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Backing up Hard drive prior to installing MG3

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dx...@albury.nospam.net.au

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May 19, 2013, 12:57:21 PM5/19/13
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Later today I will (hopefully) be installing MG3 on this computer, into
the partition that I currently have MG2 in, but before doing that, I
want to back up my 500GB HD on to a 250Gb spare drive, so I need to
reduce my /home from its current 310GB to about 50GB. There is at least
that much space empty on the HD, so that is no problem!! My problem is
how do I actually achieve the srinkidge!!

I had thought that on the MD2009 DVD, I was able to change the size of a
partition, but when I tried it tonight, I was unable to determine how. I
then booted into MD2009 + KDE and tried reducing the size of /home in
MCC, but as the /home was in use then, I was not able to unmount it or
change its size.

So I'm guessing I need to boot to run level 3 or something (which I've
never done), i.e. before /home is mounted, but how do I do that??

And, then when I'm at run level 3, how do I change the size of /home??
At run level 3, can I start MCC and do the size change there??

I'll check back in the morning to see what advise you have for me.
Thanks in advance.

Daniel

Bit Twister

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May 19, 2013, 4:10:50 PM5/19/13
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On Mon, 20 May 2013 02:57:21 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:
> Later today I will (hopefully) be installing MG3 on this computer, into
> the partition that I currently have MG2 in, but before doing that, I
> want to back up my 500GB HD on to a 250Gb spare drive, so I need to
> reduce my /home from its current 310GB to about 50GB. There is at least
> that much space empty on the HD, so that is no problem!! My problem is
> how do I actually achieve the srinkidge!!

Create/format/label whatever partition(s) you like on target drive,
mount partitions and use rsync to copy files. Example click up a terminal

su - root
mkdir /target
mount -t auto /dev/XdYZ /target
rsync -aAvx --delete /home/ /target
umount /target
exit
exit

for /dev/XdYZ (you solve for X [h,s], Y [a,b,c], Z [1,2,3])

If there are problems rsync will abort and give you a reason why.

> I had thought that on the MD2009 DVD, I was able to change the size of a
> partition, but when I tried it tonight, I was unable to determine how. I
> then booted into MD2009 + KDE and tried reducing the size of /home in
> MCC, but as the /home was in use then, I was not able to unmount it or
> change its size.

Yep, you have to umount it.

>
> So I'm guessing I need to boot to run level 3 or something (which I've
> never done), i.e. before /home is mounted, but how do I do that??

Or something. :)
If you were to boot run level 3 and log in. That would still log you
in /home/daniel :(

You would have to log in as root and if /home is on another besides /
then you could re-size it.

My recommendation to for you is to use a rescue cd for that kind of
work unless you can umount the partition and still work in the gui
mode.

I use http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/ as my rescue cd.

Kirk_Von_Rockstein

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May 19, 2013, 5:44:50 PM5/19/13
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On 2013-05-19, Dani...@teranews.com <dx...@albury.nospam.net.au> wrote:
> Later today I will (hopefully) be installing MG3 on this computer, into
> the partition that I currently have MG2 in, but before doing that, I
> want to back up my 500GB HD on to a 250Gb spare drive, so I need to
> reduce my /home from its current 310GB to about 50GB. There is at least
> that much space empty on the HD, so that is no problem!! My problem is
> how do I actually achieve the srinkidge!!

If all your looking to do is backup the original MG2 partition.
Boot into a SystemRescueCD LiveCD,
Run:
fdisk -l
in the root term to determine the device node
for the backup drive's partition and source drive .
Make a mount point for the 250gb drive:
mkdir /mnt/backup
mount the backup drive:
mount /dev/sdYy /mnt/backup
(substitute sdYy with device node found via output
of fdisk -l for the 250GB backup drive)
Run:
dd if=/dev/sdXx bs=65536 conv=noerror,sync |bzip2 -c > /mnt/backup/MG2.img
(substitute sdXx for the device node for the 500GB drive partition
as found in the output of fdisk -l)

> I had thought that on the MD2009 DVD, I was able to change the size of a
> partition, but when I tried it tonight, I was unable to determine how. I
> then booted into MD2009 + KDE and tried reducing the size of /home in
> MCC, but as the /home was in use then, I was not able to unmount it or
> change its size.

man resize2fs

David W. Hodgins

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May 19, 2013, 5:46:31 PM5/19/13
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On Sun, 19 May 2013 12:57:21 -0400, Dani...@teranews.com <dx...@albury.nospam.net.au> wrote:

> And, then when I'm at run level 3, how do I change the size of /home??
> At run level 3, can I start MCC and do the size change there??

For resizing a partition, my preferred application is gparted.

Boot into run level 3 (Just add " 3" to the end of the kernel options,
in grub. Login as root, and run startx to get into kde, or gnome,
then umount /home, and use gparted to resize it.

