# Ext3 partition not showing in Windows (cant format)



## aytus (Nov 21, 2009)

jst gave a spin to 9.10 karmic . but the ext3 partiton that i installed it on (which is on my secandry pata hdd) is not showing in windows disk management. The partition i installed it on was 40 gb .. in windows it is only shown as 32 gb.. the 8 gb on which data was written is not shown. not even showing in xp installer or 7 installer


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## Rahim (Nov 21, 2009)

I dont know whether ext3 partitions are shown by Win XP . But you can use GParted Live CD for all your partition/resize needs.

EDIT: It will be shown as "Unknown".


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## Phantom Lancer (Nov 21, 2009)

Yes ext3 and ext4 partitions wont be shown in windows . you can use partition Magic to reformat part of it to NTFS . NTFS partitions are shown in both OSes


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## Cyrus_the_virus (Nov 22, 2009)

There are several softwares out there that will show you the ext2/3 file system drives in windows xp every single time without you having to do something on every reboot. I can't quite recall the name, I'm on vacation right now and my desktop back home has that software. Google it my friend. 

Having said that, XP does not allow you to re-format it. It is only for reading/writing purposes. You will have to use a partition manager to do a format of ext2/3 drives.


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## Cool G5 (Nov 22, 2009)

*This* is what you need!


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## Cyrus_the_virus (Nov 23, 2009)

Cool G5 said:


> *This* is what you need!



That is the name I forgot! Thank you for reminding that! I guess the OP's query is resolved now


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## aytus (Nov 23, 2009)

Sorry to say but i guess the problem still stands. The fs driver supports only ext2 partitions i guess, maybe that or the fact that i have reformatted my hard disk,s visible space (of 32 gb of 40gb) into NTFS, i still cant see the 8gb. 

On the other side ive stumbled on this  (*hddguru.com/download/software/HDDGURU-Low-Level-Format-Tool/LLFsetup.2.36.1181.exe)
that tool is supposed to llf my hdd. but even that is showing 32 gb in disk info. so im not sure if i should go ahead?  

Other then that i had rewritten the master boot record of 7 using the boot dvd .,, but although the grub is gone the option to boot in ubuntu still shows in os select menu. anyway to get it off from there?


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## Cyrus_the_virus (Nov 23, 2009)

aytus said:


> Sorry to say but i guess the problem still stands. The fs driver supports only ext2 partitions i guess, maybe that or the fact that i have reformatted my hard disk,s visible space (of 32 gb of 40gb) into NTFS, i still cant see the 8gb.



Are you sure you checked in the control panel and selected the drive as an ext3 partition and assigned it a drive letter?


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## aytus (Nov 23, 2009)

if u mean the dialogue that that cropped up while installing, then yes i checked the option sayin assign the drive letter automatically, although it was not showing any other partition there. and rebooted . if by control panel u mean sm option in control panel or a user interface of that programme then i dont have any such entry.

also .. booting from live cd of ubuntu i can mount that 8gb partition and see the files . but the properties of that partition are not shown .. nor is the size shown. name is unknown partition or smthing 

guess i have to try partition magic. btw will the shareware ver. do or will i hav to get my hands on sm full ver.?


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## Cool G5 (Nov 24, 2009)

Try DiskInternals Linux Reader : *www.diskinternals.com/linux-reader/

Also try *Explore2fs*.


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## Rahim (Nov 24, 2009)

Why do piracy when you can dow all your partitioning with a free tool called *GParted Live CD*? Its is bootable cd which can be used to format/resize/delete paritions to various formats including fat and ntfs along with linux ext2/3/xfs/ext4 etc.


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## Faun (Nov 24, 2009)

^^+1.............


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