create swap after install

[Dapper Dan 0]

A friend of mine just installed Morphix-Gnome on his pc and he didn't create a swap. This wouldn't be a problem since he's running 512 ram, but there's a program he needs that will not install without a swap. Morphix comes with fdisk. Can he now create a swap in any way, or is it pretty much going to have to be a nuke and pave job to get it? Thanks

[danleff 0]

One thins that I can think of right off.

 

Get Knoppix and use qtparted. Resize the last partition on the drive (from the end), create a swap partition at the end of the drive and add it to the fstab.

 

Is it an ext3 partiton at the end of the drive?

[Dapper Dan 0]

He's dual booting. If he's got a copy of Partition Magic, could he then resize the last partition with a fairly minimal chance of data loss? I've never resized a Linux partition after install, so I'm in the dark here. ;(

[danleff 0]

I have. If he has PartitionMagic, this would be the preferred utility. I note using the end of the drive, as it is easier to figure out what the swap space partition designation is.

 

Using PartitonMagic assures that partitionmagic is able to read the partiitons later on if needed. You may recall, I did have trouble with qtparted corrupting the partitions, at least seemingly so, resulting int PartitionMagicbeing unable to read the drive.

 

So, if he knows that the last ext3 partition is hda6, for example, then the swap space partition hopefully will be hda7. Adding it elsewhere sometimes changes the partition designations

 

Whatever utilities that he has to view the partitons on the system could be used to id the swap space.

 

I use Linux fdisk very little, but I would guess that doing and fdisk /dev/hda (if this is the drive), then "p" to show the partitons will verify which is the swap. Then add the usual to his fstab.

 

Can't remember the correct utilities/commands right off.

[Lou-Saydus 0]

im so glad im not a total idiot! Oh ya almost forgot Im the "Friend" lol. Anyway i was saying

when i installed morphix i made an extra 200mb partition at the end of my disk "Just in case" would i be able to use that for my swap space? the partition is still totaly empty.

[danleff 0]

There you have it!

[Lou-Saydus 0]

may i ask what i have??? Me= Major Newbie 2 Linux...

[Dapper Dan 0]

Lou, you should then be able to use Partition Magic to create a swap partition at the end of your drive in that space. Do you have a copy of PM? You didn't seem to have any problem using fdisk though. If you are comfortable using that, then give it a go..

[Lou-Saydus 0]

uhh... i dont know how to "Give it a go."

[Dapper Dan 0]

As root:

 

fdisk /dev/hda [enter]

 

Then:

 

m [enter]

 

for options. That should get you started. Good Luck!

[Lou-Saydus 0]

call me a nooB but how do i become root?

[danleff 0]

At a console, type su then hit the enter key.

 

type in the root password -> enter key

[Lou-Saydus 0]

o i c*feels stupid* i alread knew that.. but i didnt know that it was called root lol.

[Lou-Saydus 0]

So how do i set that partition to be my swap space?

[Dapper Dan 0]

I'm afraid I can't help you there. You did so well using fdisk to install Morphix, I was willing to bet you could just figure it out!

 

If you decide it's too daunting to use fdisk to make that last partition a swap, let me ask..

 

If you are dual booting, is there a complete install of Trespasser on your Windows?

 

If so, it may be easier to just cross over into your Windows partition and run it, or copy it over to Linux, and then run with Winex3. Which version of Windows are you using?

[Lou-Saydus 0]

naw im just lazy so i dont really like looking but somtimes it can be fun lol. So how do i set my

swap space?

[Lou-Saydus 0]

Well since i know my way around linux a little

 

i think i should reinstall morphix and fix what i need to....

 

what do u think Dan..

[Dapper Dan 0]

fdisk should give you a way to create that blank space as a swap. When you installed Morphix to cd, did you use ext2, ext3 or rieserFS as a file system?

[Lou-Saydus 0]

ext3

[Dapper Dan 0]

Quote:

Well since i know my way around linux a little

i think i should reinstall morphix and fix what i need to....

what do u think Dan..

Since you've not yet really configured it, yes, I think a complete nuke and pave would be the path of least resistance at this point. Back up your Windows though!! Be sure tro create a / partition, a swap (1 gig if you have the space) and a /home partition. Be sure to use ext3. Don't use ext2!!

[Lou-Saydus 0]

lol i have two seprerate drives ill just "nuke" one of them lol.

 

so ill see you in about 1-2hrs