----- Original Message -----
From: "Audrey Beck" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2000 2:49 PM
Subject: Re: [newbie] Restructuring H/D Allocations
> Larry C wrote:
> >
> > I started several weeks ago with the idea in my mind that I would
> > install this Linux thing to play around with but surely not get serious
> > about. Now I find myself dreading the thought of booting back into a dos
> > environment (should put some sort of warning about this on the CD
> > somewhere). My problem is one of improper disk space allocation for my
> > new OS of choice. What I would like to do is change the directory
> > structure so as to enable me to add more partitions (I have partition
> > magic and can easily reformat from fat32 into ext2) to my existing Linux
> > setup while at the same time preserving some sort of logical and
> > accepted order without wiping out the last few weeks of work. I have no
> > problems juggling things on the dos end to free up more space for Linux
> > but on the Linux end I am (obviously) confused. If anyone could point me
> > in the right direction (tutorials, how-to's, etc) I will be forever
> > grateful.
> >
> > Larry C
>
> If you just want to add a new partition, go ahead and make it. If it's
> a primary partition, it's named something like hda1,2,3 or 4. Extended
> partitions start at 5. Since you are adding the partition after the
> fact, you should know that DOS/Win looks at the ORDER of the partitions
> on the disk(s) and whether they are primary or extended/logical for
> name. Linux looks at the order they were CREATED on the disk(s) within
> the primary and extened/logical.
>
> If you create a new logical partition before another logical partition
> on a disk, DOS would name the new one before the old one (C-Z). If for
> example you had primary C and logical D in DOS, then split up D into two
> partitions with the new empty one first, your old D would be E. Messes
> up everything in DOS/Win. DOS/Win can't see linux partitions, so you
> wouldn't mess it up adding one.
>
> Linux would name the new one after the ones (5-N) so that any new
> partitions have a new name and the old ones aren't changed. You don't
> have the same problem you would in DOS with programs knowing where
> something is. For example, you have C-DOS primary (hda1), Linux Primary
> (hda2), D-DOS logical (hda5 if you mount it in linux), linux logical
> (hda6), Linux Swap (hda7). You change D to be two partitions, one linux
> first and one DOS. In DOS you would still have D since it can't see the
> linux partition. In linux, you would have a new hda8 that is the one
> before hda5, 6 and 7.
>
> old:
> C primary - hda1
> linux primary - hda2
> D logical - hda5
> linux logical - hda6
> swap - hda7
>
> new:
> C primary - hda1
> linux primary - hda2
> linux logical - hda8 <--new partition
> D logical - hda5
> linux logical - hda6
> swap - hda7
>
> If linux doesn't detect the new partition when you boot, you might have
> to use mknod to create the device in /dev and mkdir to create a mount
> point. To find the info you need for mknod, at a command prompt (as
> root) enter:
>
> ls -alk /dev/hda*
>
> Look for the major/minor numbers for your partitions on the drive. For
> example:
> major = 5 for all partitions. Minor = 1 for hda1, 2 for hda2 etc. If
> you needed to create a device for hda8, then enter:
>
> cd /dev
> mknod hda8 b 5 8
>
> Make the mount point you want:
>
> mkdir /mnt/hda8
>
> Format the partition:
>
> mke2fs -c /dev/hda8
>
> Then mount the partition and use it. You'll probably want to add it to
> fstab, so edit /etc/fstab and copy a line for a partition that is like
> it and change it's dev and mnt to what you need. If you made a primary
> partition, then it would be hda1-hda4. You'll have to change the
> names/major/minor to match your system.
>
Thank you very much for taking the time to explain this so well. I am very
happy with Linux and a great part of this is due to people such as yourself
who are professional and courteous in their desire to help others.
Thanks again!
Larry C
