I reinstalled Slackware recently. Using cfdisk (from 14.1 iso) I got a partition layout with alignment errors. I got the advice to redo the partitioning, because alignment errors affect performance. So I partitioned with fdisk (also from 14.1 iso). This fixed alignment errors, but when I should install lilo, lilo complained about inconsistent partition table. I had to install lilo manually with a switch to turn ignore errors. Also when partitioning with fdisk, you don't really get the partition size you put in, it's often off by 10's of gigabytes.

Are there any non-buggy partition manager for linux out there? Preferably command line based.

If you are not happy with the performance of fdsik/cfdisk then try parted as a CLI based tool.

BTW- Looking at the partition table in your other thread, I note that you have the boot flag set on two partitions. It is not necessary to set the boot flag on your Linux boot partition.

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Play with the multiples, I've found that 1075 per gig works for me usually.

I use fdisk and cfdisk with multiples of four. Usually 100 MB for the /boot partition, then 2048, 4096, 8192 etc. for swap... and the rest for the root partition.

Hi
I'm curious... what do you have against GUI partitioner front-ends?

Nothing. They work just fine. I prefer cfdisk and fdisk. Each to his/her own.

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Could you expand on this a little. Does this prevent alignment problems? Multiples of four bytes or kilobytes etc?

When booting the iso for Slackware or some similar distro, there is no X available, and this is where you need a partition manager. If there was good cli program then this could easily be brought in at installation time, even if it's not actually on the slack iso. I guess the alternative is to use a separate iso for booting up an environment where a graphical partition manager can be used but that's annoying.

With that being said, what is the best partition manager including graphical ones? Is gparted less buggy than fdisk?

After you login as root as part of the installation routine you will be prompted to partition your HD. The partitioning utility cfdisk is included with Slackware; it is more user friendly than fdisk. You invoke cfdisk by using a similar command to this:

# cfdisk /dev/sda

And that is exactly why the OP had the problems with the alignment of his partitions. While any other partition manager switched the default start sector of the first partition to 2048 to prevent alignment issues with Advanced Format disks and SSDs, cfdisk has not and still starts the first partition at sector 63.

So, if you want to install on an Advanced Format disk or an SSD I recommend to not use cfdisk, use plain fdisk instead. It may be not as convenient as cfdisk, but it works reliably and after all that is what counts.

For the sake of completeness, one can also use gdisk/cgdisk, included in the installer. Their usage is mandatory in case of UEFI firmware but else you still can set a GPT (instead of MBR) partition table. I didn't try on a real machine so please someone correct me if I am wrong.

Greetings
I haven't looked at these particular docs in awhile but it used to be in the Slackware Installation docs, that Patrick recommended partitioning BEFORE beginning installation. He mentioned Partition Magic back then, which certainly was a breakthrough piece of software (too bad Symmantec got hold of it) but I don't think they even keep it up anymore with so many Free ones out there.

GParted keeps getting better and is a serious tool, not a toy, but lately I have been preferring KDE's Partition Manager which is included in Slackware Extra. It is also on the Porteus LiveCD which forked off of Slax and is an excellent live environment to get some serious work accomplished or just surf around. One advantage of the GUI types, is that in one place you can gather deep info, edit and even run "e2fsck, checkdisk" whatever is appropriate to the filesystem without launching another Tab or program. Then, of course, there is that lovely resizing/repositioning capability.

Don't get me wrong, I love CLI too, but my toolbox has ratcheting socket wrenches, box wrenches, open ends and for the really ornery ones, torches, Stillsons and Easy Outs :P

Great suggestions. You can downlad GParted here:

GParted

I want to second Didier Spaier mentioning gdisk family. It works well with aligning partitions just right. Also the cli verion cgdisk can be a bit funky when creating paritions and you use non interactive mode. One has to thing around the normal numbering scheme. But nothing hard at all.

Also I wish for an option to create a UEFI or similar boot partition. Problem is the first partition will start at 2048 which is aligned and good. But the boot partition fits in between 64-2048 which I normaly create as the second parititon. Its just that I like my paritions numbers to be the same as the layout on the disk itself.