How do I create and handle partitions in DSL?
Forum: Other Help Topics
Topic: How do I create and handle partitions in DSL?
started by: instinqt
Posted by instinqt on Dec. 28 2004,15:05
I'm all new to Linux and DSL(by the way, good job!). I'm booting it from a memory stick in my laptop since it won't boot from the harddrive and has no cd/floppy-drives. So I'm trying to wipe the disk entirely in DSL( dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda). So the CPU usage went to 100% and I've been waiting for 1.5 h. Will it ever finish?!
If the wipe finishes - is there any fdisk-like app? And when I got them partitions how do I format them? I'm used to Partition Magic doing it all for me in a jiffy 
BTW didn't find any way to browse the drive either, where is it?
Posted by tronik on Dec. 28 2004,17:27
Hi! If the wipe finished there are 3 fdisk like apps...fdisk, cfdisk, sfdisk, each of which (and generally how to use to change partition types, etc.) syntax can be found on this very forum...Just 'search' fdisk, All Forums, From the beginning.
Formatting will require the use of an 'mkfs'...You get to pick which one you want to format it with....I'd suggest mkfs ext2 or ext3 (i think linux uses ext3 these days?) in any case, those are the commands, you can find how to use them on the forums too..Just takes a bit of elbow grease (searching)
As far as a 'drive browser'...I'm not sure what you mean, but if you mean something to view the contents of the drive in, sure, once you mount it, (mount /dev/hda /mnt/hda -- or some other point in /mnt (or wherever really)) you can 'cd /mnt/hda ; ls -al' and see any files on the drive. Otherwise you can use emelfm (which comes in the X desktop you have with DSL), or download another file browser....
Hope this helps and if you have any more questions after getting all your technical information in line please let us know!
Posted by instinqt on Dec. 28 2004,18:13
thanks for the replyWell the wipe didn't go too well...the computer shut itself off due to a heat issue during the wipe. So...I'm outta luck, the wipe in DSL won't work. Think i have to pick the hdd out and place it in this computer instead and solve it that way...but now I know how to do, thx
Posted by instinqt on Dec. 28 2004,22:10
well, now I got a formatted drive (d: in dos) and want to move the entire win2k/winxp cdrom from my harddrive/cdplayer to this drive (d:) from the network and do a installation from dos:) What do I need to do?! Is it even possible? Anyone? I just need to grab the files over the network and get them onto the harddriveEdit: Nevermind, it worked out fine with a ftp
Posted by Fordi on Jan. 03 2005,15:32
Was the block-level wipe really necessary?