[gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Walter Dnes]

  I'm using the 20130207 install iso.  This is to enable me to get a
*REALLY* predictable NIC name, namely eth0, but I digress.  The 2
warnings I get are...

1)
> WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sda'! The util
> fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted.

  I've repartitioned it 3 or 4 times, but it still comes up with that
error when I fire up fdisk.  Is it a problem, and if so, can I dd a few
sectors to remove whatever it's complaining about?


2)
> The device presents a logical sector size that is smaller than the
> physical sector size. Aligning to a physical sector (or optimal I/O)
> size boundary is recommended, or performance may be impacted.

  The fdisk "p" command gives the following output header

> Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
> 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
> Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes

  The fdisk default seems to be to start partition 1 at sector 2048.  I
don't know the hardware side of disks.  Is that OK.

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes@waltdnes.org>
I don't run "desktop environments"; I run useful applications

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Michael Hampicke]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1446 bytes --]

Am 10.05.2013 03:11, schrieb Walter Dnes:
>   I'm using the 20130207 install iso.  This is to enable me to get a
> *REALLY* predictable NIC name, namely eth0, but I digress.  The 2
> warnings I get are...
> 
> 1)
>> WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sda'! The util
>> fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted.
> 
>   I've repartitioned it 3 or 4 times, but it still comes up with that
> error when I fire up fdisk.  Is it a problem, and if so, can I dd a few
> sectors to remove whatever it's complaining about?
> 

fdisk does not support GPT disks, use cgdisk or parted (as the error
message clearly states)

> 
> 2)
>> The device presents a logical sector size that is smaller than the
>> physical sector size. Aligning to a physical sector (or optimal I/O)
>> size boundary is recommended, or performance may be impacted.
> 
>   The fdisk "p" command gives the following output header
> 
>> Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
>> 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
>> Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
>> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
>> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
> 
>   The fdisk default seems to be to start partition 1 at sector 2048.  I
> don't know the hardware side of disks.  Is that OK.
> 

This will be solved when using a partitioner that supports GTP, as
stated above.


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 490 bytes --]

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Neil Bothwick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 518 bytes --]

On Fri, 10 May 2013 09:52:05 +0200, Michael Hampicke wrote:

> >   I've repartitioned it 3 or 4 times, but it still comes up with that
> > error when I fire up fdisk.  Is it a problem, and if so, can I dd a
> > few sectors to remove whatever it's complaining about?
> >   
> 
> fdisk does not support GPT disks, use cgdisk or parted (as the error
> message clearly states)

Or gdisk which is the most fdisk-like of the alternatives.


-- 
Neil Bothwick

Few women admit their age. Few men act theirs.

[-- Attachment #2: signature.asc --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 198 bytes --]

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Alan McKinnon]

On 10/05/2013 10:47, Neil Bothwick wrote:
> On Fri, 10 May 2013 09:52:05 +0200, Michael Hampicke wrote:
> 
>>>   I've repartitioned it 3 or 4 times, but it still comes up with that
>>> error when I fire up fdisk.  Is it a problem, and if so, can I dd a
>>> few sectors to remove whatever it's complaining about?
>>>   
>>
>> fdisk does not support GPT disks, use cgdisk or parted (as the error
>> message clearly states)
> 
> Or gdisk which is the most fdisk-like of the alternatives.
> 
> 

Reading between the lines shows Walter doesn't want to use fdisk to deal
with a GPT disk.

He has a regular partitioned disk that was once GPT, and some remnants
of that are left around confusing fdisk. He wants the remnants to go
away and needs to know what bit of the disk to dd and make that happen.

I don't know the answer to that.

-- 
Alan McKinnon
alan.mckinnon@gmail.com

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Neil Bothwick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 768 bytes --]

On Fri, 10 May 2013 11:44:54 +0200, Alan McKinnon wrote:

> Reading between the lines shows Walter doesn't want to use fdisk to deal
> with a GPT disk.
> 
> He has a regular partitioned disk that was once GPT, and some remnants
> of that are left around confusing fdisk. He wants the remnants to go
> away and needs to know what bit of the disk to dd and make that happen.
> 
> I don't know the answer to that.

