When working with large filesystems like a 1TB ext3 partition, resize2fs performs several critical operations:

# Typical resize2fs command structure
resize2fs /dev/sdXN 50G

The duration depends on multiple variables:

• Filesystem metadata complexity
• Data distribution across the partition
• Disk I/O performance (HDD/SSD)
• CPU processing power

For a 1TB → 50G resize with 30G data:

Use these commands to check progress:

# Check filesystem status
dumpe2fs -h /dev/sdXN | grep -i 'block count'

# Monitor I/O activity
iostat -x 5

If resize appears frozen:

1. Verify process status: ps aux | grep resize2fs
2. Check kernel messages: dmesg | tail -20
3. Force a filesystem check: e2fsck -f /dev/sdXN

Consider this more robust method:

# Create physical volume
pvcreate /dev/sdXN

# Create volume group
vgcreate vg0 /dev/sdXN

# Create logical volumes
lvcreate -L 50G -n lv_root vg0
lvcreate -L 30G -n lv_home vg0

• Run operations during low system load
• Use ionice for better I/O scheduling
• Consider temporary disabling journaling: tune2fs -O ^has_journal /dev/sdXN

When resizing an ext3 filesystem from 1TB to 50GB, the operation involves multiple complex steps:

1. Filesystem consistency checks
2. Inode table reorganization
3. Data block relocation
4. Superblock updates

The time required depends on several technical aspects:

resize_time = f(disk_speed, CPU_power, fragmentation_level, data_amount)

For a typical scenario with:

• 30GB actual data
• 7200 RPM HDD
• Modern quad-core CPU

Expect 2-6 hours for complete operation.

Instead of relying on HD noise, use these technical methods:

# Check process status
ps aux | grep resize2fs

# Monitor disk I/O
iostat -x 1

# Check filesystem operations
strace -p [resize2fs_pid]

If resize2fs appears frozen:

1. Verify it's actually running: pgrep resize2fs
2. Check kernel messages: dmesg | tail -20
3. Inspect I/O wait: vmstat 1

For faster resizing:

# 1. Run fsck first
e2fsck -f /dev/sdXN

# 2. Use nohup for stability
nohup resize2fs /dev/sdXN 50G &

# 3. Prioritize I/O (if using CFQ scheduler)
ionice -c2 -n0 -p [resize2fs_pid]

Consider this more flexible workflow:

# Create physical volume
pvcreate /dev/sdXN

# Create volume group
vgcreate vg0 /dev/sdXN

# Create logical volumes
lvcreate -L 50G -n lv_root vg0
lvcreate -L 100G -n lv_home vg0