How to use Fdisk ?

gardenair · 05-13-2011, 04:29 AM

hi,
I have knowledge to make partitions unders windows using fdisk. In Red Hat there is also a fdisk command but how can I use it? In which situations we use linux fdisk ?
thanks
garden

acid_kewpie · 05-13-2011, 04:38 AM

fdisk is a tool for partition management, so you use it when you need to manage partitions. You can learn how to use it by read the manpage or other online resources.

John VV · 05-13-2011, 02:38 PM

see

Code:

man fdisk

or Google "fdisk"
the manual pages are also on line

szboardstretcher · 05-13-2011, 02:40 PM

Generally, after installation of an OS, you will only have to use fdisk if you add additional storage/drives to break them into partitions.

frankbell · 05-13-2011, 09:39 PM

cfdisk is a little easier; I prefer it to fdisk when it's available.

GParted is a GUI partition editor.

dimpleboy · 05-13-2011, 09:56 PM

you can try fdisk -options /dev/sda or whatever device present on your machine. then provide the value for the corresponding prompt. you can check available options by man fdisk.

Wim Sturkenboom · 05-14-2011, 03:32 AM

listing drives and partitions (in this case the second HD)

Code:

wim@desktop-01:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for wim: 

Disk /dev/sda: 251.0 GB, 251000193024 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30515 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2e192e18

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1        3264    26218048+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2            3265       29422   210109825+   f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5            3265        7180    31455238+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6            7181       10444    26218048+   b  W95 FAT32
/dev/sda7           10445       13708    26218048+  83  Linux
/dev/sda8           13709       14229     4179968   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda9           14229       29422   122037248   83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x3c8c2717

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1      121601   976760001   83  Linux
wim@desktop-01:~$

partitioning a disk

Code:

wim@desktop-01:~$ sudo fdisk /dev/sdb

WARNING: DOS-compatible mode is deprecated. It's strongly recommended to
         switch off the mode (command 'c') and change display units to
         sectors (command 'u').

Command (m for help): m
Command action
   a   toggle a bootable flag
   b   edit bsd disklabel
   c   toggle the dos compatibility flag
   d   delete a partition
   l   list known partition types
   m   print this menu
   n   add a new partition
   o   create a new empty DOS partition table
   p   print the partition table
   q   quit without saving changes
   s   create a new empty Sun disklabel
   t   change a partition's system id
   u   change display/entry units
   v   verify the partition table
   w   write table to disk and exit
   x   extra functionality (experts only)

Command (m for help):

PS
I'm using ubuntu, hence the sudo in front of commands to get root privileges.