That's not quite how I read it, but... gdisk has an option to completely
erase both GPT and DOS partition tables. Why anyone would choose to use
the ultra-kludged DOS partition tables when GPT is so much more elegant is
beyond me, unless they have old hardware that can't read a GPT disk.


-- 
Neil Bothwick

OS/2: Obsolete Soon, Too

[-- Attachment #2: signature.asc --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 198 bytes --]

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[pk]

On 2013-05-10 03:11, Walter Dnes wrote:

>> WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sda'! The util
>> fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted.
> 
>   I've repartitioned it 3 or 4 times, but it still comes up with that
> error when I fire up fdisk.  Is it a problem, and if so, can I dd a few
> sectors to remove whatever it's complaining about?

I would suggest using a tool that understands both MBR and GPT. One of
the the tools suggested by others in this list should suffice. I would
not recommend using dd.

> 2)
>> The device presents a logical sector size that is smaller than the
>> physical sector size. Aligning to a physical sector (or optimal I/O)
>> size boundary is recommended, or performance may be impacted.

I think most (if not all tools) that understands GPT should be able to
align the disk properly so using such a tool will/should take care of
alignment as well...

>   The fdisk default seems to be to start partition 1 at sector 2048.  I
> don't know the hardware side of disks.  Is that OK.

No idea. All I know is that you cannot trust the firmware of modern
disks to tell you the layout of the disk since it can "move" sectors
around to get around damaged sectors (or do whatever the firmware
developers thinks is best)...

Here's some reading for (perhaps) greater understanding (some) of the
issues:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Advanced_Format
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_boot_record
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GUID_Partition_Table

Also this seems relevant:
http://superuser.com/questions/352572/why-does-the-partition-start-on-sector-2048-instead-of-63

Best regards

Peter K

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Alan McKinnon]

On 10/05/2013 12:00, Neil Bothwick wrote:
> On Fri, 10 May 2013 11:44:54 +0200, Alan McKinnon wrote:
> 
>> Reading between the lines shows Walter doesn't want to use fdisk to deal
>> with a GPT disk.
>>
>> He has a regular partitioned disk that was once GPT, and some remnants
>> of that are left around confusing fdisk. He wants the remnants to go
>> away and needs to know what bit of the disk to dd and make that happen.
>>
>> I don't know the answer to that.
> 
> That's not quite how I read it, but... gdisk has an option to completely
> erase both GPT and DOS partition tables. Why anyone would choose to use
> the ultra-kludged DOS partition tables when GPT is so much more elegant is
> beyond me, unless they have old hardware that can't read a GPT disk.

The usual reasons I suppose:

habit, familiarity, lack of new knowledge, fear of the unknown

I myself still use fdisk whenever I can. I know I should change, I know
it would be good, but I'm an old fart and mostly can't be arsed :-)


-- 
Alan McKinnon
alan.mckinnon@gmail.com

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Neil Bothwick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 369 bytes --]

On Fri, 10 May 2013 12:55:16 +0200, Alan McKinnon wrote:

> I myself still use fdisk whenever I can. I know I should change, I know
> it would be good, but I'm an old fart and mostly can't be arsed :-)

I'm older (and probably fartier) than you but still welcomed GPT and
gdisk with open arms :P


-- 
Neil Bothwick

If I save time, when do I get it back?

