Why are logical partitions preferred over primary?
So I noticed while using guided partitioning that most distro installers will attempt to create a logical partition for the root file system besides the swap and /boot on the HDD. Why is this the case? Why does the partition for root file system have to be logical and not primary?
~Ol |
It is to make it easy to create multi-boot systems.
The partition system that is now widely used only allows four primary partitions, so it is not a good idea to waste these (especially since some other operating systems will only boot from a primary partition). |
Doesn't have to be. Merely makes sense when there is an absolute limit of 4 primaries on what is generally called a MBR disk layout. Extended/logicals was created to alleviate this restriction.
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I am aware of the limitations. But considering that most of the time I was doing a fresh install after a complete format, there were no other operating systems present on the HDD at the time of installation. I am guessing the logical partitions are made to address the possibility of installing another OS in the future.
The reason I don't so much like extended partitions is because they mess up my partition table index. Instead of /dev/sda1, /dev/sda2, /dev/sda3 I get /dev/sda1, /dev/sda4, /dev/sda5 or something like that. Kind of confusing. |
Hard drives are limited to 4 primary partitions. Originally, logical partitions were meant as a way to overcome this limit, acting as a 'container' for extra partitions. Now, with storage devices reaching capacities of 2+TB, partitions in general are pretty much used like filing cabinets. These days /swap partitions are also created within a logical partition. Last I checked, the /boot partition had to be a normal partition, because logical partitions can't be mad bootable. Correct me if I'm wrong
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You're wrong... :p
Using grub I'm not aware it was ever required to be a primary. Maybe very early on ... |
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Hi,
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It was right on the tip of my terminal onebuck, well said. I knew it had to be some kind of built-in thing that everyone followed.
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Have some rep++. |
Since M$ is now shipping?/supporting? GUID partitioned disks, and most Linux partitioning tools (and GRUB2, I believe) are happy with such partitioning, I suspect that you'll soon see installer developers changing the defaults. The GUID scheme still has four "primary" partitions - for "backward compatibility with older boot programs" - but doesn't need to use one of them for an "extended partition" holder.
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