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I have ubuntu 18.04 currently on my pc and some important docs on it. I want to install windows alongside my ubuntu.

as you know, to install windows we need a primary NTFS Partition for and first, we should unmount a part of the hard drive in order to install windows on it,

but I have a single partition. In case of a single partition, the Ubuntu system files will exist on this single partition and While you are operating Ubuntu, the system files will be in use. Thus, the Disk volume will be busy and A busy disk volume cannot be unmounted so The system cannot resize a mounted or busy disk.

Thus, we need some external factor to boot from and resize the single partition on which Ubuntu Operating System exists. after searching on the internet, For the purpose, I boot the computer from bootable Ubuntu Flash Drive and use GParted utility. but still, I can't resize the current partition and it is locked.

can anybody help me and had a good experience with this problem?

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  • Probably it's still mounted, maybe because you just looked at it's contents after booting the live Ubuntu system (it got auto-mounted then). Unmount it and then try again to resize it with gparted.
    – raj
    Nov 16, 2020 at 21:58
  • How I can unmount it when it is locked? do you mean in Try Ubuntu mode? i test it before :(
    – Saeed
    Nov 16, 2020 at 22:04

1 Answer 1

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You are correct:

  • You cannot make changes to any mounted partition.
  • You cannot mount/unmount "part" of a partition.

The usual method around these hurdles is to make an Ubuntu LiveUSB. It's a bootable system that can run Gparted, and does not mount any partitions on your HDD. Use the "Try Ubuntu" environment to run GParted.

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  • unfortunately, I tried this method but in Try Ubuntu, after running GParted, still I can't resize my partition and resize is locked.
    – Saeed
    Nov 16, 2020 at 22:02
  • If the partition is locked (key icon), that means the partition is mounted. Unmount it.
    – user535733
    Nov 16, 2020 at 22:10
  • If I unmount the whole partition, are my files on my hard drive lost?
    – Saeed
    Nov 16, 2020 at 22:11
  • Editing partitions is inherently risky. A botched re-partitioning can indeed destroy your Ubuntu system and lose all your files irretrievably. All of the folks whom I consider wise back up their data before starting the process. Merely mounting/unmounting does not affect your files in the slightest -- it merely affects your ability to access those files.
    – user535733
    Nov 16, 2020 at 22:15
  • Unmount partition and only work(shrink) from right side(empty), need to have free space on partition to shrink it. Windows will want about 50GBs or more, if you have that much free space and more you are good. Make new NTFS partition for Windows. Double and triple check everything before doing anything. Should keep 15 to 20% free space in partitions at least.
    – crip659
    Nov 16, 2020 at 22:56

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