[-- Attachment #2: signature.asc --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 198 bytes --]

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Dale]

Alan McKinnon wrote:
> On 10/05/2013 12:00, Neil Bothwick wrote:
>> On Fri, 10 May 2013 11:44:54 +0200, Alan McKinnon wrote:
>>
>>> Reading between the lines shows Walter doesn't want to use fdisk to deal
>>> with a GPT disk.
>>>
>>> He has a regular partitioned disk that was once GPT, and some remnants
>>> of that are left around confusing fdisk. He wants the remnants to go
>>> away and needs to know what bit of the disk to dd and make that happen.
>>>
>>> I don't know the answer to that.
>> That's not quite how I read it, but... gdisk has an option to completely
>> erase both GPT and DOS partition tables. Why anyone would choose to use
>> the ultra-kludged DOS partition tables when GPT is so much more elegant is
>> beyond me, unless they have old hardware that can't read a GPT disk.
> The usual reasons I suppose:
>
> habit, familiarity, lack of new knowledge, fear of the unknown
>
> I myself still use fdisk whenever I can. I know I should change, I know
> it would be good, but I'm an old fart and mostly can't be arsed :-)
>
>


I'm with ya Alan.  Update tho.  I use LVM.  I use grub2 since a week or
so ago.  That's a lot for me. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

-- 
I am only responsible for what I said ... Not for what you understood or how you interpreted my words!

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Thanasis]

on 05/10/2013 11:47 AM Neil Bothwick wrote the following:
> On Fri, 10 May 2013 09:52:05 +0200, Michael Hampicke wrote:
> 
>>>   I've repartitioned it 3 or 4 times, but it still comes up with that
>>> error when I fire up fdisk.  Is it a problem, and if so, can I dd a
>>> few sectors to remove whatever it's complaining about?
>>>   
>>
>> fdisk does not support GPT disks, use cgdisk or parted (as the error
>> message clearly states)
> 
> Or gdisk which is the most fdisk-like of the alternatives.
> 
> 
Where do we find gdisk (in portage)?

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Neil Bothwick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 983 bytes --]

On Fri, 10 May 2013 06:09:25 -0500, Dale wrote:

> > I myself still use fdisk whenever I can. I know I should change, I
> > know it would be good, but I'm an old fart and mostly can't be
> > arsed :-)

> I'm with ya Alan.  Update tho.  I use LVM.  I use grub2 since a week or
> so ago.  That's a lot for me. 

It's not about whether you use fdisk or gdisk, they are almost identical
in use, it's about the type of partition table you use. If you like the
idea of a partition table that only accepts four partitions, has to be
kludged to use one of those as a container if you want more, has no
simple way of backing up such a complex partition setup and has no
redundancy in case of partition table corruption, fdisk and DOS are
perfect for you :)

DOS partition tables should have died out 30 years ago, we know who we
have to thank for their continued existence...


-- 
Neil Bothwick

"Self-explanatory": technospeak for "Incomprehensible & undocumented"

[-- Attachment #2: signature.asc --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 198 bytes --]

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Wang Xuerui]

2013/5/10 Thanasis <thanasis@asyr.hopto.org>:
> Where do we find gdisk (in portage)?

It's sys-apps/gptfdisk. Took a bit of time finding the package when I
first deployed a Gentoo server some time ago (:

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Neil Bothwick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 260 bytes --]

On Fri, 10 May 2013 14:36:38 +0300, Thanasis wrote:

> Where do we find gdisk (in portage)?

sys-apps/gptfdisk

It contains GPT versions of fdisk, cfdisk and sfdisk.


-- 
Neil Bothwick

If at first you don't suceed, try the switch marked "Power"

[-- Attachment #2: signature.asc --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 198 bytes --]

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Dale]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 2580 bytes --]

Neil Bothwick wrote:
> On Fri, 10 May 2013 06:09:25 -0500, Dale wrote:
>
>>> I myself still use fdisk whenever I can. I know I should change, I
>>> know it would be good, but I'm an old fart and mostly can't be
>>> arsed :-)
>
>> I'm with ya Alan.  Update tho.  I use LVM.  I use grub2 since a week or
>> so ago.  That's a lot for me.
>
> It's not about whether you use fdisk or gdisk, they are almost identical
> in use, it's about the type of partition table you use. If you like the
> idea of a partition table that only accepts four partitions, has to be
> kludged to use one of those as a container if you want more, has no
> simple way of backing up such a complex partition setup and has no
> redundancy in case of partition table corruption, fdisk and DOS are
> perfect for you :)
>
> DOS partition tables should have died out 30 years ago, we know who we
> have to thank for their continued existence...
>
>

