IA: How to Create a Solaris fdisk Partition (System Administration Guide: Basic Administration)

System Administration Guide: Basic Administration

IA: How to Create a Solaris `fdisk` Partition

Read x86: Guidelines for Creating an fdisk Partition.

Become superuser or assume an equivalent role.

Invoke the format utility.
# format
For more information, see format(1M).

Type 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 you want to create a Solaris fdisk partition.

Select the fdisk menu.

format> fdisk

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

Task	Go To	For More Information
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 one or more existing non-Solaris `fdisk` partition.	Step 7	x86: Example—Creating a Solaris `fdisk` Partition While Preserving an Existing `fdisk` Partition
Create a Solaris `fdisk` partition and one or more additional non-Solaris `fdisk` partition.	Step 7	x86: Example—Creating a Solaris `fdisk` Partition and an Additional `fdisk` Partition

Create and activate a Solaris fdisk partition that spans 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

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:

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

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

Identify the percentage of the disk to be reserved for the Solaris fdisk partition. Keep in mind the size of any existing fdisk partitions when you calculate this percentage.
Indicate the percentage of the disk you want this partition to use (or enter "c" to specify in cylinders). nn

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 after the fdisk partition is activated.

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

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

Update the disk configuration and exit the fdisk menu from the selection menu.
Selection: 4

Relabel the disk by using the label command.

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

Quit the format menu.
format> quit

x86: Where to Go From Here

After you create a Solaris fdisk partition on the disk, you can create slices on the disk. Go to IA: 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. c0d0 <DEFAULT cyl 2466 alt 2 hd 16 sec 63>
          /pci@0,0/pci-ide@7,1/ide@0/cmdk@0,0
       1. c0d1 <DEFAULT cyl 522 alt 2 hd 32 sec 63>
          /pci@0,0/pci-ide@7,1/ide@0/cmdk@1,0
       2. c1d0 <DEFAULT cyl 13102 alt 2 hd 16 sec 63>
          /pci@0,0/pci-ide@7,1/ide@1/cmdk@0,0
Specify disk (enter its number): 0
selecting c0d0
Controller working list found
[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 While Preserving an Existing `fdisk` Partition

The following example shows 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 shows 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