Regards, Dave Hodgins

--
Change nomail.afraid.org to ody.ca to reply by email.
(nomail.afraid.org has been set up specifically for
use in usenet. Feel free to use it yourself.)

dx...@albury.nospam.net.au

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May 19, 2013, 10:22:25 PM5/19/13
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Dani...@teranews.com wrote:
> Later today I will (hopefully) be installing MG3 on this computer, into


Thanks to the three of you for your replies.

I'm looking into gparted and resize2fs

Daniel


Dan C

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May 20, 2013, 12:31:26 AM5/20/13
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On Mon, 20 May 2013 02:57:21 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:

> I'll check back in the morning to see what advise you have for me.

Bugger off, Win-droid.


--
"Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me".
"Bother!" said Pooh, as Lorena Bobbitt tied him to the bed.
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dx...@albury.nospam.net.au

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May 20, 2013, 7:14:54 AM5/20/13
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Dan C wrote:
> On Mon, 20 May 2013 02:57:21 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:
>
>> I'll check back in the morning to see what advise you have for me.
>
> Bugger off, Win-droid.
>
>
Gee, don't you jump off the mark quickly!! Haven't checked my posting
history, here and here-abouts, have you, Dan!!

Sure, I posted via Win7 because my MD2009 internet agent is broken, and
I was hoping MG3 might connect to 3G USB Dongle internet natively, so I
wouldn't have to worry about getting this fixed on MD2009.

Never bothered to set MD2010, MD2011 or MG2 up to connect via 3G USB Dongle.

Pull your head in, Dan C!

Daniel

dx...@albury.nospam.net.au

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May 20, 2013, 7:21:58 AM5/20/13
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O.K., so I've got my MG3 iso burned to DVD and I downloaded GParted from
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/ and I've burned it to CD twice,
one via Win7's explorer burning agent and, when it didn't work, I then
booted into MG2 and burnt it to another CD, but it didn't work either.

In both cases, when I boot the computer with either CD in the CD/DVD
drive, it just spins and spins and ......

Any ideas, gents??

Daniel

Bit Twister

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May 20, 2013, 8:03:17 AM5/20/13
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On Mon, 20 May 2013 21:21:58 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:
>
> O.K., so I've got my MG3 iso burned to DVD and I downloaded GParted from
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/ and I've burned it to CD twice,
> one via Win7's explorer burning agent and, when it didn't work, I then
> booted into MG2 and burnt it to another CD, but it didn't work either.

I can only guess a bad download, hopefully.
I am using the 64bit (amd64) iso.
I hope the 32 bit (i486) is ok. You might try here

http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/files/gparted-live-stable/0.16.1-1/gparted-live-0.16.1-1-i486.iso/download?use_mirror=aarnet

http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/files/gparted-live-stable/0.16.1-1/gparted-live-0.16.1-1-amd64.iso/download?use_mirror=aarnet


PS: Just put Dan C in your kill file. It is a waste of time responding
to him. The we get his crap when you respond to him. :(

dx...@albury.nospam.net.au

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May 20, 2013, 8:16:05 AM5/20/13
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You know, BT, I noticed the "i486" and the end of the file name, but
didn't think twice about it!!

Downloading the 686 version as I type

Ta

Daniel

dx...@albury.nospam.net.au

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May 20, 2013, 9:25:21 AM5/20/13
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Two more CD's and a DVD into the bin.

D/l'ed the 686 file, burnt it to CD using Win7 then with K3B on MG2 but
neither worked so tried burning the 135Mb file to a DVD and that failed
as well.

I will perserve, though!!

Daniel

Kirk_Von_Rockstein

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May 20, 2013, 11:33:47 AM5/20/13
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On 2013-05-20, Dani...@teranews.com <dx...@albury.nospam.net.au> wrote:
> Dani...@teranews.com wrote:
<snipped>
>
> D/l'ed the 686 file, burnt it to CD using Win7 then with K3B on MG2 but
> neither worked so tried burning the 135Mb file to a DVD and that failed
> as well.
>
> I will perserve, though!!
>
> Daniel
>

The SystemRecueCD has Gparted and most the low level tools you would ever need.

Dan C

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May 20, 2013, 10:56:57 PM5/20/13
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On Mon, 20 May 2013 21:21:58 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:

Yeah. Stick with Windoze. You can't handle Linux.


--
"Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me".
"Bother!" said Pooh, as he shot another Spotted Owl.

Dan C

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May 20, 2013, 10:59:07 PM5/20/13
to
On Mon, 20 May 2013 21:14:54 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:

> Dan C wrote:
>> On Mon, 20 May 2013 02:57:21 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:
>>
>>> I'll check back in the morning to see what advise you have for me.
>>
>> Bugger off, Win-droid.
>>
>>
> Gee, don't you jump off the mark quickly!! Haven't checked my posting
> history, here and here-abouts, have you, Dan!!

No. Of course I haven't. Why would I bother?