Well, when I bought my 3Tb drive, I had to use GPT.  Yea, I had to
figure it out but it ain't the end of the world.  I think I used cgdisk
since I usually use cfdisk.  They are a lot alike is one reason I used
it.  If I ever replace a drive, I'll likely use cgdisk for it too.  Sort
of slowly switch over as I can.  My worry is forgetting which I used
which on.  In a way, I wish I could switch them all since cgdisk makes
it so easy.  Also, since I use LVM, I think I just made two partitions. 
For some reason, I couldn't get it to see just one large partition.  LVM
combined the two together for me tho.  I still scratch my head on that
one tho.  I have not used the backup part of cgdisk either.

I realize things change, some for the better, but sometimes it needs to
be changed when I really don't want to spend the time doing it.  It took
me a bit to figure out LVM but I did it on my time frame and wasn't
rushed, just confused at first.  Same with grub2 but I still got some
things I want to do but it does OK.  I'm still wanting to redo my disks
and have a /boot partition big enough to have sysrescue and such there
and also the memtest thing too.  Not enough space for sysrescue and
can't get it to see memtest to put it in the menu.  May start a thread
on that one day.

As long as I can spend the time learning it and not be rushed, I can
generally deal with it, mostly.  ;-)

In the OP's case, maybe he isn't ready to deal with it.  Maybe he has
another reason not to use GPT.   Maybe all he needs is the basics of fdisk?

Dale

:-)  :-)

-- 
I am only responsible for what I said ... Not for what you understood or
how you interpreted my words!


[-- Attachment #2: Type: text/html, Size: 3508 bytes --]

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Neil Bothwick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1036 bytes --]

On Fri, 10 May 2013 07:10:19 -0500, Dale wrote:

> Well, when I bought my 3Tb drive, I had to use GPT.  Yea, I had to
> figure it out but it ain't the end of the world.  I think I used cgdisk
> since I usually use cfdisk.  They are a lot alike is one reason I used
> it.  If I ever replace a drive, I'll likely use cgdisk for it too.

I used to use cfdisk, but switched to fdisk because cfdisk's partition
alignment wasn't good on large drives. That's not a problem with cgdisk.

> Sort
> of slowly switch over as I can.  My worry is forgetting which I used
> which on.

There's nothing to remember, cgdisk and gdisk are interchangable, and
either will warn you if you try to use them on a DOS partitioned drive
(and vice versa for fdisk/cfdisk).


-- 
Neil Bothwick

K: (n., adj.) a binary thousand, which isn't a decimal thousand or even
really a binary thousand (which is eight), but is the binary number
closest to a decimal thousand. This has proven so completely confusing
that is has become a standard.

[-- Attachment #2: signature.asc --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 198 bytes --]

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Dale]

Neil Bothwick wrote:
> On Fri, 10 May 2013 07:10:19 -0500, Dale wrote:
>
>> Well, when I bought my 3Tb drive, I had to use GPT.  Yea, I had to
>> figure it out but it ain't the end of the world.  I think I used cgdisk
>> since I usually use cfdisk.  They are a lot alike is one reason I used
>> it.  If I ever replace a drive, I'll likely use cgdisk for it too.
> I used to use cfdisk, but switched to fdisk because cfdisk's partition
> alignment wasn't good on large drives. That's not a problem with cgdisk.

That was why I had to use cgdisk.  The drive is large.  I think cfdisk
spit out a error or something.  I'm to old and it was to long ago.  lol 
On my other disks, I'm not sure I had even heard of cgdisk when I set
them up. 

>> Sort
>> of slowly switch over as I can.  My worry is forgetting which I used
>> which on.
> There's nothing to remember, cgdisk and gdisk are interchangable, and
> either will warn you if you try to use them on a DOS partitioned drive
> (and vice versa for fdisk/cfdisk).
>
>

That's good to know.  At least I know now if I run cfdisk on a drive
that I am supposed to use cgdisk on, I'll get a notice.  Thanks for that
tidbit. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

-- 
I am only responsible for what I said ... Not for what you understood or how you interpreted my words!

