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Topic: Stuck at the four-partition limit?

Hello,
I've been trying out Ubuntu for the past two months, having used Windows XP previously, and I'd like to switch to it permanently--however, my linux partition only has 4 gb of space, and I'd like more.  Unfortunately, my partition layout is as follows:

noah@noah-laptop:~$ sudo fdisk -ul
Password:

Disk /dev/hda: 40.0 GB, 40007761920 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4864 cylinders, total 78140160 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1              63       64259       32098+  de  Dell Utility
/dev/hda2   *       64260    66653684    33294712+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda3        68758200    77674274     4458037+  83  Linux
/dev/hda4        77674275    78140159      232942+   5  Extended
/dev/hda5        77674338    78140159      232911   82  Linux swap / Solaris
noah@noah-laptop:~$

As you see, there's a gap, but I have no idea how to use that space.  I've hit the four-partition limit, and I don't know how to get around it.  I ran across a recommendation for LVM, but it looks more technical than I want to bother with right now.  I realize this isn't a question that necessarily relates to GPartEd in particular, but I thought perhaps you'd be able to help or point me to the right place.  I've been using gparted to work with the partitions, but I can't increase the size of /dev/hda3 because it needs to increase "left," not right, something which doesn't work.  Any ideas?

Thanks,
Noah

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Re: Stuck at the four-partition limit?

Hi.
I guess this should help you : http://gparted.sourceforge.net/larry/tips/gfs.htm
If you need/want more help post somewhere a screenshot of the GParted layout.
thx

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

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Re: Stuck at the four-partition limit?

Here's a screenshot: http://www.likeafox.net/screenshots/gparted.png

I can't increase the size of the Linux partition, just decrease it.  (The locks don't appear when I use the livecd version of gparted to actually resize things.)  I also can't create a new partition in the unused space.

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Re: Stuck at the four-partition limit?

Well the problem is simple smile
You surely use an old version of GParted. Moving "from the left" has been enable since ... sometime. I cant tell you exactly when, but it does smile
So you 'd better use the last livecd...
I think it will take a serious while, since there is very few free space around :-/

Larry
GParted-project Admin
Former GParted-LiveCD maintainer (2007)

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Re: Stuck at the four-partition limit?

Thanks!! That worked just fine.  Looks like Ubuntu 6.10 comes with gparted v.0.2.5-1.1ubuntu11.  I hope they update to something more recent soon...  I'm all set now, thanks!