(Linux) Change the size of a partition

Anyone who has a server that offers service can be seen in the situation of running out of space. If we use a Cloud service, expand the disk can be as easy as sliding the mouse, but high… not everything is so easy.

Change the size of a disk without stopping the service is complex, impossible if we do not have an alternate server that offers service while we do maintenance. Although they are only a couple of minutes, it is necessary to have a downtime. Remember to make backup copies.

Removing the base, this is what we must do when we want to expand the disk on a Linux computer. Take for example/dev/sdb

• We must have the extended disc, i.e. we have a 25 GB disk, we ask our suppliers to us the expand (to 50 GB for example)
• In console:
  • Stop all services that may be using the disc (here comes the problem of Downtime)
  • Unmount the disk to expand
    umount /dev/sdbX
  • Once removed, we access the fdisk
    Fdisk/dev/sdb
of #(Delete a Partition) and delete the partition that you want
n #(Add a new Partition) with the same characteristics as the previous one, changing the final inode.
w #(Write Table and Exit) save and salirfdisk/dev/sdb
Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.23.2). Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.
Be careful before using the write command.

    Command (m for help): d
Selected partition 1
Partition 1 is deleted

    Command (m for help): n
Partition type:
p primary (0 primary, 0 extended, 4 free)
e extended
Select (default p): p
Partition number (1-4, default 1): 1
First sector (2048-104857599, default 2048):
Using default value 2048
Last sector, + sectors or + size {K, M, G} (2048-104857599, 104857599 default):
Using default value 104857599
Partition 1 of Linux and of size 50 GiB type is set

  • With this we already have changed the size of the disk, but now we need to change the partition
    e2fsck - f/dev/sdb1 # fsck the disk, to validate that it is correct
    e2fsck 1.42.9 (28-Dec-2013)
    Pass 1: Checking inodes, blocks, and sizes
    Pass 2: Checking directory structure
    Pass 3: Checking directory connectivity
    lost+found not found. Create? Yes
    Pass 4: Checking reference counts
    Pass 5: Checking group summary informationresize2fs/dev/sdb1 # resize
resize2fs 1.42.9 (28-Dec-2013)
Resizing the filesystem on/dev/sdb1 to 13106944 (4 k) blocks.
The filesystem on/dev/sdb1 is now 13106944 blocks long.

With this we have completely changed the disc, if we assemble, already have it correctly.

Do it under your own supervision… and by seacaso: p