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Tanstaafl]

On 2013-05-10 6:00 AM, Neil Bothwick <neil@digimed.co.uk> wrote:
> On Fri, 10 May 2013 11:44:54 +0200, Alan McKinnon wrote:
>> Reading between the lines shows Walter doesn't want to use fdisk to deal
>> with a GPT disk.
>>
>> He has a regular partitioned disk that was once GPT, and some remnants
>> of that are left around confusing fdisk. He wants the remnants to go
>> away and needs to know what bit of the disk to dd and make that happen.
>>
>> I don't know the answer to that.

> That's not quite how I read it, but... gdisk has an option to completely
> erase both GPT and DOS partition tables. Why anyone would choose to use
> the ultra-kludged DOS partition tables when GPT is so much more elegant is
> beyond me, unless they have old hardware that can't read a GPT disk.

If there are problems with fdisk and/or good reasons that it shouldn't 
be used anymore on modern hardware (what about in a virtual 
environment?), maybe the Gentoo Handbook could use some updating? I just 
recently set up a new VM on ESXi, and the Handbook still uses (and by 
implication recommends the use of) fdisk for the setting up your 
partitions steps.

Switching from grub to grub2 - WAS Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Tanstaafl]

On 2013-05-10 7:09 AM, Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm with ya Alan.  Update tho.  I use LVM.  I use grub2 since a week or
> so ago.  That's a lot for me.

So, how was  the switch? Uneventful? The more I read, and once I learned 
you could still use a monolithic config file, the less this looks like a 
big deal...

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Bruce Hill]

On Fri, May 10, 2013 at 02:36:38PM +0300, Thanasis wrote:
> > 
> Where do we find gdisk (in portage)?

This app which would be helpful to you, demonstrated:

mingdao@server ~ $ e-file gdisk
 *  sys-apps/gdisk
	Available Versions:	0.6.13 0.6.4_p2-r0 0.5.1-r0 0.6.14 
	Matched Files:		/usr/sbin/gdisk; /sbin/gdisk; 

 *  sys-apps/gptfdisk
	Available Versions:	0.8.6 0.6.13 0.7.1 0.8.5 0.8.4 0.8.3 0.8.2 0.8.1 0.8.0-r1 0.8.0 0.7.2 
	Homepage:		http://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/
	Description:		GPT partition table manipulator for Linux
	Matched Files:		/usr/sbin/gdisk; /sbin/gdisk;

e-file comes from pfl

mingdao@server ~ $ e-file e-file
 *  app-misc/pfl
	Available Versions:	1.8.1-r0 1.8-r1 1.8_p20081201-r0 1.8.1_p20081201-r0 
	Matched Files:		/usr/bin/e-file; 

[I] app-portage/pfl
	Available Versions:	2.3-r3 2.3-r2 2.3-r1 2.3 2.2 2.1-r1 2.1 2.0 1.8.1-r1 1.8.1-r0 
	Last Installed Ver:	2.3(Tue 28 Feb 2012 12:53:36 PM CST)
	Homepage:		http://www.portagefilelist.de/index.php/Special:PFLQuery2
	Description:		PFL is an online searchable file/package database for Gentoo
	Matched Files:		/usr/bin/e-file;

mingdao@server ~ $ eix pfl
[I] app-portage/pfl
     Available versions:  2.3 ~2.3-r3 {{+network-cron python_targets_python2_6 python_targets_python2_7}}
     Installed versions:  2.3(12:53:36 PM 02/28/2012)(network-cron)
     Homepage:            http://www.portagefilelist.de
     Description:         Searchable online file/package database for Gentoo

* net-analyzer/tcpflow
     Available versions:  1.3.0 {{test}}
     Homepage:            https://github.com/simsong/tcpflow
     Description:         A tool for monitoring, capturing and storing TCP connections flows

* net-mail/pflogsumm
     Available versions:  1.1.3 ~1.1.4 1.1.5
     Homepage:            http://jimsun.linxnet.com/postfix_contrib.html
     Description:         Pflogsumm is a log analyzer for Postfix logs

* sys-fs/wpflash
     Available versions:  ~0
     Homepage:            http://webpal.bigbrd.com/
     Description:         flash the firmware on a Webpal

Found 4 matches.

