Can I move space into an extended partition?

My current partitions look like this:
100MB factory partition
40GB NTFS (win XP, Only 16GB occupied)
10GB ext3 (/)
160 GB extended
---10GB ext3 (/home)
--- 138GB /ext3
--- 2GB swap

I want to change it to:
100MB factory partition
20GB NTFS (win XP)
10GB ext3 (/)
180 GB extended
---10GB ext3 (/home)
--- 50GB NTFS (for win 7)
--- 108GB /ext3
--- 2GB swap

This involves 1) Moving partitions around, and 2)Moving space from primary to extended parition.

Can this be done without reformatting/destroying data?

 

Hello. If you have extra HDD then Maybe you can tried to do HDD/partition clone, this should be safer even faster.

Regards
southcat

 

Didnt think of making images...thanks. Anyone know of a good free imaging program that can image linux partitions?
I assume I will have to save a copy of grub?

 

rsync?

 

Hello. IMHO, resizing partition with data is always risky, no 100% guarantee success. The safest way is clone to another hard disk(if you don't have, maybe can borrow from your friends ? or just hand over this whole operation to computer shop) then resize partiton or simply delete it then repartition, after that you can clone back.

EASEUS Partition Master Home Edition is free partition software, maybe you can try but once again i have to say that even with powerful commercial partition software also no 100% guarantee. If you can afford slightly chance of risk then you can venture.

 

Disclaimer: My experience only relates to XP up to SP3; No expereince with W7....yet.

try this.
http://partedmagic.com/
http://partedmagic.com/documentation/128-videos.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ozslw2cKQ0
http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20090406#feature
http://linuxsysconfig.com/2009/02/parted-magic-37/
or this:
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb54TsYI6UA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TK5YezY-Xc
Lots more..

Gparted write up
http://www.linux.com/archive/feed/53924 :

I have tested Parted magic with no problems here...verra nice GUI for partitionmgt and Live Cd.

Image first.
Terabyte BING/IFW/IFL free trial:
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/products.htm
BootItNG will allow you to do what you want to do and much more.
I have used BING extensively with no problems on image restore EVER.
Multiple partition moves, formats and resizes with NO DATA LOSS EVER. ( lol: that wasn't planned for !)

Starter for free imagers:
http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilities/backupandimage.shtml

Mother lode:
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/free_imaging_software.html


Heh: be careful: start slow: complex disc manipulation requires some forethought, ... RTM !!, and a rescue strategy
For starters burn the Parted Magic CD boot and "have a Look"
Burn the BING CD start and have a look ...very different GUI to PM.

 

Thanks!!

 

Yes, Parted Magic does what you want. A free and very reliable alternative to Terabayte is Clonezilla for imaging.

 

For imaging partitions:
http://www.clonezilla.org/
and always update your backups before messing with partitions.