i'm trying to create my partitions with fdisk now. I've only created two partitions on the table, one for swap and one for / (I'd like to create four: /, swap, /home and /usr/local but I'm not exactly sure what a good size for those would be. Two will do for now, I suppose.)

When I try and write the partition table, I get this:



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Unable to write /dev/hda
root@slackware:/#fdisk /dev/hda
You will not be able to write the partition table.
Note: sector size is 2048 (not 512)
Device contains neither a valid DOS partition table, nor Sun, SGI or OSF disklabel
Building a new DOS disklabel. Changes will remain in memory only until you decide to wrtie them. After that, of course, the previous content won't be recoverable.

Warning: invalid flag 0x0000 of partition table 4 will be correct w(rite)

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the 'p' command yeilds:

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Disk /dev/hda: 3894 MB, 3894536192 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 118 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 2048 = 32901120 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

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why?

I may have figured it out

ok, I do need help. Sorry 'bout that.

Can anybody give me some advice?

You could try using cfdisk to write your partitions, it's easier.

Hi,
You could look at 'SlackwareBasics' partition section.

BTW, you had not created any partitions with the 'fdisk' command. 'fdisk' is lot better to use and safer. But for some 'cfdisk' is the only way to go.

i appreciate the help guys. Turns out I was looking in /dev/hda/ when I should have been looking at /dev/sda/



slackbasics.org = the best slack guide I've come across. Thanks SO MUCH for that link!