# Resize partition and VM provisioned space **URL:** \ **Category:** SLES Virtualization\ **Created:** [November 2, 2016, 5:06pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/resize-partition-and-vm-provisioned-space/28879 "2016-11-02T17:06:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pasiit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@pasiit](https://forums.suse.com/u/pasiit)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 5:06pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/resize-partition-and-vm-provisioned-space/28879/1 "2016-11-02T17:06:08Z")
I have SLES 12SP1 running as a virtual machine in an ESXi 5.5 with this current partitions and volumes setup: `$> lsblk NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT fd0 2:0 1 4K 0 disk sda 8:0 0 500G 0 disk ├─sda1 8:1 0 45G 0 part [SWAP] ├─sda2 8:2 0 2G 0 part /boot ├─sda3 8:3 0 405G 0 part │ ├─1W16-dev 254:0 0 14G 0 lvm /udev │ ├─1W16-home_lv 254:1 0 5G 0 lvm /home │ ├─1W16-kdump_lv 254:2 0 16G 0 lvm /var/kump │ ├─1W16-opt 254:3 0 30G 0 lvm /opt │ ├─1W16-pasilog 254:4 0 55G 0 lvm /pasi/logs │ ├─1W16-pasireport 254:5 0 12G 0 lvm /pasi/report │ ├─1W16-tmp 254:6 0 10G 0 lvm /tmp │ ├─1W16-usr 254:7 0 10G 0 lvm /usr/local │ └─1W16-var 254:8 0 5.2G 0 lvm /var └─sda4 8:4 0 48G 0 part / sr0 11:0 1 1024M 0 rom ` `$> vgs VG #PV #LV #SN Attr VSize VFree 1W16 1 9 0 wz--n- 405.00g 247.80g ` [CODE]$\> lvdisplay — Logical volume — LV Path /dev/1W16/dev LV Name dev VG Name 1W16 LV UUID ysJPsk-UAIg-Fo2V-R5NH-7BXN-1Kj1-AeKbmo LV Write Access read/write LV Creation host, time (none), 2016-02-19 20:04:12 -0500 LV Status available # open 1 LV Size 14.00 GiB Current LE 3584 Segments 1 Allocation inherit Read ahead sectors auto - currently set to 1024 Block device 254:0 — Logical volume — LV Path /dev/1W16/home\_lv LV Name home\_lv VG Name 1W16 LV UUID Al6xt2-1fFO-NvpS-barF-rDzD-fN4T-ZdERIw LV Write Access read/write LV Creation host, time (none), 2016-02-19 20:04:12 -0500 LV Status available # open 1 LV Size 5.00 GiB Current LE 1280 Segments 1 Allocation inherit Read ahead sectors auto - currently set to 1024 Block device 254:1 — Logical volume — LV Path /dev/1W16/kdump\_lv LV Name kdump\_lv VG Name 1W16 LV UUID 83DsjP-qVwE-0DUa-kYW3-JCOI-7LOq-tdXI90 LV Write Access read/write LV Creation host, time (none), 2016-02-19 20:04:12 -0500 LV Status available # open 1 LV Size 16.00 GiB Current LE 4096 Segments 1 Allocation inherit Read ahead sectors auto - currently set to 1024 Block device 254:2 — Logical volume — LV Path /dev/1W16/opt LV Name opt VG Name 1W16 LV UUID kCrXrM-nmFi-cQUe-1lME-6Dtm-ryeL-KKwloI LV Write Access read/write LV Creation host, time (none), 2016-02-19 20:04:12 -0500 LV Status available # open 1 LV Size 30.00 GiB Current LE 7680 Segments 1 Allocation inherit Read ahead sectors auto - currently set to 1024 Block device 254:3 — Logical volume — LV Path /dev/1W16/pasilog LV Name pasilog VG Name 1W16 LV UUID oYR40M-cSuP-ZZTM-7ds6-Jbjn-cbcc-gEQrj8 LV Write Access read/write LV Creation host, time (none), 2016-02-19 20:04:12 -0500 LV Status available # open 1 LV Size 55.00 GiB Current LE 14080 Segments 1 Allocation inherit Read ahead sectors auto - currently set to 1024 Block device 254:4 — Logical volume — LV Path /dev/1W16/pasireport LV Name pasireport VG Name 1W16 LV UUID XX57wi-YjgE-kW5B-SBwF-tTYX-Odjy-FbZzeV LV Write Access read/write LV Creation host, time (none), 2016-02-19 20:04:12 -0500 LV Status available # open 1 LV Size 12.00 GiB Current LE 3072 Segments 1 Allocation inherit Read ahead sectors auto - currently set to 1024 Block device 254:5 — Logical volume — LV Path /dev/1W16/tmp LV Name tmp VG Name 1W16 LV UUID C1Dg4K-oi7x-ofw1-L7gD-0OZ0-DjlK-X2TAnB LV Write Access read/write LV Creation host, time (none), 2016-02-19 20:04:12 -0500 LV Status available # open 1 LV Size 10.00 GiB Current LE 2560 Segments 1 Allocation inherit Read ahead sectors auto - currently set to 1024 Block device 254:6 — Logical volume — LV Path /dev/1W16/usr LV Name usr VG Name 1W16 LV UUID vP79sC-vHAa-FHxa-BGLp-5QqX-8FsB-BEpKHd LV Write Access read/write LV Creation host, time (none), 2016-02-19 20:04:12 -0500 LV Status available # open 1 LV Size 10.00 GiB Current LE 2560 Segments 1 Allocation inherit Read ahead sectors auto - currently set to 1024 Block device 254:7 — Logical volume — LV Path /dev/1W16/var LV Name var VG Name 1W16 LV UUID JBtd3V-wQuW-mhem-PPZD-XFYT-hTpb-xTS1mu LV Write Access read/write LV Creation host, time (none), 2016-02-19 20:04:12 -0500 LV Status available # open 1 LV Size 5.20 GiB Current LE 1330 Segments 1 Allocation inherit Read ahead sectors auto - currently set to 1024 Block device 254:8 [/CODE] The sda3 is having 247.80g of unused space and I would like to return this space to the datastore of the ESXi host. Base on my understanding, I would have to: 1. Reduce the size of the sda3 2. Then somehow reduce the size of the sda 3. Then resize the provisioned space to this VM I don’y know how to do 1 and 2. Could someone please help? Thank you, ---
