Re: [PLUG] Hard drive consolidation

[Matthew Rosewarne <mrosewarne@inoutbox.com>]

On Wednesday 13 February 2008, TuskenTower wrote:
> In the past, I have always added HDs to my Linux machines and that was
> pretty simple.  This time, I want to remove the HD that hosts my root
> filesystem.
>
> My setup is this:
> WD             74GB   /dev/sda1 is /boot, /dev/sda2 is / and /dev/sda3 is
> /var Seagate    160GB   /dev/sdb1 something (let's call it pr0n), and
> /dev/sdb2 is /home
> WD           500GB  /dev/sdc1 is /mythtv
>
> I want to remove my power hungry WD 74GB drive and consolidate its
> contents onto the 160 GB drive.  I know that I could unmount /boot,
> /var and /home and copy all their files onto /dev/sda2 and then DD
> them over to /dev/sdb.  Is there a better way to do this?  And can I
> do this without having to drop into single user mode to turn off
> everything else (I can dream)?

You wouldn't want to umount /boot or /var until after you copy the files over 
to /dev/sda2.

Instead of this approach though, you'll probably have a better time if you 
take this opportunity to start using LVM.  Leave /boot alone, copy /home 
and /pr0n(?) to /dev/sda2.  Then make a new partition table on sdb, make an 
identical /boot on /dev/sdb and either dd or copy /dev/sda1 there.  Allocate 
the rest of the disk to LVM, carve it up as you choose, and copy the files to 
the LV's.  Update /etc/fstab, and run install-grub, and you're set.

This doesn't need liveCDs or single user mode, you can just boot right into 
the new system.

Attachment: signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part.

___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --        http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion  --   http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug