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Partitioning Disks in Linux

Disk partitioning is the process of dividing a disk into distinct sections called partitions. Each partition can be managed separately, allowing for different file systems, operating systems, or data to be stored independently.

Types of Partitions

  • Primary Partitions: These are the main divisions of a disk. A disk can have up to four primary partitions.
  • Extended Partitions: A special type of primary partition that can contain multiple logical partitions, allowing for more than four partitions on a disk.
  • Logical Partitions: Partitions created within an extended partition. These are often used to extend the number of partitions beyond four.

Partition Tables

Partition tables store information about the disk's partitions. The two most common types are:

  • MBR (Master Boot Record): Traditional partition table, limited to 2TB disks and four primary partitions.
  • GPT (GUID Partition Table): Modern partition table, supports larger disks and more partitions.

Partitioning Tools in Linux

Linux offers several tools to manage disk partitions. Here are the most commonly used:

1. fdisk

fdisk is a command-line utility for managing MBR partitions.

Usage Example:

sudo fdisk /dev/sda

This command launches fdisk to manage partitions on /dev/sda.

2. parted

parted supports both MBR and GPT partition tables, making it a versatile tool for managing disks.

Usage Example:

sudo parted /dev/sda

parted allows you to create, resize, and manage partitions interactively.

3. gdisk

gdisk is similar to fdisk but specifically designed for GPT disks.

Usage Example:

sudo gdisk /dev/sda

Use gdisk to manage partitions on a GPT disk.

Step-by-Step Partitioning Guide

Step 1: Identify the Disk

Identify the disk you want to partition using the lsblk or fdisk -l command.

lsblk

Step 2: Create or Modify Partitions

Using fdisk, parted, or gdisk, create or modify partitions. For example, with fdisk:

sudo fdisk /dev/sda
  • Press n to create a new partition.
  • Press p to print the partition table.
  • Press d to delete a partition.
  • Press w to write changes and exit.

Step 3: Format the Partition

After creating a partition, format it with a file system:

sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda1

Step 4: Mount the Partition

Finally, mount the partition to make it accessible:

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

Step 5: Update /etc/fstab

To ensure the partition mounts automatically at boot, add it to /etc/fstab:

/dev/sda1 /mnt ext4 defaults 0 0

Dive deeper into Linux storage management.