Format brand new disk

nickhowes · 07-29-2003, 11:23 AM

Hello,
I've got Red Hat 9 installed fine on a 10Gb disk on /dev/hda1. I've now installed a new unformatted disk at what would be /dev/hdb1, for general storage. But I don't know how to format and partition it!

I've looked around and found advice to run fdisk or cfdisk from the konsole etc., but I can't find any of these programs, and I've checked the Add/Remove programs to see if I just didn't install them.

I'm sure I've missed out some fundamentally simple thing. But I don't know what it is...

aaa · 07-29-2003, 11:25 AM

Are you root when you use them?

nickhowes · 07-29-2003, 11:30 AM

Yup tried it as root... bash can't find the commands at all.

Curious, no?

Skyline · 07-29-2003, 11:32 AM

Hi nickhowes

Linux would recognise your new unformatted disk - if its on primary slave - as /dev/hdb

To format it:

Open a terminal

su
root password

cfdisk

create a new partition
Use TYPE to format it.

nickhowes · 07-29-2003, 11:37 AM

Hi skyline

I've su'd in as root. The problem comes when I type cfdisk and get

Code:

bash: cfdisk: command not found

I didn't exclude any important packages when I installed Redhat. Where did it go?

More importantly where can I get it back

Skyline · 07-29-2003, 11:44 AM

Hi Nick

As Root Try :

fdisk -L /dev/hdb

fancypiper · 07-29-2003, 11:51 AM

There are variations of root...

Try this:

Note the -

Code:

[fancy@uilleann fancy]$ su -
Password: 
[root@uilleann root]# fdisk /dev/hdb

# Managing drives
LNAG - Accessing my drives
Rute - Partitions, File Systems

# Red Hat links
Red Hat Linux Manuals
Get your mp3 support here
Maximum RPM
rpmfind
Easier software management: apt4rpm - Red Carpet
Red Hat 8.0 Tips & Tricks

# Red Hhat 7.3 down configuration commands
setup leads to several configuration tools

# Red Hat 7.3 up configuration commands
Configure soundcard:
redhat-config-soundcard
Configure X server:
redhat-config-xfree86
Configure network:
redhat-config-network
Manage software:
redhat-config-packages

# Handling NTFS
New Technology FileSystem (NTFS) HOWTOs
Linux NTFS project

nickhowes · 07-29-2003, 11:59 AM

thanks fancypiper, i tried using

su -

and then fdisk was found! Could you explain how "su -" is different to simply "su"? I'm curious.

fancypiper · 07-29-2003, 12:05 PM

su changes you to root, but in your user environment and /sbin (binaries for the superuser or sysadm) isn't in your command path.

su - changes the working environment to root, including changing your working directory to /root.

Watch the working directory as you change with both commands and you will see.

nickhowes · 07-29-2003, 12:49 PM

Ah yes, I see. Thank you!

Everybody have a trophy