when i run fdisk -l , and the output shown is this ...

/dev/hda10 8489 8854 2939863+ 83 Linux

where 2939863+ is the block size, what does the '+' represent ? i can't locate any information about it, perhaps '+' is not an acceptable google search term ?!

not entirely sure, but if you're really a newbie (if this is placed in the right forum) then I'd suggest using cfdisk not fdisk, it's a lot more "human readable".

Hi.

83 after the plus sign means "Linux partition"
82 stands for "Linux swap"

If you want to see all other types, you may issue:
fdisk /dev/hda
once inside fdisk, type:
l <ENTER>
It will display a list of partition types.

Please be very cautious when using fdisk in a working system, for you could trash it quite easily!!

Regards.

The plus ( + ) or minus ( - ) is rounding up or down and doesn't seem to cause any problems that I know of.

thanks for the replies, i suppose 'newbie' is a rather subjective term depending with whom you are conversing.

i just assumed that the question was of a newbie nature. i suspect it may mean that the partition does not end on the precise end of a block. perhaps (383223+) means (383223 and a half) or some such thing

The + means that the number shown under blocks has been rounded up compared to the number of sectors shown.

For example, I have a laptop with the following fdisk -l output:

Disk /dev/hda: 4327 MB, 4327464960 bytes
240 heads, 63 sectors/track, 559 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 15120 * 512 = 7741440 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 1 27 204088+ 82 Linux Swap
/dev/hda2 * 28 559 4021920 83 Linux


The disk geometry may or may not match the physical characteristics of the drive (in fact these days it usually does not!) The important number is the units.

The partition listing is using k-bytes instead of the bytes listed by the units. So take the unit size and divide it by 1024.

7741440/1024 = 7560

If I divide 204088 by 7560 then I get the number of secors used

26.99576........

Thus fdisk says I'm using 26 sectors (plus a portion of a k-byte)

Is that clear as mud? Hope it helps!

great and thanks, that helps clear up things for me. i appreciate the help