How To Resize Disk Partition on a Remote Ubuntu Server VM

In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the process of resizing a disk partition on a remote Ubuntu Server Virtual Machine (VM). This is a crucial task for system administrators, especially when they need to allocate more space to a particular partition. Please note that this process carries a risk of data loss, so it’s highly recommended to backup all important data before proceeding.

Connect to Your Remote VM Server

The first step is to connect to your remote VM server. This can be done using SSH (Secure Shell) or any other remote access method. The command to connect to your server via SSH is:

ssh username@your_server_ip

Replace username with your actual username and your_server_ip with the IP address of your server.

Check Current Partition Layout

Once connected, you’ll need to check the current partition layout. This can be done using the fdisk command:

sudo fdisk -l

This command will display information about the disk and its partitions. Look for the partition you want to resize. For this guide, we’ll assume it is /dev/sda1.

Turn Off the Swap Partition

Before resizing, we need to turn off the swap partition. This is necessary because you cannot resize a mounted partition. Use the following command to turn off the swap partition:

sudo swapoff /dev/sda5

Replace /dev/sda5 with your actual swap partition.

Resize the Partition

Now, we’ll use a partitioning tool to resize the partition. You can use a tool like GParted or command-line tools like cfdisk or fdisk. Here are the steps:

1. Remove the logical partition /dev/sda5 and the extended partition /dev/sda2.
2. Enlarge /dev/sda1 to span the whole disk minus the space you want to allocate for the swap partition.
3. Re-create a partition (make it a primary partition for simplicity) for the swap.

Please be cautious while performing these steps as any mistake can lead to data loss.

Update /etc/fstab File

Next, comment out the swap line in /etc/fstab file to prevent the system from trying to mount the swap partition during boot. You can use the nano editor to edit this file:

sudo nano /etc/fstab

Reboot the VM

Now, reboot the VM so that the kernel recognizes the new partition layout. This is important because the kernel may still be using the old partitioning information. Use the following command to reboot:

sudo reboot

Update Swap Partition and Enlarge Filesystem

After the reboot, edit /etc/fstab to change the name of the swap device and uncomment it. Format the swap area with mkswap and activate it with swapon -a.

Finally, enlarge the existing filesystem to occupy all of /dev/sda1 using the resize2fs command:

resize2fs /dev/sda1

This command will resize the filesystem on /dev/sda1 to utilize all available space.

Conclusion

Resizing a disk partition on a remote Ubuntu Server VM can be a complex task, but with careful execution and understanding of the commands involved, it can be accomplished successfully. Always remember to backup your data before performing such operations to prevent any potential data loss.