suse 13.1 - kde, grabbed partitions from my backup drive

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hello. I have my old drive as backup drive. Suse has grabbed partitions from it. I need to have the full amount for back of windows files. It’s grabbed way more than it needs from my primary. The partition changes bug comes up again(forced changes, no changes to my windows drive unless I ask for them). I still haven’t had the chance to put the partition back to the way they were.

How do shift them those partition back to the primary drive? Just delete them and reformat the drive?

// generated by libstorage version 2.24.8
// linux-nsfx.(none), 2014-02-05 13:45:21

digraph storage
{
    node [shape=rectangle, style=filled, fontname="Arial"];
    edge ;

    "device:/dev/sda" [label="sda", color="#ff0000", fillcolor="#ffaaaa", tooltip="Hard Disk
/dev/sda
931.51 GB"];
    "device:/dev/sda1" [label="sda1", color="#cc33cc", fillcolor="#eeaaee", tooltip="Partition
/dev/sda1
292.96 GB"];
    "device:/dev/sda2" [label="sda2", color="#cc33cc", fillcolor="#eeaaee", tooltip="Partition
/dev/sda2
32.00 GB"];
    "mountpoint:/dev/sda2" [label="/usr/local", color="#008800", fillcolor="#99ee99", tooltip="Mount Point
/dev/sda2
32.00 GB"];
    "device:/dev/sda5" [label="sda5", color="#cc33cc", fillcolor="#eeaaee", tooltip="Partition
/dev/sda5
203.38 GB"];
    "device:/dev/sda6" [label="sda6", color="#cc33cc", fillcolor="#eeaaee", tooltip="Partition
/dev/sda6
264.75 GB"];
    "device:/dev/sdb" [label="sdb", color="#ff0000", fillcolor="#ffaaaa", tooltip="Hard Disk
/dev/sdb
298.09 GB"];
    "device:/dev/sdb1" [label="sdb1", color="#cc33cc", fillcolor="#eeaaee", tooltip="Partition
/dev/sdb1
2.01 GB"];
    "mountpoint:/dev/sdb1" [label="swap", color="#008800", fillcolor="#99ee99", tooltip="Mount Point
/dev/sdb1
2.01 GB"];
    "device:/dev/sdb2" [label="sdb2", color="#cc33cc", fillcolor="#eeaaee", tooltip="Partition
/dev/sdb2
20.00 GB"];
    "mountpoint:/dev/sdb2" [label="/", color="#008800", fillcolor="#99ee99", tooltip="Mount Point
/dev/sdb2
20.00 GB"];
    "device:/dev/sdb3" [label="sdb3", color="#cc33cc", fillcolor="#eeaaee", tooltip="Partition
/dev/sdb3
139.00 GB"];
    "mountpoint:/dev/sdb3" [label="/home", color="#008800", fillcolor="#99ee99", tooltip="Mount Point
/dev/sdb3
139.00 GB"];

    { rank=source; "device:/dev/sda" "device:/dev/sdb" };
    { rank=same; "device:/dev/sda1" "device:/dev/sda2" "device:/dev/sda5" "device:/dev/sda6" "device:/dev/sdb1" "device:/dev/sdb2" "device:/dev/sdb3" };
    { rank=sink; "mountpoint:/dev/sda2" "mountpoint:/dev/sdb1" "mountpoint:/dev/sdb2" "mountpoint:/dev/sdb3" };

    "device:/dev/sda" -> "device:/dev/sda1" [style=solid];
    "device:/dev/sda" -> "device:/dev/sda2" [style=solid];
    "device:/dev/sda2" -> "mountpoint:/dev/sda2" [style=dashed];
    "device:/dev/sda" -> "device:/dev/sda5" [style=solid];
    "device:/dev/sda" -> "device:/dev/sda6" [style=solid];
    "device:/dev/sdb" -> "device:/dev/sdb1" [style=solid];
    "device:/dev/sdb1" -> "mountpoint:/dev/sdb1" [style=dashed];
    "device:/dev/sdb" -> "device:/dev/sdb2" [style=solid];
    "device:/dev/sdb2" -> "mountpoint:/dev/sdb2" [style=dashed];
    "device:/dev/sdb" -> "device:/dev/sdb3" [style=solid];
    "device:/dev/sdb3" -> "mountpoint:/dev/sdb3" [style=dashed];
}

931 gb = primary drive.
293 gb = backup drive

Need help here, thanks.

