How do I Fdisk my Linux Hard drive

Bodyshop40 · 05-18-2003, 11:28 PM

Hello everyone I have tried to fdisk my Linux machine and now I still have a extended partition.
That I can't get to. How do I completely clean the disk without low level formatting it.
When I try to delete the extended partition It tells me that it can be done.
when I try to boot to it I get the Linux start screen and It ask to reinstall Linux. But I cant do that either
CAN ANYONE HELP

fancypiper · 05-19-2003, 12:12 AM

I suggest booting into Linux somehow and use fdisk.

Find out the partitioning, delete from highest to lowest, then repartition as you like, then write the partition table.

Use mkfs commands to format
mke2fs /dev/hd<XX> to make ext2 fs, mke2fs -j for ext3, mkswap, mkreiserfs, etc.

# How is the hard drive partitioned?
fdisk /dev/hd<X> -l

# Freeware partitioning software
Look for fips20 on your install CD
Ranish Partition Manager
Tom's Root and Boot Floppy has Linux fdisk
Proper Filesystem Layout

# I hosed my box
LILO mini HOWTO
Multiboot with LILO HOWTO
LILO, Linux Crash Rescue HOW-TO
Installing a bootloader
Multiboot with GRUB Mini-HOWTO
Linux+Win9x+Grub HOWTO
KNOPPIX Linux Live CD
Linux Bootable Business Card
Tom's Root and Boot floppy
Windows 2000 Recovery Console
Windows XP Recovery Console