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Mercan01
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 3:47 pm    Post subject: Sparc Partitioning Question: Reply with quote

Forgive the perhaps newbie question, but I've glanced around and haven't been able to figure this out.

I'm attempting to install the lastest version of gentoo sparc onto a sun ultra 5 with a "new" HD. Previously, the system was running FreeBSD 5.1.

I get into the install fine, eth0 works fines, etc.

However, when I attempt to partition the drive, the example in the doc's comes out strange.

Quoted from the docs:

"Command (m for help): n
Partition number (1-4): 3
First cylinder (1-3876, default 0): 0
Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (1-3876, default 3876): (press enter)

Command (m for help): t
Partition number (1-8 ): 3
Hex code (type L to list codes): 5"


When I go through the hex codes, 5 is an extended partition and not "whole disk" as explained in the docs. I can't seem to find "whole disk" in my list of hex codes, either.

Am I doing something incorrect, running the incorrect version of fdisk or something?
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iain@hythe.net
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 8:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi,

I've just been where you are now and I had to re-install (sorry) after someone in alt.os.linux.gentoo kindly helped me out.

What you need to do is ensure that the disk has a valid 'Sun Disk Label' -- my first install didn't and I had real problems booting as a result (hence the need to re-install).

Before setting up any partitions on your new disk, select 's' from the fdisk menu to give your disk this label. You will be prompted for various aspects of your drive's geometry. Go with the defaults *but* watch the drive-speed: fdisk selected 5400RPM for my 7200RPM IBM Deskstar, which I over-ruled and things are fine.

That act will (should) change the nature of the partition setup: prompts, number of partitions, and types will change, and things will be as you expected from the Sparc install documentation.

I've found the Gentoo documentation, on the whole, to be excellent! That said, the SPARC Install guide doesn't do enough to make this partitioning quirk clear. To be fair though, it's probably as obvious to any Sparc bod how to partition drives (as it is to any PC bod like me). But now that second-hand Sparc gear is easier for us x86 guys to get hold of, there are still some differences in how things are done that need making clearer.

A small gripe. Mind you: Gentoo has still been the easiest and most rewarding Linux for me to set-up and maintain (I've used Mandrake, Red Hat and still use SuSE).

Anyhow, rambled on a bit but I hope this helps you out.

Cheers,
Iain.[/b]
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Gentoo 1.4 sparc64 2.4.24-sparc-r1
X4.3 + Gnome2.4
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ciaranm
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 8:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You've got a non-Sun disclabel. Hit 's' to change. The docs do say that somewhere I think...
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Mercan01
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 8:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ciaranm wrote:
You've got a non-Sun disclabel. Hit 's' to change. The docs do say that somewhere I think...


Perhaps I was mistaken, but that's what I thought I was attempting to do.

To fully quote what I quoted earlier from the docs:

"Now that the in-memory partition table is empty, we're ready to create the Sun Disk Label partition. To do this, type n to create a new partition, then type 3 to create the partition. When prompted for the first cylinder, hit enter. When prompted for the last cylinder, hit enter. After you've done this, type t to set the partition type, and then type in 5 to set the partition type to "Whole disk".

Code listing 8.9: Steps to create our Sun Disk Label partition

Command (m for help): n
Partition number (1-4): 3
First cylinder (1-3876, default 0): 0
Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (1-3876, default 3876): (press enter)
Using default value 3876

Command (m for help): t
Partition number (1-8 ): 3
Hex code (type L to list codes): 5"

see:

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoo-sparc-install.xml
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iain@hythe.net
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 9:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I went back and scratched my head over that one too. What it says in the instruction doesn't map to the choices available to you. Completely confusing!

Trust me. Clear your partitions, select 's', '0' (zero) and respond to the questions about disk-geometry; then set up your boot and swap partitions and when you get to the 3rd partition (the sun disk label) you'll be on reassuringly familiar turf ready to set up your 4th (root) partition.

It worked for me.

Cheers,
Iain.
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X4.3 + Gnome2.4
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ciaranm
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 9:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The sun disclabel is not the same as the sun disclabel partition. You can tell if you have a sun disclabel by looking for:

Quote:
Disk /dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/disc (Sun disk label): 64 heads, 32 sectors, 17364 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 bytes


You can check for a sun disclabel partition by looking for:
Quote:
/dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part3 0 17364 17780736 5 Whole disk
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inode77
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 5:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In fdisk use the "s" command to create a new empty sun disklabel.
(If that works for you fine => head, sector ... guessing or knowing)
P.S.: Check if you have all space availabe on the disk by creating a new partition and using all the space. (+19G if you have a 20G hdd)

There is the other solution get userself a solaris8 or 9 and use solaris to auto partition your disk,
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