[ubuntu-uk] Removing Windows dual boot

[Neil Greenwood]

On 18 March 2011 00:08, Rob Beard <rob at esdelle.co.uk> wrote:
> On 17/03/11 21:31, Neil Greenwood wrote:
>
>> If you really want to convert, you have to delete the extended
>> partition and create a new primary partition.
>>
>> Otherwise, if there's room, you could reformat the ex-Windows
>> partition and copy the Ubuntu partition into it, then delete the old
>> Ubuntu partition and resize to make use of all the disk.
>>
>
> Not sure if it would work (i.e. I've not tried it myself) but I wonder if it
> would be possible to use GParted (maybe from an Ubuntu Desktop CD) to copy
> the contents of the logical partition to a primary partition?

Can you copy partitions in GParted? I've not tried it, or I tried it
many years ago when it didn't support NTFS 5 properly.

> AFAIK an extended partition is pretty much fixed (that is you can't move it
> along the disk, so if it's say half way along the disk you can't move it
> down to the start of the disk) so copying the data into a primary partition
> might be a good idea.

For future reference, you can move/resize an extended partition. It
should act pretty much like any other primary partition in that
respect.

If you're using a GUI tool like GParted, you have to make sure you
select the right bit to change it successfully. IIRC, it's easier to
select it in the list of partitions rather than the graphical view at
the top of the window.

> If you to attempt this though I'd suggest at least making a backup of your
> home directory (just in case).

Always good advice before playing with a partition editor! :-)


Cofion/Regards,
Neil.