On Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:28:05 -0400 Jerry McAllister <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >On Sun, Sep 21, 2008 at 09:19:40AM -0500, Scott Bennett wrote: > >> On Sun, 21 Sep 2008 09:25:19 -0400 Jerry McAllister <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> wrote: >> >On Sun, Sep 21, 2008 at 07:00:39AM -0500, Scott Bennett wrote: >> > >> >> I would like to find a disk partition ("slice" in FreeBSD >> >> nomenclature) >> >> editor that runs under FreeBSD that is able to deal properly with logical >> >> partition entries chained from an extended partition entry in the Master >> >> Boot >> >> Record. fdisk(8) appears to be too primitive to understand logical >> >> partitions. >> > >> >I am not clear about what you are trying to do, but fdisk should not >> >be mucking with so-called logical partitions. FreeBSD does not >> >> As I wrote already, I do know that fdisk(8) does not understand >> logical partitions, so forget fdisk. I'm looking for something that >> does understand them. >> >> >really deal with 'logical' partitions'. Anyway, they are more akin >> >> It certainly does. I've been using them since I first installed >> FreeBSD 5.2.1 in 2005, and FreeBSD understands them just fine. The >> FreeBSD boot loader is another matter, but it's probably not big enough >> to be that smart. >> >> >to FreeBSD partitions than slices. Slices are the primary division >> >> No, they are not. They exist because the design for the Master Boot >> Record only has four entries, which originally limited one to having no >> more than four disk partitions. > >Yes, of course, there is some reason there are four and that reason is >almost always because a table somewhere has been allocated with only >room for those. > >Yes, all divisions that are made on a disk are logical - even sectors >and cylyndars in some sense. > "Logical partition" is standard terminology, as are "primary partition", "extended partition", and "Master Boot Record". I am surprised that you are unfamiliar with these. In any case, I defined logical and extended partitions for you.
>And below, yup, just what we all said. The slices are subdivided in >to other logical divisions. Yes, FreeBSD can talk to MS type logical >divisions. Perhaps you could provide your definition of a "MS type logical division", a term I don't know and haven't used. But it isn't relevant here anyway, so it doesn't matter much whether you do or don't. > >But, they don't exactly mix. A MS logical partition doesn't fit >in a FreeBSD slice being used as a FreeBSD slice. > I'm not sure what you mean by "a MS logical partition", but trying to fit a logical partition into anything but the extended partition is meaningless. However, using a logical partition as a FreeBSD slice is perfectly normal. The only catch is that the FreeBSD boot loader has to boot from a FreeBSD root file system located inside a FreeBSD slice that is a primary partition. I confess that I don't know whether using some other boot loader (e.g., grub) would allow one to boot from a FreeBSD root file system in a slice that is a logical partition because I haven't tried it, but I have been told by others that it does indeed work. Here are the device nodes for the drive that I need to repartition: crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 149 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 150 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s1 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 151 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s2 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 152 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s3 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 153 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s4 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 159 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s4a crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 160 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s4b crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 161 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s4c crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 162 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s4d crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 163 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s4e crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 155 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s5 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 156 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s6 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 164 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s6c crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 165 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s6d crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 166 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s6e crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 200 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s6f crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 157 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s7 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 158 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s8 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 202 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s8c crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 203 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da2s8d Note that the FreeBSD slices at /dev/da2s[68] do not conform to your notions. (I see also that I remembered incorrectly the number of partitions on the disk, but there are enough there to demonstrate that there are several logical partitions, two of which are also FreeBSD slices containing FreeBSD partitions.) I don't know why the FreeBSD developers chose to introduce such confusing terminology (i.e., a different use of "partition" from the already existing standard, which then forced them to insert another term into the FreeBSD lexicon ("slice")). Did they get it from HP-UX, which is a SysVish system? But it can and should be learned by all FreeBSD system administrators, of course. Here is the list for another disk that *id* currently being used: crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 135 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da1 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 136 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da1s1 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 137 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da1s2 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 139 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da1s2a crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 140 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da1s2c crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 138 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da1s3 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 141 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da1s5 crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 142 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da1s5c crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 143 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da1s5d crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 144 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da1s5g crw-r----- 1 root operator 0, 147 Aug 28 15:48 /dev/da1s5g.eli Note that /dev/da1s[25] are a primary partition and a logical partition, respectively, that are both FreeBSD slices, the latter of which even contains an encrypted FreeBSD partition (/dev/da1s5g.eli at /dev/da1s5g). Scott Bennett, Comm. ASMELG, CFIAG ********************************************************************** * Internet: bennett at cs.niu.edu * *--------------------------------------------------------------------* * "A well regulated and disciplined militia, is at all times a good * * objection to the introduction of that bane of all free governments * * -- a standing army." * * -- Gov. John Hancock, New York Journal, 28 January 1790 * ********************************************************************** _______________________________________________ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to "[EMAIL PROTECTED]"