The Multi-Boot Configuration Handbook

Backing Up, Repartitioning, and Restoring

Often, the need to repartition a hard disk results in a need to back up data, wipe out partitions, create new partitions, and restore the backed-up data. For example, suppose you have a hard disk that's partitioned as one large primary BFS (BeOS filesystem) partition and you want to reconfigure your computer to run both BeOS and FreeBSD, without adding a new hard disk. At the time of this writing, no utility exists that can shrink an existing BeOS partition, and because a single partition occupies the entire hard disk, you have no choice but to delete that partition and create two (or more) partitions in its place. When you've done this, you must re-create the BeOS installation, and in most cases the ...