2

I would rather see the output from

fdisk -l

before proceeding, please. That is a letter l, not the number one, in that command.

3

Hi lord_valarian !

I have some difficulties to understand what you did.

Fine.

Grabbed partitions from that ‘backup’ drive ??

Was this the source drive ?

What was the target drive / where did the backup go ?

That may be another problem.

This may not be a real problem if you have enough space.

Similarly:
what is your source drive (i.e. in case of the ‘restore’ that you now seem to attempt) ?

And what is your target drive (i.e. in the same case of the ‘restore’ that you now seem to attempt) ?

Good luck
Mike

4 
>fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000203804160 bytes, 1953523055 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk label type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xbb2ebb2e

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1              63   614389859   307194898+   7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2       614389923   681493364    33551721    c  W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda3   *   681493365  1953521663   636014149+   f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5       681493428  1108019164   213262868+   7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda6      1398308864  1953521663   277606400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/sdb: 320.1 GB, 320071851520 bytes, 625140335 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk label type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x32783277

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1            2048     4208639     2103296   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb2         4208640    46153727    20972544   83  Linux
/dev/sdb3        46153728   337653759   145750016   83  Linux

This should help. I need the backup as only one partition/drive.

Later, I want to create an auto-backup on shutdown for mswin and linux.

5

We need more details about what you want to do. Perhaps more info on what you were trying to do, as well.

Were you installing openSUSE? I can only guess, since you did not say.

Do you still want to install openSUSE? I need to guess at that, as well.

If you want to install openSUSE, where do you want it installed? I am again guessing you want it on the same drive as Windows, so the 2nd drive can be left empty for backups.

If that is the case, you first need to make room on the Windows drive, as it appears all the space is already taken. Even though the code is not anywhere near as bloated as Windows, Linux still requires some space to be installed to.

Guessing at that, I suggest you use Windows’ Disk Manager to shrink and move the partitions on the first drive, since that will be the most dependable way of shrinking Windows’ partitions without bricking the Win O/S.

Before you do anything, please tell us exactly what you want to achieve, so we can tell you the best approach.

6

Hi lord_valarian,

you posted the output of ‘fdisk -l’.
That helps a bit.

Do you have a problem with disk space on one of your 2 drives?

I still don’t really get your problem.

From your first posting:

I read here, that you want to make a backup from another drive to your old drive.

This would mean that ‘Suse has grabbed partitions from’ this old drive.
But that would be a completely new situation.

Again the question, which one is the source drive, which one is the target drive?

This probably says that a backup of partitions - that has been made using openSUSE -
used a lot of space on the target drive (which?), and that you would like it to use less space for that backup, right?

If this is true, then let me make a personal remark:
I use 3 external hard disks to backup the data of my internal hard disk.
They’re connected via USB, and this has the additional advantage that I would easily be able
to read the data that was backed up on any other PC.

Good luck
Mike

7

Let me clear this up… My backup drive should have only one partition. 293 gb It has at least 3 partitions. Can’t figure out what those partitions are doing there. There is no 293 gb(about) partition. How do fix the drive one only partition? What are those extra partitions doing there?

Let ignore my other problem with opensuse install forced changes to my windows drives. For your info anyway…

Not go through a dozen menus to undo any changes made. No changes to any partitions, unless requested. I still haven’t put my window partition back to it’s normal size. I left enough room for suse to install on my primary drive. Suse installer still cut up my windows drives anyway. Don’t make changes without me requesting it.

My windows drives keep being cut up by the suse installer. Don’t alter windows partitions, unless requested. No menus to undo changes I never wanted.

Is this clear now?

8

Better

The installer only will do what you tell it or let it do. My guess is that you installed the OS to that drive. If you don’t want those partition remove them. But if it is a running OS you will need to boot to another OS or Live CD/DVD that does not use those partition before you can deep six them. Can’t remove them while they are mounted

I guess you could mount them if they are not already in use and see what is in them. I promise you the OS did not do that on it own you had to request it or not pay attention to default settings in the Installer.

