# [SOLVED] Convert a logical partition to a primary one



## ant2009 (Oct 7, 2010)

Hello,

Fedora 14 xfce

I have the following partition setup. I would like to know how can I convert the logical partition sda6 to a primary partition.



```
Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
    255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 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 identifier: 0x1707a8a5
    
       Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
    /dev/sda1            2048     1026047      512000   83  Linux
    /dev/sda2         1026048   205844479   102409216   83  Linux
    /dev/sda3       205844480   214228991     4192256   82  Linux swap / Solaris
    /dev/sda4       214228992   625141759   205456384    5  Extended
    /dev/sda5       214231040   573562879   179665920   83  Linux
    /dev/sda6       573564928   625141759    25788416    7  HPFS/NTFS

    Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
    /dev/sda2              97G  5.0G   91G   6% /
    tmpfs                 494M  176K  494M   1% /dev/shm
    /dev/sda1             485M   68M  392M  15% /boot
    /dev/sda5             169G   26G  135G  16% /home

    # partition table of /dev/sda
    unit: sectors
    /dev/sda1 : start=     2048, size=  1024000, Id=83
    /dev/sda2 : start=  1026048, size=204818432, Id=83
    /dev/sda3 : start=205844480, size=  8384512, Id=82
    /dev/sda4 : start=214228992, size=410912768, Id= 5
    /dev/sda5 : start=214231040, size=359331840, Id=83
    /dev/sda6 : start=573564928, size= 51576832, Id= 7
```


I would like to convert sda6 to a primary partition, the reason for this it to install windows 7 starter.

Many thanks for any suggestions,


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

*Re: Convert a logical partition to a primary one*

Try using a Partition Editor (PartEd Magic for example) to delete the partition and then recreate it as a Primary Partition.

PartEd Magic is a LIVE CD (iso download) & used to boot your PC ..


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## ant2009 (Oct 7, 2010)

*Re: Convert a logical partition to a primary one*

Hello,

Thanks for your reply.

I have been using gparted. I am not sure if this would be the same for parted magic. But when I deleted the partition, and then tried to create it as a primary, the primary and extended options where greyed out (disabled). The only option I am able to make is logical.

My home directory and the NTFS is under the same extended partition.

Extended partition contain only logical partitions. So am I not sure how I can convert NTFS to a primary partition.

Many thanks for any more suggestions.


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

*Re: Convert a logical partition to a primary one*

Sorry I hadn't realised that it was in an extended partition .. you'd have to delete the partition, shrink the extended partition, and then create a new partition in the free space ..

It may not want to let you add the new partition after the extended which might mean you'd have to move the extended to the end of the drive and then create the new partition up front of it.


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

On your partitioning scheme, you have used up all your primary partitions, the only way you can do this is change the type of one your linux filesystems to ntfs, which you can do with linux fdisk, gparted or another tool.
Be aware that you can not change the size of this partition (not without deleting all logical drives and the extended partition). You will lose any data not backed up by changing partition type.


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