How do I use cfdisk?
Forum: HD Install
Topic: How do I use cfdisk?
started by: Belathor
Posted by Belathor on June 14 2006,15:41
Hi,I just downloaded DSL 3.0RC2 today and am impressed enough with the interface to want to install it to my hard drive.
It's nice that there are instructions on how to install, but I can't figure out how to do the partitioning part.
I keep getting a "FATAL ERROR: Cannot open disk drive" message when I try to type: cfdisk /dev/hda2 into the terminal. I am very new to Linux and have only had experience installing the major distros. Could someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?Thanks!
Posted by skaos on June 14 2006,15:57
/dev/hda2 is a partition and you need to use cfdisk on the whole disk: cfdisk /dev/hda
Posted by newOldUser on June 14 2006,16:03
It's been a while since I used cfdisk but I think you only specify the disk ( /dev/hda ) not the device and partition (/dev/hda2 ). I can't remember for sure, but you also may have to put a 'sudo' in front of the cfdisk. So it would look like: sudo cfdisk /dev/hdaTry it without the sudo first.
Theres a very nice write-up about installing DSL at < http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub....wto.pdf >
I would suggest that you use DSL as a live disk for a while. Get use to what it can do. Then if you want to put it on the hard drive look into a frugal install.
Good luck
update... Skaos beat me to the punch.
Posted by cbagger01 on June 14 2006,17:40
First off, you need to have Superuser Root authority by typing:sudo su
Then:
cfdisk /dev/hda
Posted by brianw on July 01 2006,18:30
I am trying to repartion my hard drive and using cfdisk I get the same fatal error over and over. I have booted from the CD and can't even get a list using -P /dev/hda. I can boot to the hard drive and I have been using my setup for quite some time now. Is there something I may be missing? I am quite familiar with linux and have never experienced this before.
Posted by cbagger01 on July 02 2006,16:13
Do you have a SATA hard drive?If so, you will need to either use DSL version 2.1b or the DSL-N livecd.
If you use DSL version 2.1b you boot with the:
dsl sata
command and then access your drive with:
sudo su
cfdisk /dev/sda
for example
Posted by brianw on July 05 2006,00:07
Forgot to update. I used fdisk and was able to set things up the way I want. Not sure what the difference is with the two.
Posted by Zucca on July 05 2006,06:57
| Quote (brianw @ July 04 2006,22:07) |
| Forgot to update. I used fdisk and was able to set things up the way I want. Not sure what the difference is with the two. |
Did you mean /dev/hda2?
that 2 means it's the second partition of your first hard disk.
/dev/hdb3 would be third partition of your second hard disk.
Posted by brianw on July 05 2006,11:41
| Quote (Zucca @ July 05 2006,02:57) | ||
Did you mean /dev/hda2? that 2 means it's the second partition of your first hard disk. /dev/hdb3 would be third partition of your second hard disk. |
Actually I was referring to fdisk and cfdisk. Fdisk worked but cfdisk failed.
Posted by kerry on July 05 2006,11:48
You should grab a copy of gparted for future use it makes working with partions a sinch.-> < http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php >