setup-storage: resizing ntfs

[Andreas Heinlein]

Michael Tautschnig schrieb:
>> Hello,
>>
>> I have a question about resizing with setup-storage in general and
>> specifically regarding ntfs. We currently have Windows-only machines
>> with 12GB sda1 (primary, C:, NTFS) and the rest sda2 (primary, D:,
>> NTFS). We'd like to keep sda1 as it is and, if possible, resize sda2 to
>> make room for a new sda3 which will contain the FAI/Linux installation.
>>
>> I currently have:
>> disk_config disk1 preserve_always:1,2 disklabel:msdos bootable:1
>> primary   -   0   -   -
>> primary   /windows 10240-81920:resize   ntfs   -
>> primary   / 20480   ext3   rw
>>
>> I tried experimenting with resize in the disk_config line and/or the
>> partition; I have installed ntfsprogs into the nfsroot, but I cannot get
>> it to work. Specifically, setup-storage tells it is retaining sda1, but
>> then always tells me the disk is too small. Is this at all possible?
>>
>>     
>
> You must remove 2 from preserve_always and replace "ntfs" with - in your
> /windows line, then it should work.
>
> Best,
> Michael
>
> PS.: NTFS may cause several other problems as well - you've got a backup, don't
> you?
I am using a test machine, no data to lose ;-)
Your solution works, but only with fixed sizes. The next step would be
to have a variable size. What I want is to shrink the existing sda2 just
enough to make room for the (fixed size) root partition (+swap, I forgot
in the above listing). Unfortunately, this

primary   /windows 10240-81920:resize   ntfs   -
does not work, setup-storage complains about "not enough space" when using this on a 60GB hard drive. It tells me it requires something like (sda1 + 81920 + 20480). Looks like it is trying to always use the maximum size. Omitting the upper limit does not work, either. Only this works:
primary   /windows 10240:resize   ntfs   -

If this is a limitation of setup storage, would there be a way using a hook?

Thanks,
Andreas