System Administration Guide, Volume I

x86: How to Create a Solaris fdisk Partition

  1. Make sure you have read "x86: Guidelines for Creating an fdisk Partition".

  2. Become superuser.

  3. Start the format(1M) utility.


    # format
    
  4. Enter the number of the disk on which to create a Solaris fdisk partition from the list displayed on your screen.


    Specify disk (enter its number): disk-number
    

    disk-number

    Is the number of the disk on which to create a Solaris fdisk partition.

  5. Go into the fdisk menu.


    format> fdisk
    

    The fdisk menu displayed is dependent upon whether the disk has existing fdisk partitions. Determine the next step using the following table.

    If You Want To ... 

    Go To ... 

    See ... 

    Create a Solaris fdisk partition to span the entire disk.

    Step 6 

    "x86: Example--Creating a Solaris fdisk Partition That Spans the Entire Drive"

    Create a Solaris fdisk partition and preserve existing non-Solaris fdisk partition(s).

    Step 7 

    "x86: Example--Creating a Solaris fdisk Partition and Preserving an Existing fdisk Partition"

    Create a Solaris fdisk partition and additional non-Solaris fdisk partition(s).

    Step 7 

    "x86: Example--Creating a Solaris fdisk Partition and an Additional fdisk Partition"

  6. Create and activate a Solaris fdisk partition spanning the entire disk by specifying y at the prompt. Then go to step 14.


    The recommended default partitioning for your disk is:
     
      a 100% "SOLARIS System" partition.
     
    To select this, please type "y".  To partition your disk
    differently, type "n" and the "fdisk" program will
    let you select other partitions. y
    
  7. Specify n at the prompt if you do not want the Solaris fdisk partition to span the entire disk.


    To select this, please type "y".  To partition your disk
    differently, type "n" and the "fdisk" program will let you
    select other partitions. n
    Total disk size is 2694 cylinders
                 Cylinder size is 765 (512 byte) blocks
                                              Cylinders
        Partition   Status    Type      Start   End   Length    %
        =========   ======    ========  =====   ===   ======   ===
     
    THERE ARE NO PARTITIONS CURRENTLY DEFINED SELECT ONE OF THE
    FOLLOWING:
     
         1.   Create a partition
         2.   Change Active (Boot from) partition
         3.   Delete a partition
         4.   Exit (Update disk configuration and exit)
         5.   Cancel (Exit without updating disk configuration)
    Enter Selection: 
  8. Select option 1, Create a partition, to create an fdisk partition.


                 Total disk size is 2694 cylinders
                 Cylinder size is 765 (512 byte) blocks
                                              Cylinders
        Partition   Status    Type      Start   End   Length    %
        =========   ======    ========  =====   ===   ======   ===
     
    THERE ARE NO PARTITIONS CURRENTLY DEFINED SELECT ONE OF THE
    FOLLOWING:
     
         1.   Create a partition
         2.   Change Active (Boot from) partition
         3.   Delete a partition
         4.   Exit (Update disk configuration and exit)
         5.   Cancel (Exit without updating disk configuration)
    Enter Selection: 1
    
  9. Create a Solaris fdisk partition by selecting 1(=Solaris).


    Indicate the type of partition you want to create
      (1=SOLARIS, 2=UNIX, 3=PCIXOS, 4=Other, 8=DOSBIG)
      (5=DOS12, 6=DOS16, 7=DOSEXT, 0=Exit) ? 1
    
  10. Identify the percentage of disk to be reserved for the Solaris fdisk partition. Keep in mind the size of any existing fdisk partitions when calculating this percentage.


    Indicate the percentage of the disk you want this partition
    to use (or enter "c" to specify in cylinders). nn
    
  11. Activate the Solaris fdisk partition by typing y at the prompt.


    Do you want this to become the Active partition? If so, it will be 
    activated each time you reset your computer or when you turn it on 
    again. Please type "y" or "n". y
    

    The Enter Selection: prompt is displayed afer the fdisk partition is activated.

  12. Select option 1, Create a partition, to create another fdisk partition.

    See steps 9-11 for instructions on creating an fdisk partition.

  13. Update the disk configuration and exit the fdisk menu from the selection menu.


    Selection: 4 
    
  14. Relabel the disk using the label command.


    WARNING: Solaris fdisk partition changed - Please relabel the disk
    format> label
    Ready to label disk, continue? yes
    format> 
  15. Quit the format menu.


    format> quit
    

Where to Go From Here

After you create a Solaris fdisk partition on the disk, you can create slices on the disk. Go to "x86: How to Create Disk Slices and Label a Disk".

x86: Example--Creating a Solaris fdisk Partition That Spans the Entire Drive

The following example uses the format's utility's fdisk option to create a Solaris fdisk partition that spans the entire drive.


# format
Searching for disks...done
 
AVAILABLE DISK SELECTIONS:
       0. c0t0d0 <DEFAULT cyl 1479 alt 2 hd 7 sec 79>
          /eisa/eha@1000,0/cmdk@0,0
       1. c0t2d0 <SUN1.05 cyl 2692 alt 2 hd 9 sec 85>
          /eisa/eha@1000,0/cmdk@2,0
Specify disk (enter its number): 1
selecting c0t2d0
[disk formatted]
format> fdisk
The recommended default partitioning for your disk is:
 
  a 100% "SOLARIS System" partition.
 
