LinuxQuestions.org
Review your favorite Linux distribution.
Home Forums Tutorials Articles Register
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Slackware > Slackware - Installation
User Name
Password
Slackware - Installation This forum is for the discussion of installation issues with Slackware.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 01-06-2015, 03:18 PM   #1
newbeliever
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Jan 2011
Location: Iowa, United States
Distribution: Slackware
Posts: 21

Rep: Reputation: 0
cfdisk or gpart for 1 TB and larger drives


I have noticed some differences in drive info, such as errors with partition block location, when viewing partions of larger drives. As I am now going to put together a system for longtime use I am questioning on which partitioning software is best for use on 1 TB and larger drives?

Last edited by newbeliever; 01-06-2015 at 03:20 PM. Reason: Adding some info I left out
 
Old 01-06-2015, 03:26 PM   #2
Head_on_a_Stick
Senior Member
 
Registered: Dec 2014
Location: London, England
Distribution: Debian stable (and OpenBSD-current)
Posts: 1,187

Rep: Reputation: 285Reputation: 285Reputation: 285
I would recommend gdisk for GPT type disks as long as you are comfortable with command-line partitioning tools.

Otherwise gparted should be fine.

Both programs will start the partitions at sector 2048 to maintain correct alignment.
 
1 members found this post helpful.
Old 01-06-2015, 11:44 PM   #3
veerain
Senior Member
 
Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Earth bound to Helios
Distribution: Custom
Posts: 2,524

Rep: Reputation: 319Reputation: 319Reputation: 319Reputation: 319
Using GPT or MSDOS (BIOS) partitions is a matter whether your system can boot it. If your system uses EFI then it can boot GPT partitions. BIOS support drives upto 2TB. For more than this only GPT supports it.
 
1 members found this post helpful.
Old 01-07-2015, 11:24 AM   #4
gauchao
Member
 
Registered: Dec 2009
Location: Veneto
Distribution: Slackware64
Posts: 366

Rep: Reputation: 143Reputation: 143
If your motherboard firmware is BIOS or if you can emulate it under EFI (aka as "compatibility mode") AND your HD has less than 2 TiB, you can use fdisk (or cfdisk) following the Slackdocs Partitioning instructions:

http://docs.slackware.com/slackware:install
 
1 members found this post helpful.
Old 01-09-2015, 10:33 PM   #5
newbeliever
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Jan 2011
Location: Iowa, United States
Distribution: Slackware
Posts: 21

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
Thank you to all who posted, I was able to fix my issue and learn quite a bit in the process.

I checked my bios settings and there was two choices IDE or AHCI I used the latter one, because the motherboard docs stated it provided better compatibility and performance for raid 5 if I choose to. I then used gdisk and chose MBR as it was the first available and upon reboot the disk was not able to be seen when I tried to mount /dev/sda. I then used the GPT option and viola I was able to see the disk /dev/sda with no issue, I am assuming that gdisk option for MBR rendered GPT useless and MBR on this drive is there only for windows legacy boot needs; I will have to look further into this before I can confirm; What I did learn is that gdisk is great for resizing partitions as long as the start sector is the same in deleting and resizing the partition the same or larger. This was the reason I was seeing the files from my previous install using cfdisk on my previous install when mirroring the larger drives /dev/sdb, /dev/sdc. The start sector was the same location and the only change was that I used the whole drive instead of a small partition with raid 0 for the boot. This did not destroy the data as I created my mount points after my initial install of the OS. I used the gdisk and used the GPT and this in turn allowed me to start my partition, if I am understanding correctly, in a more appropriate sector that the drive firmware would not have to offset for the partition location.

I have noticed quite a difference in search and file moving from one drive to the next as the performance is much faster than when I had used cfdisk to partition the primary drive on the first install.
I have also noticed the errors are not showing for block assignment locations. I have much to learn, but I am having a blast with Slackware.

If I had a penny for all my attempts and failures, my ignorance in knowing and understanding my computer would make me a very rich man. I can not believe how much I have learned about how much I did not know about my computer. It is completely awesome. I know that when I choose my next hardware I will be looking more at firmware and bios and north/south gates and such and bus speed but most of all the cache size in CPU and hard drive, it ALL has made a difference in how I am using and understanding the hardware and software relationship.

Thanks again to all of you who pointed me in a direction to think outside the box. I like the outside of the box much better!
 
  


Reply



Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
use option -c to clone larger drives to smaller drives lmrmpc Linux - Newbie 1 11-09-2011 02:51 PM
Need help moving onto a larger RAID array -- drives getting full! lowsy Linux - General 1 10-28-2009 09:58 PM
Growing a software RAID5 onto fewer, larger, drives? CCThomas Linux - Server 8 01-13-2009 12:02 AM
autoexpanding zfs on adding larger drives madivad Solaris / OpenSolaris 1 03-19-2008 03:42 AM
Can I use larger hard drives? JosephS Linux - Hardware 6 08-16-2007 08:23 AM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Slackware > Slackware - Installation

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:05 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration