1 (edited by Harry Cover 2009-05-22 10:41:17)

Topic: GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on

I am testing Gparted 0.4.5 from Parted Magic 4.1 with the following partitions on my 1 Gb USB key:
/dev/sda1 extended 996 Mb
    /dev/sda5 fat32 384 Mb
    /dev/sda6 fat32 298 Mb
    unallocated 62 Mb
    /dev/sda7 fat32 250 Mb
When I want to "Move /dev/sda7 to the left", I get the following error: GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on it!
I doesn't understand where is the problem. Have you any idea? Many Thanks
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Here is the gparted_details.htm file:

GParted 0.4.5

Libparted 1.8.8
Move /dev/sda7 to the left  00:00:10    ( ERROR )
        
calibrate /dev/sda7  00:00:01    ( SUCCESS )
        
path: /dev/sda7
start: 1526238
end: 2040254
size: 514017 (250.98 MiB)
calculate new size and position of /dev/sda7  00:00:02    ( SUCCESS )
        
requested start: 1397718
requested end: 1911734
requested size: 514017 (250.98 MiB)
new start: 1397718
new end: 1911734
new size: 514017 (250.98 MiB)
check file system on /dev/sda7 for errors and (if possible) fix them  00:00:00    ( SUCCESS )
        
dosfsck -a -w -v /dev/sda7
        
dosfsck 3.0.2 (28 Feb 2009)
dosfsck 3.0.2, 28 Feb 2009, FAT32, LFN
Checking we can access the last sector of the filesystem
Boot sector contents:
System ID "mkdosfs"
Media byte 0xf8 (hard disk)
512 bytes per logical sector
512 bytes per cluster
32 reserved sectors
First FAT starts at byte 16384 (sector 32)
2 FATs, 32 bit entries
2024448 bytes per FAT (= 3954 sectors)
Root directory start at cluster 2 (arbitrary size)
Data area starts at byte 4065280 (sector 7940)
506076 data clusters (259110912 bytes)
63 sectors/track, 255 heads
0 hidden sectors
514016 sectors total
Reclaiming unconnected clusters.
Checking free cluster summary.
/dev/sda7: 2 files, 13316/506076 clusters
move partition to the left  00:00:02    ( SUCCESS )
        
old start: 1526238
old end: 2040254
old size: 514017 (250.98 MiB)
new start: 1397718
new end: 1911734
new size: 514017 (250.98 MiB)
move file system to the left  00:00:03    ( ERROR )

        
using libparted
rollback last change to the partition table  00:00:02    ( SUCCESS )
        
move partition to the right  00:00:02    ( SUCCESS )
        
old start: 1397718
old end: 1911734
old size: 514017 (250.98 MiB)
new start: 1526238
new end: 2040254
new size: 514017 (250.98 MiB)
libparted messages    ( INFO )
        
GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on it!

2

Re: GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on

Anybody can't help me?
Thanks

3

Re: GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on

Did you try the GParted livecd?
I don't know if Parted Magic works exactly the same manner as GParted livecd.

(Topic moved to the live media section)

*** It is highly recommended to backup any important files before doing resize/move operations. ***

4

Re: GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on

class413 wrote:

Did you try the GParted livecd?
I don't know if Parted Magic works exactly the same manner as GParted livecd.

(Topic moved to the live media section)

Yes, I just tried with the Gparted livecd (gparted-live-0.4.5-2.iso) and I have the same error and message.
Perhaps this problem could come because of the particular values of the sizes of the partitions?
Many Thanks

5

Re: GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on

Strange! I would suspect any similar issue with ntfs, not with fat32.

Can you try it in 2 steps, grow the partition from the start side in the first step and shrink it from the end side after?

*** It is highly recommended to backup any important files before doing resize/move operations. ***

6

Re: GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on

class413 wrote:

Strange! I would suspect any similar issue with ntfs, not with fat32.

Can you try it in 2 steps, grow the partition from the start side in the first step and shrink it from the end side after?

Growing the partition sda7 (fat32) from the start side means two operations: "move /dev/sda7 to the left and grow it from 251 MiB to 313 MiB". When I apply this operation, I have the same error when the sub operation "move file system to the left" occurs during the first operation of "move /dev/sda7 to the left and grow it from 251 MiB to 313 MiB", ie during the "move /dev/sda7 to the left".

I tried another tests with the following configuration:

TEST 1
Partitions on my 1 GiB USB key:
/dev/sda1 primary fat32 384 MiB
/dev/sda2 primary fat32 298 MiB
unallocated 62 MiB
/dev/sda3 primary fat32 251 MiB
"Move /dev/sda3 to the left" fails with the following error: "GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on it!"

TEST 2
Partitions on my 1 GiB USB key:
/dev/sda1 primary fat32 384 MiB
/dev/sda2 primary fat32 298 MiB
unallocated 62 MiB
/dev/sda3 primary ntfs 251 MiB
"Move /dev/sda3 to the left" pass without error.

TEST 3
Partitions on my 1 GiB USB key:
/dev/sda1 extended 996 MiB
    /dev/sda5 logical fat32 384 MiB
    /dev/sda6 logical fat32 298 MiB
    unallocated 62 MiB
    /dev/sda7 logical fat32 251 MiB
"Move /dev/sda7 to the left" fails with the following error: "GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on it!"

TEST 4
Partitions on my 1 GiB USB key:
/dev/sda1 extended 996 MiB
    /dev/sda5 logical fat32 384 MiB
    /dev/sda6 logical fat32 298 MiB
    unallocated 62 MiB
    /dev/sda7 logical ntfs 251 MiB
"Move /dev/sda7 to the left" fails with the following error:
-- Part of the gparted_details file (I can send you all the file if needed) --
check file system on /dev/sda7 for errors and (if possible) fix them  00:00:00    ( ERROR )
        
ntfsresize -P -i -f -v /dev/sda7
        
ntfsresize v2.0.0 (libntfs 10:0:0)
Failed to startup volume: Invalid argument.
ERROR(22): Opening '/dev/sda7' as NTFS failed: Invalid argument
The device '/dev/sda7' doesn't have a valid NTFS.
Maybe you selected the wrong partition? Or the whole disk instead of a
partition (e.g. /dev/hda, not /dev/hda1)? This error might also occur
if the disk was incorrectly repartitioned (see the ntfsresize FAQ).
----------------------------------------

TEST 5
Partitions on my 1 GiB USB key:
/dev/sda1 extended 996 MiB
    /dev/sda5 logical ntfs 384 MiB
    /dev/sda6 logical ntfs 298 MiB
    unallocated 62 MiB
    /dev/sda7 logical ntfs 251 MiB
"Move /dev/sda7 to the left" fails with the same error than in TEST 4

Hope this help you to find a solution?

Many Thanks

7

Re: GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on

Any suggestions? Thanks

8

Re: GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on

"GNU Parted cannot resize this partition to this size. We're working on it!"

I'm afraid that it is a rather old issue concerning "parted". It seems that they didn't solve it. GParted acts as the GUI front end for GNU parted and the various tools, to perform the operations.
I know that there are some restrictions with ntfs partition resize, as the ntfsprogs site/FAQ reports (related to the master file table position). I didn't know similar issues with fat32.

So, the solution would be to backup the partition contents, delete and recreate manually the partition in the right position and restore the contents.

*** It is highly recommended to backup any important files before doing resize/move operations. ***