Re: Re-partitioning the disk (was XWindows .deb package for debian gnu linux)
You could modify the partition table with DOS fdisk, or with
Linux fdisk or cfdisk. I strongly recommend using Linux fdisk, since
it permits you to specify the partition boundaries on cylinder
boundaries, which the other two do not support. In general, any
operating system can define partitions, but it is best to define the
partition under the OS that will use it. An extended partition can be
defined in DOS, and logical partitions in the extended partition can
be defined in LINUX. I believe the opposite is true, but I haven't
tried it. Of course, the file system on the partition must be
created/formatted by the OS that will use it.
To use Linux fdisk during the installation, use [ALT] F2 to
switch to another virtual console when the install program asks to
partition the disk, then type fdisk [RET]. After fdisk loads, press
'p' to see the existing partition table. The command 'm' produces a
table of the available fdisk commands, which are self-explanatory. It
is always advisable to back up everything on the disk before using
fdisk or any other disk partitioning program. However, it is unlikely
that fdisk will cause any data loss unless you are careless. Write
down a copy of the existing partition table before you make any
changes. Anything you do in fdisk, even deleting one or more
partitions, is perfectly safe until you give the 'w' (write) command.
Until then, all changes are made in a memory image of the partition
table.
Assuming you have only one IDE hard drive, your disk looks like
this now (/dev/sda? if it is a scsi drive):
DOS LINUX
Primary Partition (Win95) C: /dev/hda1 504 Mb
Extended Partition /dev/hda2 1528 Mb
First Logical Partition (Win95) D: /dev/hda5 1024 Mb
Second " " (Linux) E: /dev/hda6 504 Mb
If there is no data presently on /dev/hda5, or if any data there
could easily be backed up or replaced, you could delete /dev/hda5 and
/dev/hda6, then delete the extended partition /dev/hda2. Next, create
/dev/hda2 as a primary partition, of whatever size you wish, then
create /dev/hda3 and /dev/hda4 as primary partitions, one for swap and
one for linux. With your system, I would suggest 24 or 32 mb for
swap, rather than 64 mb.
The disk would then look like this:
DOS LINUX
Primary Partition (Win95) C: /dev/hda1 504 Mb
Primary Partition (Win95) D: /dev/hda2 1024 Mb
Primary Partition (Swap) E: /dev/hda3 32 Mb
Primary Partition (Linux) F: /dev/hda4 472 Mb
The partition sizes would not be exactly as shown, if partition
boundaries are set on cylinder boundaries. Optionally, either
/dev/hda3 or /dev/hda4 could be made an extended partition, containing
one or more logical partitions.
How many partitions to use for Linux is too lengthy a topic to go
into here - it is almost a religious matter - some insist on one only;
others advocate many. There was an interesting series of messages on
this list last Sunday on the subject.
If you wish to keep /dev/hda5 intact, you could simply delete
/dev/hda6 and then create /dev/hda6 for swap and /dev/hda7 for Linux
(or vice versa).
DOS LINUX
Primary Partition (Win95) C: /dev/hda1 504 Mb
Extended Partition /dev/hda2 1528 Mb
First Logical Partition (Win95) D: /dev/hda5 1024 Mb
Second " " (Swap) E: /dev/hda6 32 Mb
Third " " (Linux) D: /dev/hda7 472 Mb
Optionally, /dev/hda7 could be smaller, and /dev/hda8. .? could
be used. Fdisk and Linux will support far more logical partitions
than anyone is likely to ever want.
If your Linux partition is above cylinder 1024, you will not be
able to boot it using LILO; you would have to boot from DOS (either
from the hard disk or a floppy) using loadlin. If you have more than
1024 cylinders, the 'Begin' column in the partition table show the
lesser of the actual begin value or 1024, but the 'Start' column will
show the correct starting value. In such cases, the 'v' (verify the
partition table) will complain about an overlap, but these complaints
may safely be ignored.
The preceding is based on 'standard' BIOS and disk controller
protocols. Many newer BIOSes and disk controllers use a translation
protocol called LBA to convert disk geometry to a form that is
acceptable to standard BIOS calls. If your BIOS and controller use
LBA you may never see a cylinder greater than 1024, and it is possible
LILO will boot from higher numbered cylinders. I haven't used a
system with LBA, so I don't know how fdisk and LILO interact with LBA.
Good sources of information on this subject are the fdisk README
(/usr/doc/util-linux/README.fdisk.gz.) and the large disk mini HOWTO,
(/usr/doc/HOWTO/mini/Large-Disk.gz). These will be on your system
after you install Linux, but that doesn't help you now. If you need
to refer to these before installation, you could access them through
ftp.debian.org or any of the mirrors.
Hope this helps.
Bob
On Thu, 20 Mar 1997 09:57:43 -0300 (BRA) raymundo@decom.fee.unicamp.br
(Paulo Gustavo Raymundo Silva) wrote:
> I also have a doubt about the instalation process. My PC is
> Pentium 100 MHz / 32 MB / HD 2.1 Gb with a 504 Mb WIN95
> active(bootable) primary partition and a extended partition with two
> DOS logical drives (D: with 1.0 Gb and E: with 504 Mb). The logical
> partition E: was created to be used with Linux, and C: & D: will
> continue to be used with WIN95 (I expect that Debian Linux will
> instal any kind of Master Boot Record program loadable at startup
> that will ask what Operating System (WIN95 or Linux) will be
> loaded).However, the instalation instructions say that linux
> requires two partitions: a 16-128 Mb swapp file partition and the
> real linux self partition, both marked in partition table as UNIX
> partitions. These instructions also say that the instalation program
> will ask if there are two partitions like those at the HD and iff
> the answer is NO the linux partition program (like DOS FDISK) will
> create them. I would like to know if is possible to transform the
> second DOS logical drive at the extended partition (E: 504Mb) in two
> new UNIX logical drives (e.g. 64 Mb & 440 Mb) at the same extended
> partition where previously there was a logial DOS drive (D: 1 Gb),
> at the same Western Digital EIDE HD with a previously defined DOS
> primary partition (C: 504 MB) with no data loss.If your answer is
> No, where can I encouter a DOS based program that modifies the
> partition table with no data loss at the partitons not modified (I
> my case, is necessary to delete drive E:, create two new Unix
> logical drives in this region and to keep unchanged The C: and D:
> partition information and disk structure). Thank's in advance by
> these informations . . . Paulo Gustavo raymundo@fee.unicamp.br
> raymundo@decom.fee.unicamp.br
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