Is using Ubuntu 9.04 installation disc to re-partition almost just as good as GParted?

Question

Is using Ubuntu 9.04 installation disc to re-partition almost just as good as GParted? Do you need to some how stop the installation after the re-partition? thanks.

the reason of using this method is that GParted 0.4.6-1 cannot recognize my hard drive on the Dell Inspiron 530 desktop.

Update:

Surprisingly, the Ubuntu 9.04 installation disc can actually see the partitions and let me shrink the main one. (Vista or Win 7 shrink is limited contiguous free region shrink).

After it is shrunk, I tried to create a new partition but there was no option for NTFS, so I tried to boot GParted to see if it now can recognize the drives. Still, it could not.

So maybe I am limited to using Win 7 to create the new partition.

Answer 1

Yes, you can use the installer to just partition, without installing Ubuntu.

You can also run the partioning tool after booting the Ubuntu live CD.

But if GParted does not recognize your drive, then Ubuntu's tool will probably also have problems.

Answer 2

If GParted cannot see your drive then Ubuntu's tool can't be much worse can it!

Actually I suppose it can be, if it destroys your existing data. I would have thought that Ubuntu's tool would be just a pretty (or ugly) front end for the same partition utility though, so you may not fare any better with it.