System Administration Guide: Basic Administration

x86: How to Create Disk Slices and Label a Disk

  1. Become superuser or assume an equivalent role.

  2. Start the format utility.


    # format
    
  3. Type the number of the disk that you want to repartition from the list displayed on your screen.


    Specify disk (enter its number): disk-number
    

    disk-number is the number of the disk that you want to repartition.

  4. Select the partition menu.


    format> partition
    
  5. Display the current partition (slice) table.


    partition> print
    
  6. Start the modification process.


    partition> modify
    
  7. Set the disk to all free hog.


    Choose base (enter number) [0]? 1
    

    For more information about the free hog slice, see Using the Free Hog Slice.

  8. Create a new partition table by answering yes when prompted to continue.


    Do you wish to continue creating a new partition
    table based on above table[yes]? yes
    
  9. Identify the free hog partition (slice) and the sizes of the slices when prompted.

    When adding a system disk, you must set up slices for:

    • root (slice 0) and swap (slice 1) and/or

    • /usr (slice 6)

    After you identify the slices, the new partition table is displayed.

  10. Make the displayed partition table the current partition table by answering yes when asked.


    Okay to make this the current partition table[yes]? yes
    

    If you don't want the current partition table and you want to change it, answer no and go to Step 6.

  11. Name the partition table.


    Enter table name (remember quotes): "partition-name"
    

    partition-name is the name for the new partition table.

  12. Label the disk with the new partition table after you have finished allocating slices on the new disk.


    Ready to label disk, continue? yes
    
  13. Quit the partition menu.


    partition> quit
    
  14. Verify the new disk label.


    format> verify
    
  15. Exit the format menu.


    format> quit
    

x86: Where to Go From Here

After you create disk slices and label the disk, you can create file systems on the disk. Go to x86: How to Create File Systems.