How to resize partitions?

Question

Previously, I have installed Windows 7 on my 320 GB laptop with three partitions 173, 84 and 63 GB each. The 63 GB partition was where the Windows was installed. The rest were for file containers.

Now I changed my OS to Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. I installed Ubuntu by replacing the entire Windows 7 on the 63 GB partition. The rest of the partitions remain as an NTFS Windows partition and I can still access them both (the 173 and 84 GB partitions).

Now I want to change the two partitions of Windows into an Ubuntu format partitions plus most importantly, I want to extend the 63 GB partition to more than a 100 GB because at the moment I am running out of memory. Whenever I try to install any application, especially using wine, it always complains for a shortage of memory.

How do I do the extending activity before I entirely format my laptop again and lose all the important files on my partitions?

Answer 1

1. Download Gparted live HERE:
2. Burn it on CD and follow the steps to resize your partition

Answer 2

If you have already installed Ubuntu 12.04, then install GParted with sudo apt-get install gparted.

Launch it using Alt+F2, and typing gparted.

In order to expand the 63GB partition, you must have free space in front of or after it. So first you will have to use GParted to resize a partition above or below your 63GB partition. Refer the following figure:

When you click on resize, a window will open where you can easily drag and resize your partition. Once the free space is made available, resize your 63GB partition just like the above covering that free space.

Hope this works for you.