So you need to "emerge pfl" to get and use e-file.
-- 
Happy Penguin Computers               >')
126 Fenco Drive                       ( \
Tupelo, MS 38801                       ^^
support@happypenguincomputers.com
662-269-2706 662-205-6424
http://happypenguincomputers.com/

A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.                                                                                                                                                          
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?                                                                                                                                                                                        
A: Top-posting.                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?

Don't top-post: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_post#Top-posting

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Walter Dnes]

On Fri, May 10, 2013 at 11:44:54AM +0200, Alan McKinnon wrote

> Reading between the lines shows Walter doesn't want to use fdisk to
> deal with a GPT disk.
> 
> He has a regular partitioned disk that was once GPT, and some
> remnants of that are left around confusing fdisk. He wants the
> remnants to go away and needs to know what bit of the disk to dd
> and make that happen.

  You're right.  That is what I meant  I finally found the answer.
http://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/wipegpt.html is the URL to see.  My
Google-fu isn't quite what it used to be.  For anybody else's benefit,
here's what I did...

===================Screen Capture follows=====================
livecd ~ # gdisk /dev/sda
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 0.8.4

Partition table scan:
  MBR: protective
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: present

Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.

Command (? for help): x

Expert command (? for help): z
About to wipe out GPT on /dev/sda. Proceed? (Y/N): y
GPT data structures destroyed! You may now partition the disk using fdisk or
other utilities.
Blank out MBR? (Y/N): n
MBR is unchanged. You may need to delete an EFI GPT (0xEE) partition
with fdisk or another tool.
livecd ~ #
===========================================================

  fdisk now starts without the GPT warning.

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes@waltdnes.org>
I don't run "desktop environments"; I run useful applications

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Walter Dnes]

On Fri, May 10, 2013 at 11:00:50AM +0100, Neil Bothwick wrote

> That's not quite how I read it, but... gdisk has an option to completely
> erase both GPT and DOS partition tables.

  I erased the GPT table.

> Why anyone would choose to use the ultra-kludged DOS partition tables
> when GPT is so much more elegant is beyond me, unless they have old
> hardware that can't read a GPT disk.

  Familiarity, I suppose.  I've used the same layout for several years.
fdisk can easily handle a 1 terabyte disk.  For now, my big change is to
use ext4fs instead of Reiserfs for my main partition.

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes@waltdnes.org>
I don't run "desktop environments"; I run useful applications

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[J. Roeleveld]

Alan McKinnon <alan.mckinnon@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 10/05/2013 12:00, Neil Bothwick wrote:
>> On Fri, 10 May 2013 11:44:54 +0200, Alan McKinnon wrote:
>> 
>>> Reading between the lines shows Walter doesn't want to use fdisk to
>deal
>>> with a GPT disk.
>>>
>>> He has a regular partitioned disk that was once GPT, and some
>remnants
>>> of that are left around confusing fdisk. He wants the remnants to go
>>> away and needs to know what bit of the disk to dd and make that
>happen.
>>>
>>> I don't know the answer to that.
>> 
>> That's not quite how I read it, but... gdisk has an option to
>completely
>> erase both GPT and DOS partition tables. Why anyone would choose to
>use
>> the ultra-kludged DOS partition tables when GPT is so much more
>elegant is
>> beyond me, unless they have old hardware that can't read a GPT disk.
>
>The usual reasons I suppose:
>
>habit, familiarity, lack of new knowledge, fear of the unknown
>
>I myself still use fdisk whenever I can. I know I should change, I know
>it would be good, but I'm an old fart and mostly can't be arsed :-)
>
>
>-- 
>Alan McKinnon
>alan.mckinnon@gmail.com

I probably also would have stayed with fdisk and dos partitions if it weren't for the fact I don't have many disks left that are small enough for it to work....

