Yea. That's why everyone uses cfdisk on x86.
But again, it does matter on ppc and you can't use cfdisk. It's good to know how to use fdisk anyway. mac-fdisk and fdisk partition the same way. cfdisk is one of those crutch type programs if ya' get my meaning.
I'm letting a friend borrow my pismo so I'll have to reference fdisk in order to help you. mac-fdisk has a few commands that x86 fdisk doesn't but it shouldn't matter too much. BTW, I wrapped code tags around my earlier post. It should help in dissecting/understanding what is happening.
type mac-fdisk and get to it's prompt. type "?" and then enter to get a help list. Then type "p" so it'll print out your partition layout.
Make sure your first 2 partitions matches what I have in my earlier post. I'll explain the first partition (/dev/hda1).
The first entry is the partition number - /dev/hda1
The second entry is the file system - Apple_partition_map
The third entry is the volume name - Apple
The fourth entry is total size in blocks of the partition - 63 (blocks)
The fifth entry is the starting block of the partition on the HDD - 1 (very first block)
The sixth entry is the actual size of the partition in human readable form (kb, mb, gb)
The seventh entry is a generic description of what the partition is - Partition map
-
So looking at all that info on the first line we can deduce:
It's the first partition on /dev/hda, is formatted for Apple_partition_map, with a name of Apple, encompasses 63 blocks on the HDD, starts at the first block, is 31.5KB big and is used as a Partition map.
Make sure your first 2 partitions match what I have exactly. It's just good form and allows for the most flexibility in the long haul, regardless if only one is required. After all, both partitions only take up 831.5 KB... I don't think you'll miss the space ( even on a 2gb hard drive).
If the first 2 don't match what I have, hit the "d" key for delete ( check your help and make sure it's the d key). It should ask for a partition number in the form of 1, 2, 3, 4 ect. How many partitions you currently have actually. start deleting every partition until your just left with the first 2 correct ones. After every delete, press the "p" key to see the new layout. If the first 2 partitions aren't right either, just delete every partition until your left with all free space. Then you can create the first 2 from scratch with the commands I gave earlier. After every creation of a partition, hit the "p" key to see the changes.
The problem your hitting, I think, is that you have to delete every partition except for the first 2 before you can create a new main Slackintosh one.
So.... Once your layout looks like mine for the first 2, create a new partition. It'll ask for the starting block (WHICH MUST BE FREE/UNPARTITIONED SPACE!). Looking at your "p"rint list command, /dev/hda2 has a length of 1600 blocks and it's first block starts at block 64 (the very next block found after /dev/hda1). So, the first free block we want to use for /dev/hda3 is block 1664. That's the starting block you input when it asks.
Working from memory here because I don't want to erase anything on my HDD. Next it should ask for an ending block.
From looking at my print out, you can get a rough estimate of how many blocks equals what size in mb and gb. You probably will want a swap partition seeing as how you only have 128mb of memory. Dunno. Depends on what the computers are going to be used for. Sounds like you have a 4gb HDD roughly so you'll need to sit and think about how to allocate space to it's maximum advantage. I'd make atleast a 100 or 200mb swap partition, but think it out carefully. You don't want to find out later that you didn't allocate enough swap space. On the same token, you don't want to allocate 1gb for swap and then find out 6 months later that you can't install any more software to your Slackintosh partition. Anyway, have your swap as /dev/hda3.
After you input an ending block for your swap, it should ask what kind of file system you want to use for it. It's been a couple years since I used mac-fdisk but it may ask for a number to identify your type of partition. It's 82 on x86 fdisk for a "swap" partition. Check your "?" command again. There may be an option to list partition types. It's "l" on fdisk.
Any way, after answering those three things; starting block, ending block and partition type, it should make the partition for you. Hit the "p" key to see the changes.
Then do the same thing for /dev/hda4 only use an ID number of 83 for a linux partition. That's the one you want to actually install Slackintosh on. When it aks for the ending block of /dev/hda4, look at your "p" command from after making a swap. It should give you the last block of the left over free space. Use that number, which from what you've said, should be 4001258.
Sorry for the long winded/pulling from memory explanation but it should get you going down the right path. Post back with further questions if you hit another snag.
It'll all make sense the more time you spend at mac-fdisk's prompt. play around with it. You can't do any harm seeing as how your starting fresh anyway. If you make a mistake, just delete all the patitions and start again. It's alot like the grub prompt. Makes people panic because they are too used to gui's and automated configuration.
What I've done....
Getting there, need more help
