Reclaiming Disk Space from deleted partition - help!

[Jay56]

Hi, I recently began to install RedHat 7.0 on my Win 98 system and ran into some problems.. Using the included fips program and some online instructions, I first created a 3 GB partition on my single 26 GB hard disk, but when I went through the RedHat installer, I was still required to manually create a partition, even though the Disk Druid could see both my main 23GB partition and the new 3 GB one. I couldn't get past this step in the installer so, deciding to start over, I deleted the new partition using fdisk in the installer, and exited everything.
However, I now have limited my hard drive to 23 of a possible 26 GB, which sucks, and was wondering if anyone can help me with the safest way to reclaim this lost disk space within my single partition and start over, and if possible, provide some tips for someone who is completely lost when it comes to partitioning and installing Linux. Thanks.

 

[xWeston]

Partition magic will do that.

 

[watdahel]

Well, I created 2 partitions before installing the win98 and linux OSs. In my case, if I were to remove linux, there is no way I can reclaim that partition and have only one partition. I would have to delete both partitions first before creating a single partition with full disk capacity.

Installing Redhat linux is complicated. However, I found the installation process much more easier than other versions I've tried. Basically, you need several partitions for linux. In your case you're using a software to create a partition within win98. In that case I don't know exactly what to do there. If you had created 2 partitions before installing any OSs, then follow what I say. After running the setup from dos, you'll eventually be presented the option to create several partitions within the the partition you're installing linux. Use the GUI driven fdisk for easier setup. You'll need to create a /boot, /, and <swap> partitions. After that everything else is gravy.

 

[Rostig]

Download a warez version of Partition Magic. I just built a system, and my 20GB hard drive was only about 8GB when I checked it in Windows ME. I didn't want to have to reinstall everything again, so I downloaded a warez version of Partition Magic. I installed it, fixed the hard drive so it was seen as 20GB, and then I uninstalled it. It is very easy. Aryan ubermensch Sind Ihres &uuml;berlegenen.

 

[ghostman]

I don't understand what happened. You fips'd the 26GB to 23GB and 3GB. When you entered Disk Druid, you saw both partitions. So far, so good. What happened then? I assume the 3GB is for Linux. In Disk Druid, delete the 3GB partition (I'm guessing that's FAT32 or some other Windows format) and make an ext2 linux partition (or, to get fancier, a swap partitions and several more partitions for /, /usr/, /var...etc.). Then continue with the install.

I guess I'm confused about why you stopped the linux installation. Oh yeah, Partition Magic can recombine those 2 partitions. Great software.