--
Joost
-- 
Sent from my Android phone with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Walter Dnes]

  While I'm on the general topic of setting up the disk, I notice that
fdisk startup output includes..

> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes

  Since I'll be using ext2 for the 250 meg / and ext4 for the biggie
/home partition, should I force mkefs* block size (the "-b" parameter)
to 4096 to match the underlying hardware?

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes@waltdnes.org>
I don't run "desktop environments"; I run useful applications

Re: Switching from grub to grub2 - WAS Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Dale]

Tanstaafl wrote:
> On 2013-05-10 7:09 AM, Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com> wrote:
>> I'm with ya Alan.  Update tho.  I use LVM.  I use grub2 since a week or
>> so ago.  That's a lot for me.
>
> So, how was  the switch? Uneventful? The more I read, and once I
> learned you could still use a monolithic config file, the less this
> looks like a big deal...
>
>


If you are referring to LVM.  Once I got the commands and the steps
right, it was pretty darn easy.  I have increased the size of things a
few times with no issues.  It may blow up on me one day but so far, it
is neat.  I have not reduced one yet but need to.  I just haven't had
the time really.  If you have more than one drive or find yourself
having to move things around due to one partition needing room or having
to much room, LVM is really neat. 

If you are referring to grub2.  I found a Gentoo wiki page that shows
how to chain load both grubs.  What it does is leave old grub there.  In
the menu for old grub, which loads first, you select to chain load
grub2.  If grub2 works fine, then you can remove the old grub.  If it
doesn't work, then you use the old grub to boot with.  Honestly, it
wasn't bad at all.  I don't recall even having a single issue getting
the OS to load.  I stuck a script with the command for updating grub2 in
my /root directory.  It has the longer command to update with the
options and such.  My only issue right now is that I can't get the
memtest thing to work and don't have enough space on /boot for
sysrescue.  The biggest thing, I got to pick a time to switch that was
convenient for me.  In my opinion, grub2 is stable enough for most
likely any setup that supports it. 

If you need a link to the wiki, I got it bookmarked somewhere.  Let me
know and I'll go find it. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

-- 
I am only responsible for what I said ... Not for what you understood or how you interpreted my words!

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Neil Bothwick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 799 bytes --]

On Fri, 10 May 2013 11:54:13 -0400, Walter Dnes wrote:

> > Why anyone would choose to use the ultra-kludged DOS partition tables
> > when GPT is so much more elegant is beyond me, unless they have old
> > hardware that can't read a GPT disk.  
> 
>   Familiarity, I suppose.  I've used the same layout for several years.
> fdisk can easily handle a 1 terabyte disk.

It's not fdisk that is the problem, it is the bastardised partition table
layout with bits f information scattered all over the disk and little
change of recovery in the event of corruption. GPT on the other hand can
handle a sensible number of partitions, includes details of them all in
the partition table and saves a backup copy to the end of the disk.


-- 
Neil Bothwick

I work with User-Surly Software.

[-- Attachment #2: signature.asc --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 198 bytes --]

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Neil Bothwick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 823 bytes --]

On Fri, 10 May 2013 08:22:28 -0500, Dale wrote:

> > I used to use cfdisk, but switched to fdisk because cfdisk's partition
> > alignment wasn't good on large drives. That's not a problem with
> > cgdisk.  
> 
> That was why I had to use cgdisk.  The drive is large.  I think cfdisk
> spit out a error or something.

cfdisk only does 512 byte alignment, if you want a DOS partition table on
a large drive, you need to use fdisk or {,q,qt}parted. cgdisk is a
completely separate tool as it works with GPT partition tables. There is
anever a choice between cfdisk and cgdisk because only one of them will
work with your partition table.