So solution is to remove them and maybe resize the exiting partition

If in doubt show use fdisk -l with the drive attached

9 
>fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000203804160 bytes, 1953523055 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk label type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xbb2ebb2e

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 63 614389859 307194898+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 614389923 681493364 33551721 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda3 * 681493365 1953521663 636014149+ f W95 Ext’d (LBA)
/dev/sda5 681493428 1108019164 213262868+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda6 1398308864 1953521663 277606400 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/sdb: 320.1 GB, 320071851520 bytes, 625140335 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk label type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x32783277

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 2048 4208639 2103296 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb2 4208640 46153727 20972544 83 Linux
/dev/sdb3 46153728 337653759 145750016 83 Linux

On your first drive, you have 4 Windows partitions: sda1, sda2, sda5 & sda6

sda5 & sda6 are both logical NTFS (Windows) partitions in an extended partition (sda3).

You appear to have unallocated drive space in the extended partition on sda from 1108019165 to 1398308863

The only partitions on your first drive (sda) are all Windows partitions, so that cannot be the fault of openSUSE, since it does not install any Windows partitions by default.

On your 2nd drive (sdb) – obviously the only one with any room for it to install to, since Windows is taking up almost all of your 1st drive – you appear to have the 3 standard openSUSE partitions: sdb1 for swap, the other two (most probable) would be home and root (/).

This does not quite fit with what you are telling us, so this is causing confusion.

To proceed, we need to know:

  1. Do you want to keep openSUSE
    installed on the machine? 1. If so, where? On the first drive with Windows?
  2. Do you want all of the second drive for a single backup partition? (We appear to already know the answer to that, apparently yes, one large single partition
    , but we need to know the answer to ALL of these questions.)

We can not suggest anything without knowing those answers.

10

These partitions on your 293 gb (/dev/sdb or the 320 GB hard disk, as is telling your ‘fdisk -l’)
seem to be a result of an installation of a Linux, like openSUSE.

On the other drive, the 1TB hard disk (or /dev/sda), there obviously is no Linux.

Just as Fraser_Bell asked above: what do you really want to do, or get?

11

I’v gone through the hassle for 4 versions of suse. Before this, it wouldn’t mess up my partitions. I’v yet to figure it out stop it on install, after 4 versions. It’s a hassle. It’s a bad idea to alter partitions without a users permission. Go back to no changes unless requested. I leave 129 gig for suse. DON’T even ofter to alter them. No menus sort through to put them back. LEAVE them alone. Resizing after every install is hassle.

Front page: “alter/resize partitions?” [yes] [no] default no simple, no hassle.

12

Hopefully, this answers everyone questions. I might have missed something.

  1. Do you want to keep openSUSE
    installed on the machine? > 1. If so, where? On the first drive with Windows?
  2. Do you want all of the second drive for a single backup partition? (We appear to already know the answer to that, apparently yes, one large single partition
    , but we need to know the answer to ALL of these questions.) >

OpenSuse 13.1 installed with a 129 gig. Much larger than I’ll even. Window is for gaming is needs the largest share on main drive. Suse should take very little drive space. 129 gig (3 gig used).

terrabyte drive:

temp1= transfer zone
temp2= primary backup
windows 7, windows xp

293 gig(old): secondary backup

Note: it was formatted for windows before. One partition.

Formatting in suse gave all those extra partitions. I’m baffled why suse added extra partitions for a blank backup drive. Next thing I know, I can’t find the drive I just formatted. No 293 gig(about) drive??

In windows, I have to do a manual copy for windows files. I was hoping to add a one click backup to suse to back up windows and suse at the same time.

13

I assure you that does not happen without user intervention.

Just be sure that the partition scheme is what you want before accepting it. If it is not then change it. You have full control of how the partitions get laid in. Don’t be a Windows user and take what ever is offered. You are in control and responsible

By default openSUSE makes/uses 3 partition. swap,root and home. Any additional you have to explicitly add.

14

So, where is it? What drive name(secondary backup)? There is nothing is comes close 293 gig. I can’t make any sense that drive list. It looks like there are partitions that were added to it after I formatted it in opensuse. What are they doing there? I already have those in the main drive.

15

Quite possibly you messed up and installed them to the wrong drive. Mount them and see what is in them.

You really must double check the scheme screen becaause it says exactly what it is going to do. If it is not what you want change it.

the order which a drive shows up in the BIOS is not fixed in stone and can change. The order determines the sdX# of the drive. So you have to be sue that the install is pointing to the correct device.

