Szaka
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From: Raphael C. <ra...@cl...> - 2003-12-08 09:57:57
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Hi, Thank you very much for all the top tips. I am partiticularly excited about the new features that are in the BETA versions of ntfsresize. Unfortunately, I couldn't bring myself to try any of the more exciting options you described as they all seemed a little destructive (as I don't have a full backup of Windows 2000). Partition magic 8.x saved the day. It really is magic... it removed 1GB from my ntfs partition and simply stuck it on one of my ext3 partitions without batting an eye lid :) Cheers and thanks again, Raphael Szakacsits Szabolcs wrote: >>> find -inum 2694 >>>./WINNT/system32/config/software.LOG >>> >>>a) Can I simply delete/copy+delete that file. It looks like it might be >>>important :) >>> >>> >>A possible strategy, >> >> > >A less exciting but simpler one, > > > >> 1) backup everything, you can do an exact _copy_ (sector-to-sector) >> of your NTFS by either partimage or ntfsclone. Both is on the >> SystemResceCD. >> >> > > 2) Start the Windows Recovery Console and > > copy software.log software.log.orig > erase software.log > rename software.log.orig software.log > > > >> 4) check if Windows still works, if not, recover from backup, we >> will try something else. >> >> > >Cheers, > > Szaka > > > > |
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From: Szakacsits S. <sz...@si...> - 2003-12-08 11:15:31
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On Mon, 8 Dec 2003, Raphael Clifford wrote: > Thank you very much for all the top tips. I am partiticularly excited > about the new features that are in the BETA versions of ntfsresize. In the weekend I made some progress to handle your case as well but the needed additional feature not ready yet to be included even in the BETA. Lots of things to do but not much time for them ... > Unfortunately, I couldn't bring myself to try any of the more exciting > options you described as they all seemed a little destructive (as I > don't have a full backup of Windows 2000). OK, no problem :) I _think_ the Windows Recovery Console trick should have succeeded. But the Captive NTFS way could have resulted loss data. I've never used this new way of accessing NTFS (I'm not even sure it's legal) but things looked promising ... until this weekend when several people using Windows 2000 and Captive NTFS reported data loss. Jan released a fix, we will see how it works. If Captive NTFS were reliable then it could be useful for additionally testing Linux-NTFS code (no need to reboot, start/buy VMWare, etc). Cheers, Szaka |