**Author:** ![Automatic\_Reply](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecb155/32.png) [@Automatic\_Reply](https://forums.suse.com/u/Automatic_Reply)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 7:30am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/resize-partition-and-vm-provisioned-space/28879/2 "2016-11-07T07:30:20Z")
pasiit, It appears that in the past few days you have not received a response to your posting. That concerns us, and has triggered this automated reply. These forums are peer-to-peer, best effort, volunteer run and that if your issue is urgent or not getting a response, you might try one of the following options: - Visit [http://www.suse.com/support](http://www.suse.com/support) and search the knowledgebase and/or check all the other support options available. - Open a service request: [https://www.suse.com/support](https://www.suse.com/support) - You could also try posting your message again. Make sure it is posted in the correct newsgroup. ([http://forums.suse.com](http://forums.suse.com)) Be sure to read the forum FAQ about what to expect in the way of responses: [http://forums.suse.com/faq.php](http://forums.suse.com/faq.php) If this is a reply to a duplicate posting or otherwise posted in error, please ignore and accept our apologies and rest assured we will issue a stern reprimand to our posting bot… Good luck! Your SUSE Forums Team [http://forums.suse.com](http://forums.suse.com) ---
**Author:** ![isgleas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e56c9b/32.png) [@isgleas](https://forums.suse.com/u/isgleas)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2016, 7:49pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/resize-partition-and-vm-provisioned-space/28879/3 "2016-11-18T19:49:58Z")
Hi pasiit, Bad news is, that your partitioning has an sda4 partition, which goes after the sda3. You would be able to shrink the sda3 partition, but the resulting gap in-between would not be available to be returned to your pool. This sda4 hosts your partition, making the move a little more complicated. The easiest and safest way would be to rebuild that server (or cloning it) It can be done however. If you can afford offline time, you could: [LIST] [_]Make a new LV, to host your / partition [_]Fix all your entries in fstab and the bootloader configurations to point to your new / [\*]Test, then remove your sda4 partition [/LIST] You need to boot from a rescue disk (your installation media would work), as you have then to get your VG offline (vgchange -an 1W16). To reduce the size of the sda3 partition, you have to used your partitioning tools (say, parted), and delete the partition, writing the changes, then creating the partition again setting as the start of the new partition the same block that was before, and the end of it the required blocks to match your needs, Then, activate the PV, add it to the VG, activate the VG, mount your volumes, fix fstab and bootloader again. Once done, on your ESX, reduce the disk size (a little bit bigger than required, to make room). Is until then, that you have your extra storage back. Another way, is to give the VM another disk, with the desired amount of storage (you’ll be pivoting), re-create the disk structure on the new disk, copy data, set a new VM with this vdisk and try to boot from it (you may need to repair the bootloader). This method would allow you to remain online, while testing the procedures Hope this helps, ---
**Author:** ![isgleas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e56c9b/32.png) [@isgleas](https://forums.suse.com/u/isgleas)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/resize-partition-and-vm-provisioned-space/28879/4 "2016-11-18T20:20:19Z")
Just not to be obvious: you should backup everything before making any change to your storage.