16 



>fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000203804160 bytes, 1953523055 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk label type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xbb2ebb2e

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1              63   614389859   307194898+   7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2       614389923   681493364    33551721    c  W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda3   *   681493365  1953521663   636014149+   f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5       681493428  1108019164   213262868+   7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda6      1398308864  1953521663   277606400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/sdb: 320.1 GB, 320071851520 bytes, 625140335 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk label type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x32783277

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1            2048     4208639     2103296   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb2         4208640    46153727    20972544   83  Linux
/dev/sdb3        46153728   337653759   145750016   83  Linux

As Mike said:

And I said:

… you had 2 drives connected to the computer when you ran fdisk -l, a 1TB and a 320GB drive (depending on who measures, the 320GB can also be reported as a 293GB drive, but it is the same drive.)

You have Linux installed on the 320GB drive. You have no Linux installed on the 1TB drive, only Windows with extra Windows partitions, which are not created by openSUSE by default. Which either means Windows created them, or you had to manually change the Linux install to force it to create them.

But, if you tell us what you want to have in the end, we can tell you how to correct that. If you don’t tell us, we can’t tell you how to correct that.

17

Lets take this one step and question at a time.

>You have no Linux installed on the 1TB drive

HUH? I remember installing into the terrabyte drive. OpenSuse 13.1 doesn’t install to the larger drive. Secondary drive is smaller. Suse should be default to the larger drive. So, I’ll need to reinstall suse and unplug the secondary drive during install to keep suse from installing there.

How do I keep opensuse from cutting up my windows drives(terrabyte drive)? I’v tried for 5 versions to stop it from doing that. I’v failed every time. I can’t stop it. I can’t make any sense of the menus. It should default to not cutting up my windows drives. In the old version, it would just install to the free space in the primary drive I left for it with secondary drive plugged in.

That extra space in terrabyte drive. Is the extra space I left for opensuse to install in

Thanks to all, I’ll reinstall opensuse with secondary drive unplugged. I’ll fix all the drives back to their normal size.

18

  1. you installed to sdb the 320 gig drive The installer will default to the boot drive so do you have that set as boot

  2. When installing in even a moderately complicated system you can not expect the installer to always make the same choice as you would. You have to be actively aware and be sure the scheme is what you want and intend not just click through.

  3. If you want to install on the TB drive be sure that is where things are planed on going and leave space to install not a partition. ie clean out and or resize to leave clean continues none partitioned space. That space is where you want the 3 openSUSE partitions to go.

  4. don’t understand about cutting up the drive. I see no free space on the TB drive it is all taken up in Windows partitions so some partitions must be removed or resized to provide the space to install

19

Okay. Now we are getting somewhere. I now understand that you want to install openSUSE to your Terrabyte drive, along with Windows.

But,*** if you have not done anything further yet, then do not do anything until*** we do a couple of important things first.

Please realize that I want neither to insult nor to criticize you. I want to help you, as does gogalthorp. But, in order for us to help you, you need to be patient and you need to work with us, not against us.

No, it will not default that way. Instead, it analyzes your structure and tries to guess where you might want it. But, of course, it has no idea what you want if you do not tell it. It sees that a huge percentage of the first drive is devoted to Windows operating systems, so it decides to leave that alone, believing you would probably want to install to the drive that it sees as “an added drive”.

But this is just its guess, and it is only suggesting a disk structure. It would prefer that you would make the decisions, though.

And we can show you how to do that, as long as you answer the questions we ask.

You will not need to unplug the second drive to do this. We will show you what to do, instead, and in the future you will be able to take control and do what you want.

We are going to need additional information.

Please answer the following questions, and we will continue after we see the answers:

  1. Can you still boot into Windows?;
  2. What version of Windows are you running?; and
  3. Are you running only one
    version of Windows, or do you have two (or more) versions installed?

We will continue after we get the answers to these questions, as they are important for the next steps.

20

I will answer this first, busy day.

I had windows xp installed and opensuse. I tried to install windows 7 over that. Then reinstall grub menu. Windows7 wiped all the linux partitions out. A warning to all… So, I reinstalled opensuse.

In my grub menu:
opensuse 13.1
windows7
windowsxp

Most of my games are on xp. Booting to either winxp or win7 has never been a problem. Rebooting from xp, tends to me to use the reset button(won’t shutdown). I originally had windows formatted the second drive(293gb) for backup from windows. I wanted to make opensuse do all the work for all backup.

opensuse is using about 3 gigs of 129gb. Normally, it’s only about 79 gigs. But opensuse complains if try a value that low. 192gig is way too high now.