David C. Hoos, Sr. wrote:
> An extended partition _is_ a primary partition.
> The partition numbers from 5 and up refer to partitions
> _within_ the extended partition.
"the" being a keyword . . .
> There can be only four primary partitions -- all or none of
> which may be extended partitions. Non-extended primary
> patrons can have no partitions within them, so if there are
> four non-extended primary partitions, then there can be no
> more than four partitions total.
> Unlike Micro$oft OSs, Linux can boot from an extended
True, as can others besides Linux.
> partition, so all primary partitions could be extended partitions
> if you had no need for a Micro$oft OS.
I don't think this is true. I'm pretty sure that any extended partitions
beyond the first will be ignored, assuming you could find a standard
partitioning tool to let you create more than one in the first place.
FDISK for windoze, Partition Magic, and FDISK for OS/2 certainly won't.
I think to get multiple extendeds you'd have to create those beyond #1
with a sector editor or other non-standard partitioning tool, either of
which would create a useless space allocation.
> All that said, there are two kinds of extended patrons
> recognized by Linux fdisk and friends -- DOS extended (type 5),
> and Linux extended (type 85).
These are only two of three I know of.
> Micro$oft OSs do not recognize type 85 (nor do Partition
> Magic and Boot Magic), so that explains why Windoze cannot
> see your ext2 partitions.
It shouldn't explain invisibility of a primary EXT2. His description
seemed to indicate that he possibly did once have one.
> If you change the type 85 partition to type 5, both Micro$oft
> OSs and Linux will be able to see the ext2 partitions within
> the extended partition.
This depends on windoze version and HD size. If the HD size is >8 Gb and
the windoze version is FAT32 capable and at least one non-primary
windoze partition is FAT32, then the extended type will probably need to
be 0Fh instead of 05h in order for windoze to properly access
non-primary partitions. When multiple logical partitions exist on a >8
Gb HD, usually windoze SCANDISK will not run properly to completion, and
windoze may assign a phantom drive a letter and misassign a letter to an
existing partition. Enabling "large drive support" in windoze causes
windoze FDISK to assign type 0Fh to the extended partition.
--
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more
grief. Ecclesiates 2:8 NIV
Team OS/2
Felix Miata *** http://mrmazda.members.atlantic.net/
