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Built in Partition Manager for VBox's virtual hard drives

Posted: 21. Jul 2012, 02:09
by DarkPhoenix
Is there such a tool?

If there isn't, there should be. there should have been a partition manager built into Vbox a long time ago so you could partition the virtual hard drive like you need for non standard installations that require more fancy partitions - like for Linux as an example. Sometimes it's much easier to set up the partitions ahead of time instead of trying to to use the built in tool of the system your installing. For instance when the install disk doesn't have mouse integration and you can't make the mouse go where you need to partition/format the drive.

This would be a good idea to do in the OSE of Vbox if Oracle doesn't wanna do it. Is there an add on that does this?

Re: Built in Partition Manager for VBox's virtual hard drive

Posted: 21. Jul 2012, 02:41
by BillG
Does the world really need another partition manager?

Re: Built in Partition Manager for VBox's virtual hard drive

Posted: 21. Jul 2012, 02:55
by Perryg
BillG wrote:Does the world really need another partition manager?
Exactly! Gparted does all that needs to be done. Anyway VirtualBox is not responsible for the guest partition.

Re: Built in Partition Manager for VBox's virtual hard drive

Posted: 21. Jul 2012, 04:39
by DarkPhoenix
Perryg wrote:
BillG wrote:Does the world really need another partition manager?
Exactly! Gparted does all that needs to be done. Anyway VirtualBox is not responsible for the guest partition.
Gparted does not work on every virtual OS you can use VirtualBox for. In other words, it doesn't come bundled with all OS's.

I think it is VirtualBox's job or should be to provide you with a partition tool. After all, it assumes the responsibility of giving you a virtual hard drive, even setting it's size (this would be great if only Windows existed and Linux did not exist.. Perhaps this is Virtual Box's way of hinting that Windows is recommended to use with VBox and Linux isn't. Ha ha See.. no native support in Vbox for Linux partitions.) - then leaves you hanging only having to rely on your OS's install disk's partition tool for partitioning the drive.

In the real world, we always have two choices.. use the tool that comes with the OS or use an external tool before hand. VirtualBox is dropping the ball on this. A tool should be built in.

Since you mentioned Gparted, can Gparted make multiple partitions in a VBox drive and format them, without being part of a OS disk? Is there a Gparted VDI you can mount first to use to partition the drive, then use any other operating system ISO you want to install from?

Re: Built in Partition Manager for VBox's virtual hard drive

Posted: 21. Jul 2012, 05:20
by ChipMcK
can Gparted make multiple partitions in a VBox drive and format them, without being part of a OS disk?
Yes
Gparted can be downloaded as Live CD iso, attached to a virtual cd drive and booted up from there. It is usable for partitioning virtual hard drives/disks under the various virtualisation packages, VirtualBox, VMware and Parallels.

Re: Built in Partition Manager for VBox's virtual hard drive

Posted: 21. Jul 2012, 06:25
by DarkPhoenix
ChipMcK wrote:
can Gparted make multiple partitions in a VBox drive and format them, without being part of a OS disk?
Yes
Gparted can be downloaded as Live CD iso, attached to a virtual cd drive and booted up from there. It is usable for partitioning virtual hard drives/disks under the various virtualisation packages, VirtualBox, VMware and Parallels.

Thank you. I personally don't like gparted but will use it if I have to. Good to know there is an option to partition the drive thats in a form thats not married to an OS.

Do you know of other partitioning tools that will do this.. or I should ask.. Will any partitioning tool that's bootable in ISO form work, like Mini Tools Partition Wizard? I'd prefer to use that tool if possible.

Re: Built in Partition Manager for VBox's virtual hard drive

Posted: 21. Jul 2012, 10:45
by mpack
Organization of data on the hard disk (including partitions) is something which guest OS's do and/or care about. It isn't something which VirtualBox cares about. The question is misplaced.

Re: Built in Partition Manager for VBox's virtual hard drive

Posted: 21. Jul 2012, 12:31
by DarkPhoenix
mpack wrote:Organization of data on the hard disk (including partitions) is something which guest OS's do and/or care about. It isn't something which VirtualBox cares about. The question is misplaced.

You mean it isn't something Oracle cares about or wants in their system. Perhaps You don't care about it. If enough people wanted it, and someone wanted to write one, it could get placed in a version of VirtualBox OSE. I think people might want this, just enough people never considered the need for it. Why would creating a virtual hard drive be important to VirtualBox but managing it's partitions aren't? That makes no sense to me. VBox simulates a working hardware environment to set an OS up on. It simulates a Bios too. The only other step before the OS takes over it can do but doesn't is providing a way to partition the hard drive to make the system ready for the OS.

You know, there are OS's out there that require a pre-configured partition because they do not provide you with a partitioning tool. Some partitioning tools are downright cryptic and people don't want to use them. Then there are problems like I mentioned above where there is no mouse integration making things lots harder. A simple partitioning tool in Vbox would solve all these problems. If you didn't want to use it, you don't have to but to deny the people the freedom of choice is just dead wrong IMO.

Re: Built in Partition Manager for VBox's virtual hard drive

Posted: 21. Jul 2012, 13:39
by mpack
No, I mean it is totally irrelevant to a hardware simulator. Different partition managers would be needed for each guest OS, perhaps for each filesystem - it's simply better to leave the guest to organise its own data as it sees fit. Guest OS data management is not part of a PC manufacturers scope of supply, even if the PC is virtual.