To select this, please type "y".  To partition your disk
differently, type "n" and the "fdisk" program will let you
select other partitions. y
 
WARNING: Solaris fdisk partition changed - Please relabel the disk
format> label
Ready to label disk, continue? yes
format> quit

x86: Example--Creating a Solaris fdisk Partition and Preserving an Existing fdisk Partition

The following example describes how to create a Solaris fdisk partition on a disk that has an existing DOS-BIG fdisk partition.


format> fdisk
             Total disk size is 2694 cylinders
             Cylinder size is 765 (512 byte) blocks
                                         Cylinders
     Partition   Status    Type     Start  End   Length    %
     =========   ======   ========  =====   ===   ====== ===
        1                 DOS-BIG       1   538     538   20
SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
     1.   Create a partition
     2.   Change Active (Boot from) partition
     3.   Delete a partition
     4.   Exit (Update disk configuration and exit)
     5.   Cancel (Exit without updating disk configuration)
Enter Selection: 1
Indicate the type of partition you want to create
  (1=SOLARIS, 2=UNIX, 3=PCIXOS, 4=Other, 8=DOSBIG)
  (5=DOS12, 6=DOS16, 7=DOSEXT, 0=Exit) ?1
Indicate the percentage of the disk you want this partition
to use (or enter "c" to specify in cylinders). 80
Do you want this to become the Active partition? If so, it will be 
activated each time you reset your computer or when you turn it on 
again. Please type "y" or "n". y
Partition 2 is now the Active partition Total disk size is 2694 
cylinders
             Cylinder size is 765 (512 byte) blocks
                                         Cylinders
    Partition   Status    Type      Start   End   Length    %
    =========   ======    ========  =====   ===   ======   ===
        1                 DOS-BIG       1   538     538     20
        2       Active    SOLARIS     539  2693    2155     80
SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
     1.   Create a partition
     2.   Change Active (Boot from) partition
     3.   Delete a partition
     4.   Exit (Update disk configuration and exit)
     5.   Cancel (Exit without updating disk configuration)
Enter Selection: Selection: 4
WARNING: Solaris fdisk partition changed - Please relabel the disk
format> label
Ready to label disk, continue? yes
format> q

x86: Example--Creating a Solaris fdisk Partition and an Additional fdisk Partition

This following example describes how to create a Solaris fdisk partition and a DOSBIG fdisk partition.


format> fdisk
The recommended default partitioning for your disk is:
   a 100% "SOLARIS System" partition.
To select this, please type "y".  To partition your disk
differently, type "n" and the "fdisk" program will let you
select other partitions. n
             Total disk size is 2694 cylinders
             Cylinder size is 765 (512 byte) blocks
                                         Cylinders
    Partition   Status    Type      Start   End   Length    %
    =========   ======    ========  =====   ===   ======   ===
THERE ARE NO PARTITIONS CURRENTLY DEFINED SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
     1.   Create a partition
     2.   Change Active (Boot from) partition
     3.   Delete a partition
     4.   Exit (Update disk configuration and exit)
     5.   Cancel (Exit without updating disk configuration)
Enter Selection: 1
Indicate the type of partition you want to create
  (1=SOLARIS, 2=UNIX, 3=PCIXOS, 4=Other, 8=DOSBIG)
  (5=DOS12, 6=DOS16, 7=DOSEXT, 0=Exit) ?8
Indicate the percentage of the disk you want this partition
to use (or enter "c" to specify in cylinders). 20
Do you want this to become the Active partition? If so, it will be 
activated each time you reset your computer or when you turn it on 
again. Please type "y" or "n". n
             Total disk size is 2694 cylinders
             Cylinder size is 765 (512 byte) blocks
                                        Cylinders
    Partition   Status    Type      Start   End   Length    %
    =========   ======    ========  =====   ===   ======   ===
        1                 DOS-BIG       1   538     538     20
SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
     1.   Create a partition
     2.   Change Active (Boot from) partition
     3.   Delete a partition
     4.   Exit (Update disk configuration and exit)
     5.   Cancel (Exit without updating disk configuration)Enter
Selection: 1
Indicate the type of partition you want to create
  (1=SOLARIS, 2=UNIX, 3=PCIXOS, 4=Other, 8=DOSBIG)
  (5=DOS12, 6=DOS16, 7=DOSEXT, 0=Exit) ?1
Indicate the percentage of the disk you want this partition
to use (or enter "c" to specify in cylinders). 80
Do you want this to become the Active partition? If so, it will be 
activated each time you reset your computer or when you turn it on 
again. Please type "y" or "n". y
Partition 2 is now the Active partition Total disk size is 2694 
cylinders
            Cylinder size is 765 (512 byte) blocks
                                         Cylinders
    Partition   Status    Type      Start   End   Length    %
    =========   ======    ========  =====   ===   ======   ===
        1                 DOS-BIG       1   538     538     20
        2       Active    SOLARIS     539  2693    2155     80
 
SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
     1.   Create a partition
     2.   Change Active (Boot from) partition
     3.   Delete a partition
     4.   Exit (Update disk configuration and exit)
     5.   Cancel (Exit without updating disk configuration)
Enter Selection: 4
format> q