Partitioning Question

StupidNewbie · 12-20-2011, 09:21 AM

Hi everyone,

I am starting to build a new LFS (using 7.0 book) system and am a little confused about creating the partitions/filesystem. I am doing this in VirtualBox on an Ubuntu 11.10 guest with a CentOS6 host.

So I installed Ubuntu and gave it an 8GB piece of my host drive.

Code:

root@lfs-VirtualBox:~# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 8589 MB, 8589934592 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1044 cylinders, total 16777216 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: 0x00017239

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048    15728639     7863296   83  Linux
/dev/sda2        15730686    16775167      522241    5  Extended
/dev/sda5        15730688    16775167      522240   82  Linux swap / Solaris
root@lfs-VirtualBox:~#

Then I created the partitions using fdisk as recommended in step 2.2 as follows (6g primary and 256m swap):

Code:

root@lfs-VirtualBox:~# fdisk -l /dev/sda1

Disk /dev/sda1: 8052 MB, 8052015104 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 978 cylinders, total 15726592 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: 0x948d5881

     Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1p1            2048    12584959     6291456   83  Linux
/dev/sda1p2        12584960    13109247      262144   82  Linux swap / Solaris
root@lfs-VirtualBox:~#

After rebooting, now when trying to create the ext3 filesystem on /dev/sda1p1 I get the following:

Code:

root@lfs-VirtualBox:~# mke2fs -jv /dev/sda1p1
mke2fs 1.41.14 (22-Dec-2010)
Could not stat /dev/sda1p1 --- No such file or directory

The device apparently does not exist; did you specify it correctly?
root@lfs-VirtualBox:~#

Am I totally off base here? I'm a little confused as to why I'm creating a new partition and filesystem inside an existing linux partition w/ nothing in it. Is this just to isolate the LFS system from the host system?

Also, in section 2.2.1.3 the book recommends creating convenience partitions such as /boot and /home. Should I also be doing that using fdisk or is that something I'll do after I have successfully created the filesystem?

Thanks for any advice you can give!

StupidNewbie · 12-21-2011, 08:54 AM

Anyone?

...Bueller?

singhharmeet · 12-21-2011, 10:14 AM

after reboot did you tried fdisk again on your virtual drive ???

StupidNewbie · 12-21-2011, 10:34 AM

Yes, the fdisk shown above listing the 6g linux and 256m swap partitions is actually after rebooting. I just threw that in there to make it clear that I did reboot to allow the kernel to use the new partition table. Thanks for the response! Any ideas on this?

singhharmeet · 12-21-2011, 10:52 AM

you dont need to create other partitions for directories ... only swap and root will do !

can you please run # fdisk -l and paste the results here ? dont give /dev/sda1

just run fdisk -l and paste your results.

singhharmeet · 12-21-2011, 11:07 AM

http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t...3-start-0.html

take a look at this link may be it will help you ...

StupidNewbie · 12-21-2011, 01:07 PM

fdisk -l is pasted right above it in the OP. It shows the 8g virtual partition (dev/sda1) and the 512m swap partition (/dev/sda5)

That is within my ubuntu virtual machine. I will give the stuff in that link a try too - thanks!