How to partition new hard drives the easy way

I haven’t found any partitioning app. for Kubuntu(or Ubuntu) that is better then GParted. I’ve tried others like QTParted but they don’t even come close to the ease of use of GParted.

Normally as you know I’m a “Terminal beast” but I love Gparted. Here goes.

The scenario you bought a new 160GB hard drive and you want to start using it you put it in your box(synonym for your computer) but Kubuntu doesn’t “see” the drive so now it has to be partitioned, you want to divide it up in three partitions but how?

Kubuntu doesn’t come with GParted, it’s a Gnome package after all, so we’ll have to install it. I’ve already written two how to’s on how to install packages you can find them here:
Point and Click
Terminal APT

Just replace the package in the examples for gparted(yes all lowercase).

I’m assuming that you’ve already installed the hard drive in your box. Start GParted (start->system->Partition Editor) you will have to put in your password because GParted needs root access to the drives.

For the purpose of this How To I’ve hooked up a 160GB hard drive via USB, the concept for partitioning is the same whether the hard drive is internal or external.

	This is the window of GParted I have more then one hard drive so i had to select the right device.
	Selecting the right drive.
	Right click on the unallocated partition en click “New”.
	Resize the partition we have 149.05GB to divide so let’s make the first to partitions 49 en what ever is left we use for partition number 3. We don’t have the full 160GB because: It is related to the conversion from binary to decimal values. Hard Drive manufactures use the decimal values, Operating Systems use binary values. In decimal value 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes but in binary value 1GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes. Hide
	We have to change the file system to ext3.
	This is how it looks after the resize. Now click add. We have to repeat this step for the other two partitions too.
	After creating all three partitions we click “Apply”.
	Now it will ask you if your sure. Click “Apply”.
	After clicking apply a window will pop-up.
	Depending on how much operations you have GParted do it can take up to several minutes to finish the operations.
	When GParted is done with a partition this window will pop-up and you partition will be ready for use.
	GParted is done click close and start using your disks.

That’s it, not that difficult is it?
If you run in to any problems leave a comment and I will help you resolve your issue.