37 replies to this topic

[FrozenEclipse]

Hey, Linux users. After a few months of dualbooting XP with Ubuntu, I'm ready to become a 100% Linux user. Unfortunately, my 120 GB D drive is currently formatted to NTFS and is almost full. Is there a way to convert NTFS to EXT without losing everything I have? I want to be able to write to that drive under Ubuntu once I get some of the junk cleared off it.

Note: I know Linux can write to FAT but I've always been under the impression that Linux can write more effectively to its own native filesystem than a predominantly Windows-used filesystem.

[irchs]

I am not aware of any NTFS to extx conversion process. But then again, there could be one out there.

However, I recommend you start over fresh and back up your files

Jan

[david.rothera]

That is what he is trying to say, the 120Gb HDD is nearly full therefore he cant just back the files up ( unless he has a spare 120 lying around )

[MrA]

Not that I know of. You should just backup all your files and reformat. That's what I did.

[rezza]

You can't convert a live filesystem containing data from one type to another like that, as far as I know. You'll either have to backup your data somehow and reformat it, or suck it up and leave it as NTFS.

[FrozenEclipse]

That's what I was fearing. Ah well, I won't let that keep me from making the full-time switch to Linux. Thanks for answering my question, everyone.

[mitch00]

since your drive isnt completely full, why dont you just resize your partition and make the unused space into ext3, then move soem files from ntfs to ext3 and then convert the newly freed up ntfs space into part of your ext3 partition, doing it chunk by chunk.. might take a while but you wouldnt lose anything...that would work right?

[+BudMan]

rezza, on Jun 16 2005, 13:17, said:

You can't convert a live filesystem containing data from one type to another like that

Dude yes you can.. MS allows you to convert fat to ntfs using the convert command..

C:\>convert /?
Converts FAT volumes to NTFS.

CONVERT volume /FS:NTFS [/V] [/CvtArea:filename] [/NoSecurity] [/X]

As for linux - Here is a howto for gentoo on how to convert these file systems;
http://gentoo-wiki.c...ert_Filesystems
his will work for these filesystems:

* minix
* xfs
* jfs
* reiserfs
* ext2
* ext3

But off the top - I do not know of an easy, safe way to convert from ntfs to ext2 or 3, or to any other native linux FS... Hmm, I'll take a look around.

[FrozenEclipse]

StreetGames, on Jun 16 2005, 13:22, said:

since your drive isnt completely full, why dont you just resize your partition and make the unused space into ext3, then move soem files from ntfs to ext3 and then convert the newly freed up ntfs space into part of your ext3 partition, doing it chunk by chunk.. might take a while but  you wouldnt lose anything...that would work right?

That was a great idea, but for some reason, PartitionMagic isn't letting me create a new partition on my D drive.

[gwon]

MajinDark, on Jun 16 2005, 19:44, said:

That was a great idea, but for some reason, PartitionMagic isn't letting me create a new partition on my D drive.

Done a defrag recently?

[FrozenEclipse]

A drive without a Windows installation wouldn't need much defragmenting, but for the sake of it, I checked it using Diskeeper, and it's not fragmented.

[markjensen]

MajinDark, on Jun 16 2005, 13:12, said:

Hey, Linux users. After a few months of dualbooting XP with Ubuntu, I'm ready to become a 100% Linux user.

First, congratulations on making the 100% switch.
It took me quite a while longer than two months to finally ditch Windows completely.


As for the drive issue, do you have a home network going on, and could offload files to another PC? But that is an awful lot of files to move!


EDIT: If you can remove your Windows system from there, it will free up some room to start using. Not a very efficient option, as you really need to find about a 120GB drive to transfer your data to.

[protoss_chaos]

go buy a drive, use it for backup. Kill the partition and make a new one on your old HD, then drop the files back over... After that, return the New HD to where you bought it from... I kno its not the most ethical thing to do, but it does work...

I just cant see how anyone could use nothing but Linux :-( Lack of games just kills it for me...

[FrozenEclipse]

markjensen said:

First, congratulations on making the 100% switch.
It took me quite a while longer than two months to finally ditch Windows completely.

Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.

markjensen said:

As for the drive issue, do you have a home network going on, and could offload files to another PC?  But that is an awful lot of files to move!

EDIT:  If you can remove your Windows system from there, it will free up some room to start using.  Not a very efficient option, as you really need to find about a 120GB drive to transfer your data to.

Unfortunately, my PC is the only one in the house, so my options are limited at the moment.

protoss_chaos said:

I just cant see how anyone could use nothing but Linux :-( Lack of games just kills it for me...

My GameCube and PS2 satisfy my gaming needs.

[gwon]

The only thing I'm left with now, is the thought of a friend with a spare harddrive? Or a DVD-RW drive and a crap load of disks..