[Solved] Resizing partition of centos/RHEL – resize2fs not working on root drive

Here are the steps i used to fix it.
Note that any mistake in recreating the partion will result in losing all data and/or the server will not reboot.
I would do this as the first step on a newly created instance.

I have marked the steps with <<#>> in the block below, so the are not a part of the command.
You need root permissions, so do a “sudo sh” if you are not root.

<<1>> Look at the filesystem, it is 6G
<<2>> Look at the disk and the partition, the disk is 21.5 GB but the partition is 6 GB (6291456 blocks)
<<3>> Start fdisk for that disk (xvda, so not the partition xvda1)
<<4>> Switch to sector display.
<<5>> Print the partition(s), and remember the start sector (2048 in the example).
<<6>> Delete the partition.
<<7>> Create a new partition.
<<8>> Make it primary.
<<9>> First partition.
<<10>> Enter the old start sector, do NOT make any typo here!!! (2048 in the example) 
<<11>> Hit enter to accept the default (this is the remainder of the disk)
<<12>> Print the changes and make sure the start sector is ok, if not restart at <<6>>
<<13>> Make the partition bootable. do NOT forget this!!!
<<14>> Enter your partition number (1 in the example)
<<15>> Write the partition info back, this will end the fdisk session.
<<16>> Reboot the server, and wait for it to come up (this may take longer than usual).
<<17>> Verify the filesystem size.
<<18>> If the filesystem is not around 20Gb as expected, you can use this command.

# df -h  <<1>>
 
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/xvda1 6.0G 2.0G 3.7G 35% / 
tmpfs 15G 0 15G 0% /dev/shm
 
# fdisk -l <<2>>
 
Disk /dev/xvda: 21.5 GB, 21474836480 bytes
97 heads, 17 sectors/track, 25435 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 1649 * 512 = 844288 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0003b587
 
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/xvda1 * 2 7632 6291456 83 Linux
 
# fdisk /dev/xvda <<3>>
 
WARNING: DOS-compatible mode is deprecated. It's strongly recommended to
switch off the mode (command 'c') and change display units to
sectors (command 'u').
 
Command (m for help): u <<4>>
Changing display/entry units to sectors
 
Command (m for help): p <<5>>
 
Disk /dev/xvda: 21.5 GB, 21474836480 bytes
97 heads, 17 sectors/track, 25435 cylinders, total 41943040 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0003b587
 
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/xvda1 * 2048 12584959 6291456 83 Linux
 
Command (m for help): d <<6>>
Selected partition 1
 
Command (m for help): n <<7>>
Command action
e extended
p primary partition (1-4)
p <<8>>
Partition number (1-4): 1 <<9>>
First sector (17-41943039, default 17): 2048 <<10>>
Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G} (2048-41943039, default 41943039): <<11>>
Using default value 41943039
 
Command (m for help): p <<12>>
 
Disk /dev/xvda: 21.5 GB, 21474836480 bytes
97 heads, 17 sectors/track, 25435 cylinders, total 41943040 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0003b587
 
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/xvda1 2048 41943039 20970496 83 Linux
 
Command (m for help): a <<13>>
Partition number (1-4): 1 <<14>>
 
 
Command (m for help): w <<15>>
The partition table has been altered!
 
Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.
 
WARNING: Re-reading the partition table failed with error 16: Device or resource busy.
The kernel still uses the old table. The new table will be used at
the next reboot or after you run partprobe(8) or kpartx(8)
Syncing disks.
 
# reboot <<16>>
 
<wait>
 
# df -h <<17>>
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/xvda1 20G 2.0G 17G 11% / 
tmpfs 15G 0 15G 0% /dev/shm
 
# resize2fs /dev/xvda1 <<18>>
resize2fs 1.41.12 (17-May-2010)
The filesystem is already 5242624 blocks long. Nothing to do!

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