-- 
Neil Bothwick

To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is
half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

[-- Attachment #2: signature.asc --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 198 bytes --]

Re: Switching from grub to grub2 - WAS Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Neil Bothwick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 542 bytes --]

On Fri, 10 May 2013 09:33:10 -0400, Tanstaafl wrote:

> So, how was  the switch? Uneventful? The more I read, and once I
> learned you could still use a monolithic config file, the less this
> looks like a big deal...

STILL use a monolithic config file? GRUB2 has to use a monolithic config
file, usually /boot/grub2/grub.cfg. grub-mkconfig is not a bootloader,
just an easy way of managing that monolithic configuration file.


-- 
Neil Bothwick

If the funeral procession is at night, do folks drive with their lights
off?

[-- Attachment #2: signature.asc --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 198 bytes --]

Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Mick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: Text/Plain, Size: 804 bytes --]

On Friday 10 May 2013 17:28:32 Walter Dnes wrote:
>   While I'm on the general topic of setting up the disk, I notice that
> fdisk startup output includes..
> 
> > Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> > I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
> 
>   Since I'll be using ext2 for the 250 meg / and ext4 for the biggie
> /home partition, should I force mkefs* block size (the "-b" parameter)
> to 4096 to match the underlying hardware?

If you run 'fdisk -c -u /dev/sda' it should start the first sector at 2048, 
which will ensure alignment of logical and physical blocks.

Then you can use fs block of 2048 or 4096 if you really want to, but I suspect 
that would be quite wasteful on a partition that will store many smaller 
files.
-- 
Regards,
Mick

[-- Attachment #2: This is a digitally signed message part. --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 490 bytes --]

[gentoo-user] Re: Switching from grub to grub2 - WAS Re: fdisk warnings during install; questions

[walt]

On 05/10/2013 12:09 PM, Dale wrote:

> My only issue right now is that I can't get the
> memtest thing to work

Maybe I can help you with that one, but it would be easier if you
start that new thread first.

Re: Switching from grub to grub2 - WAS Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Stroller]

On 10 May 2013, at 20:42, Neil Bothwick wrote:
> On Fri, 10 May 2013 09:33:10 -0400, Tanstaafl wrote:
> 
>> So, how was  the switch? Uneventful? The more I read, and once I
>> learned you could still use a monolithic config file, the less this
>> looks like a big deal...
> 
> STILL use a monolithic config file? GRUB2 has to use a monolithic config
> file, usually /boot/grub2/grub.cfg. grub-mkconfig is not a bootloader,
> just an easy way of managing that monolithic configuration file.

You seem to have take it as a criticism, but I read previous message as approving of monolithic config files.

"grub2 looks ok, because it still uses a monolithic config file"

Stroller.

Re: Switching from grub to grub2 - WAS Re: [gentoo-user] fdisk warnings during install; questions

[Neil Bothwick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1229 bytes --]

On Sat, 11 May 2013 12:39:41 +0100, Stroller wrote:

> >> So, how was  the switch? Uneventful? The more I read, and once I
> >> learned you could still use a monolithic config file, the less this
> >> looks like a big deal...  
> > 
> > STILL use a monolithic config file? GRUB2 has to use a monolithic
> > config file, usually /boot/grub2/grub.cfg. grub-mkconfig is not a
> > bootloader, just an easy way of managing that monolithic
> > configuration file.  
> 
> You seem to have take it as a criticism, but I read previous message as
> approving of monolithic config files.
> 
> "grub2 looks ok, because it still uses a monolithic config file"

I read it different because of the use of the word "could". It is not an
option with GRUB2, it is a requirement. The format and name of the file
have changed, but it is still a single file. The only optional aspect is
how you create that file. With the old GRUB you have to write it by hand,
now you have a second option.

There seems a perception that you have to use the files in /etc/grub.d
and /etc/default, but this a absolutely not the case, and never has been. 


-- 
Neil Bothwick

If you got the words it does not mean you got the knowledge.

[-- Attachment #2: signature.asc --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 198 bytes --]