Ubuntu Partitions

[#1]

I tried Mint before and didn't like it but am getting on with Ubuntu 10.10 just  fine. I have 2 HDD one of 80GB with Windows XP on it and another with 40GB for Ubuntu. When I installed though I split the drive into 2 partitions - a decision i now regret. When I look at it in the disk utility it has the NTFS partition of 21GB and 18GB  for ext4 ox83(presumably my ubuntu world) with 847MB Swap space ox84.
Can you help me by pointing me at some easy to follow instructions to extend ubuntu world across the whole drive and lose the NTFS partition.
I'm reasonably ok with Windows commands and tools but not linux so terms like mount and unmount drives are unfamiliar.
I'd be grateful for your help.

[#2]

Easiest way:
BACK UP YOUR IMPORTANT FILES
boot from a Live CD
Run Gparted and
delete the ntfs partition
select the main partition and choose EXPAND/RESIZE and fill the disk with it.
GO
(And wait for a while as it will test everything first)
Alternate:- (Recommend)
BACK UP YOUR IMPORTANT FILES
Use Gparted to delete the ntfs partition
create a new partition of ext4 where the ntfs partition was
use the info we supplied colin (<a href="http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,92078.0.html">HERE</a>) to MOVE your /home to the NEW partition and then you will have a separate /home partition that will not be deleted when you upgrade
so you end up with
/home
/
/swap
on the hdd.
NB Linux doesn't need to use the first partition as / (root) so you don't actually need to move it.

[#3]

Deleted.

[#4]

@Poppy, Deleted? What's that mean, Why are you deleting your posts? Its of no help to our community when you do that. See your thread also here...
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,94905.0.html

[#5]

Because HB answered it just as I posted (check the time) - there was nothing useful that I could add as he had already solved the problem. 

[#6]

Solved the problem?
I still managed to muck it up. I went for the simple easy way and managed to delete the ntfs but couldnt resize the partition that was left. I have created another one. Tomorrow I will look at the monster thread and try and work out what to do next.

[#7]

Well, what I was going to say is  that Ubuntu is so easy and quick to install that I might have gone for the belt and braces approach and started all over again.  Not being all that experienced I have to work hard at it and tend to write everything down - disk size, what I want in terms of partitions etc then very carefully set it up, using the manual way rather than letting Ubuntu do its own thing.  I'm still at the stage where I breath a sigh of relief when it works, not to mention a bit of amazement.    
I have a similar scenario - a spare laptop with Vista Home Basic/Ubuntu but don't need Vista and am beginning to think that there is no point in keeping different systems updated and maintained just for the sake of it so will probably just start again using whole of disk for Ubuntu LTS (Lucid) as don't care for the 6 monthly upgrades.
You'd have to back all your stuff up of course but it will only have to be done once and then hopefully never again because you'll have all your stuff on the nice large home partition and then it will just be a case of upgrading Ubuntu as and when.
BTW although the latest Mint is very nice, I still prefer Ubuntu, as you do.  Just wondered why?  I still don't know why I do, but there it is.  

[#8]

It is still recommended that you do a backup before an in-place upgrade.
I don't bother though, and as a result of always upgrading I've got about 6 upgrades worth of extra cruft.

[#9]

That's why I do like to have a fresh start.  Might not help groundsman but when I get round to doing the revamp I'll fix the mbr for Vista, boot into Windows, go to computer disk management, delete the Ubuntu partition, extend C:/  and then go ahead with the Ubuntu install because it'll be one nice continuous space and I won't (or shouldn't) get mixed up. 

[#10]

Quote from: the

couldnt resize the partition that was left. I have created another one. Tomorrow I will look at the monster thread and try and work out what to do next.

Did you boot from a live cd? You should have the option to resize the partition just by clicking on it then on the >| icon or from the partition menu/resize - It needs to be unmounted which is why you need to use a live cd to do this.

[#11]

Yes I was in GPARTED via the live CD
There is a lump of unallocated and the Ubunu part I am trying to resize but it says the maximum size it can be is the size it is.

[#12]

Aah! you can only extend a partition into free space on the right. You need to move the Ubuntu partition to the left first and then it will allow you to extend it.

[#13]

It is so much clearer with the snip and yes, Ubuntu will have to be moved into that partition using GParted.  Have moved Windows into space to the left and it worked fine, although took a fair amount of time, but not Ubuntu.  As said before, just make sure docs and what-have-you are backed up as it might not complete as you would want it to.
Good luck.

[#14]

Couldnt get it to move
Went for a fresh install
Thanks for your patience and help. I suspect I'll be back with more dumb questions

[#15]

Can gparted move/resize extended partitions?