GROWFS(8) | System Manager's Manual | GROWFS(8)

# NAME

`growfs` — grow size of an existing ffs file system

# SYNOPSIS

`growfs` | [`-Nqy`] [`-s` size] special

# DESCRIPTION

The `growfs` utility extends the newfs(8) program. Before starting `growfs`, the partition must be set to a larger size using disklabel(8). The `growfs` utility extends the size of the file system on the specified special file.

Currently `growfs` can only enlarge unmounted file systems. Do not try enlarging a mounted file system - your system may panic and you will not be able to use the file system any longer. Most of the newfs(8) options cannot be changed by `growfs`. In fact, you can only increase the size of the file system. Use tunefs(8) for other changes.

The following options are available:

`-N`
  Test mode. Causes the new file system parameters to be printed out without actually enlarging the file system.
`-q`
  Operate in quiet mode. With this option, `growfs` will not print extraneous information like superblock backups.
`-s` size
  Determines the size of the file system after enlarging in sectors. This value defaults to the size of the raw partition specified in special (in other words, `growfs` will enlarge the file system to the size of the entire partition).
`-y`
  Expert mode. Usually `growfs` will ask you if you have taken a backup of your data and will test whether special is currently mounted. The `-y` flag suppresses this, so use this option with great care!

# ENVIRONMENT

`COLUMNS`
  If set to a positive integer, output is formatted to the given width in columns. Otherwise, `growfs` defaults to the terminal width, or 80 columns if the output is not a terminal.

# SEE ALSO

disklabel(8), dumpfs(8), fdisk(8), fsck(8), newfs(8), tunefs(8)

# HISTORY

The `growfs` utility first appeared in FreeBSD 4.4 and has been available since OpenBSD 3.4.

# AUTHORS

Christoph Herrmann <chm@FreeBSD.org>
Thomas-Henning von Kamptz <tomsoft@FreeBSD.org>
and the `growfs` team <growfs@tomsoft.com>

# BUGS

Filesystems must be checked with fsck(8) after enlarging.

October 17, 2017 | Debian