[SATLUG] Partition tool for ext3, vfat32 and NTFS

Sun Dec 2 01:05:46 CST 2007

I'm a newcomer to Ubuntu, so forgive me if this isn't 'on target' for your 
needs. Though it's not a partitioner, per se, I have found that Win4Lin 
handles both the ext3 and NTFS partitions well for its purposes. One could 
conceivably run it long enough to adjust partitions, then exit. If you're 
keeping NTFS partition to run Windows apps, then you could continue and do a 
full install of Windows in the created/adjusted NTFS partition.

It's a proprietary package, so costs around $50 US. But I find it to be 
superior to any other Windows 'emulator' for Linux. I'll be installing it on 
my system as soon as my new copy of Windows XP MCE arrives this coming week. 
I'll post a personal review as soon as it's up and running.

Meanwhile, here's the history of Win4Lin, excerpted from Wikipedia:
-------------------------------------------------------
Win4Lin is a proprietary software application for Linux which allows a user to 
run a copy of Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000 or XP applications on their 
desktop. The system works by acting in a similar way to a virtual machine, in 
that it provides an environment for the Windows operating system to run, and 
as such one must still have a copy of Windows to use with it.

The Win4Lin application in essence displays a window on a Linux desktop which 
contains the Windows desktop environment. As an alternative, the Windows 
environment can be run full screen, outside of the desktop environment to save 
on desktop real estate.

Win4Lin is designed with business users in mind, and as such, does not support 
features such as MIDI, in favor of support for Microsoft Office-style 
application compatibility.

Win4Lin was based on Merge which was originally developed to run DOS/Windows 
3.1 under UNIX System V Release 2 on an AT&T 6300+ personal computer. That 
machine contained an Intel 80286 processor, and AT&T announced availability on 
October 9, 1985, referring to the bundled Merge software as SimulTask. Later 
Merge was enhanced to make use of the VM86 mode provided by the Intel 80386 
processor; that version was offered with Microport SVR3 starting in 1987, and 
subsequently with SCO Unix.

Merge was developed by engineers at Locus Computing Corporation, founded by 
Gerald J. Popek and others in 1982, which was later taken over by a company 
called Platinum Technology. The Merge technology was then bought by a company 
called DASCOM which was in turn bought by IBM. A company called TreLOS was 
then spun off that continued the development of the virtual machine software 
and created Win4Lin. TreLOS and LastFoot.com merged in 2000 to form 
NeTraverse, Inc.

In early 2005 the assets of NeTraverse were purchased to form Win4Lin Inc. 
which introduced Win4Lin Pro Desktop - this is based on a 'tuned' version of 
QEMU, and KQEMU and it hosts NT-versions of Windows. In June 2006, Win4Lin 
released Win4Lin Virtual Desktop Server based on the same code base. Win4Lin 
Virtual Desktop Server serves Microsoft Windows sessions to thin clients from 
a Linux server.

In September 2006, Win4Lin announced a change of the company name to Virtual 
Bridges with the release of Win4BSD Pro Desktop, a port of the product to 
FreeBSD and PC-BSD. Solaris x86 support followed in May 2007 with the release 
of Win4Solaris Pro Desktop and Win4Solaris Virtual Desktop Server.

Win4Lin Pro and Virtual Desktop Server use "full" virtualization, whereas 
Win4Lin 9x was an example of paravirtualization.

Win4Lin 9x appears to be have been completely abandoned. It is no longer sold 
or supported.
-------------------------------------------------------
Win4Lin supports more Windows applications than Wine or CrossOver Office, and 
has better performance than VMware. It may be a good choice when needed 
Windows applications have no acceptable native Linux equivalents and are not 
supported by Wine.
Win4Lin Pro products fully support Ubuntu 7.10, according to their web site.
-------------------------------------------------------
And, here's the US Win4Lin link:
http://www.win4lin.biz/servlet/Detail?no=8

I hope this helps.
Merry Christmas

John Chalinder

On Sat, 01 Dec 2007 15:17:33 -0600
  gboswell <gboswell at cis.sac.accd.edu> wrote:
> I may be having mostly timers but I can't remember any partition tool
> that will resize ext3, vfat32 and NTFS in the same product. I've used
> partition Magic 8.0, Butt Saver tools and none really do them all, in
> fact I can't  get one  to resize an ext3 partition in the middle of
> partition set with NTFS and vfat32 at both ends.
> 
> I'm trying to ghost (term not product) a 120GB sata to a 250GB sata. EZ
> drive allows the ghost and proportionally sizes up the XP  and fat32 but
> will not change the ext3 partitions. I can resize NTFS and vfat with
> PM8.2 and move the unallocated access around but nothing will resize the
> ext3 partitions without corrupting them and one  that did resize  (and
> corrupt ) ,also  killed  the NTFS  partition which was not changed.
> 
> I need to add since this is a notebook I'm using the usb port to do the
> original  proportional  creation, then place in notebook for partition
> resizing to avoid conflicts. If this has been covered else where just
> say where.
> 
> Thanks for the feedback/laughter, but be careful Santa is watching........
> 
> Boz
> 
> -- 
> Glenn Boswell "Boz"      gboswell at cis.sac.accd.edu
> Note the address above as gboswell at accd.edu dies 12/1/07
> Personal email should be directed to gboswellsac at yahoo.com
> San Antonio College  Dept. CIS (210)-733-2866
> 
> "Freedom is not FREE", let us never forget.
> 
> "We make a living by what we Get.
> We make a LIFE by what we GIVE." anonymous
> 
> -- 
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