>
> Sure, I posted via Win7 because my MD2009 internet agent is broken, and
> I was hoping MG3 might connect to 3G USB Dongle internet natively, so I
> wouldn't have to worry about getting this fixed on MD2009.

You posted via win7 because you are a Win-droid. That's all.

>
> Never bothered to set MD2010, MD2011 or MG2 up to connect via 3G USB
> Dongle.

Yeah, you couldn't be "bothered" with such things.

>
> Pull your head in, Dan C!

Bugger off, Win-droid troll.


--
"Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me".
"Bother!" said Pooh, as he found his pit crew eating ice cream.

Dan C

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May 20, 2013, 10:59:28 PM5/20/13
to
Jesus Christ you are one dumb fuck.


--
"Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me".
"Bother!" said Pooh, as he reinstalled TLX 3.1.

dx...@albury.nospam.net.au

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May 22, 2013, 9:18:35 AM5/22/13
to
Dan C wrote:
> On Mon, 20 May 2013 22:16:05 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:
>
>> Bit Twister wrote:
>>> On Mon, 20 May 2013 21:21:58 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:
>>>>
>>>> O.K., so I've got my MG3 iso burned to DVD and I downloaded GParted
>>>> from http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/ and I've burned it to CD
>>>> twice,
>>>> one via Win7's explorer burning agent and, when it didn't work, I then
>>>> booted into MG2 and burnt it to another CD, but it didn't work either.
>>>
>>> I can only guess a bad download, hopefully.
>>> I am using the 64bit (amd64) iso.
>>> I hope the 32 bit (i486) is ok. You might try here
>>>
>>> http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/files/gparted-live-
> stable/0.16.1-1/gparted-live-0.16.1-1-i486.iso/download?use_mirror=aarnet
>>>
>>> http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/files/gparted-live-
> stable/0.16.1-1/gparted-live-0.16.1-1-amd64.iso/download?use_mirror=aarnet
>>>
>>>
>>> PS: Just put Dan C in your kill file. It is a waste of time responding
>>> to him. The we get his crap when you respond to him. :(
>>>
>> You know, BT, I noticed the "i486" and the end of the file name, but
>> didn't think twice about it!!
>>
>> Downloading the 686 version as I type
>>
>> Ta
>>
>> Daniel
>
> Jesus Christ you are one dumb fuck.

and thank you very much for the assistance you have provided, Dan C!!

Idiot!!

Daniel

dx...@albury.nospam.net.au

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May 22, 2013, 9:26:28 AM5/22/13
to
Dan C wrote:
> On Mon, 20 May 2013 21:14:54 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:
>
>> Dan C wrote:
>>> On Mon, 20 May 2013 02:57:21 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'll check back in the morning to see what advise you have for me.
>>>
>>> Bugger off, Win-droid.
>>>
>>>
>> Gee, don't you jump off the mark quickly!! Haven't checked my posting
>> history, here and here-abouts, have you, Dan!!
>
> No. Of course I haven't. Why would I bother?

Because it might help you to not appear as an idiot!

>>
>> Sure, I posted via Win7 because my MD2009 internet agent is broken, and
>> I was hoping MG3 might connect to 3G USB Dongle internet natively, so I
>> wouldn't have to worry about getting this fixed on MD2009.
>
> You posted via win7 because you are a Win-droid. That's all.

Many of the good folk that post here mention that they have various
versions if Windows installed, so they must be win-driods, too, I suppose!!

Seems to me that a lot of win-driods have a bad image of Linus (and Mac)
users because of idiots like you, Dan C.

>> Never bothered to set MD2010, MD2011 or MG2 up to connect via 3G USB
>> Dongle.
>
> Yeah, you couldn't be "bothered" with such things.

Gee, you can read, Dan C, well done!

>> Pull your head in, Dan C!
>
> Bugger off, Win-droid troll.

No thanks, Dan C.

Daniel


Dan C

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May 22, 2013, 11:12:02 AM5/22/13
to
On Wed, 22 May 2013 23:26:28 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:

>> You posted via win7 because you are a Win-droid. That's all.
>
> Many of the good folk that post here mention that they have various
> versions if Windows installed, so they must be win-driods, too, I
> suppose!!

Yes, indeed.

Bugger off, Win-droid.


--
"Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me".
"Bother!" said Pooh, as he launched a Maverick.

dx...@albury.nospam.net.au

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May 23, 2013, 9:51:49 AM5/23/13
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Dan C wrote:
> On Wed, 22 May 2013 23:26:28 +1000, Dani...@teranews.com wrote:
>
>>> You posted via win7 because you are a Win-droid. That's all.
>>
>> Many of the good folk that post here mention that they have various
>> versions if Windows installed, so they must be win-driods, too, I
>> suppose!!
>
> Yes, indeed.
>
> Bugger off, Win-droid.
>
>
Just bugger off!!

Daniel

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