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grant123
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 Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 12:05 pm Post subject: Disk identifier 0x00000000 - problem? |
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| I just finished a new Gentoo install and along the way I had to use gdisk to convert the GPT label to MBR. That changed the disk's identifier to 0x00000000. I see where I can make up a new identifier in fdisk ('x' and then 'i' I think). Is there anything wrong with just leaving it alone? |
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eccerr0r
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| Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 1:39 pm Post subject: |
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I make sure all my disks have different serial numbers whenever possible, just so I can make sure udev/kernel/any other app can identify disks via software as they are swapped around between machines...
hate it when I accidentally write/erase/.. the wrong disk.
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grant123
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| Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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| So the randomization is just to avoid duplication. |
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NeddySeagoon
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| Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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grant123,
What does "I had to use gdisk to convert the GPT label to MBR" mean?
Do you have a hybrid disk label now or only a MSDOS disk label?
Hybrid works but its easy to break and not really supported
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NeddySeagoon
Computer users fall into two groups:-
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grant123
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| Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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At first I used 'g' in fdisk to create a GPT label but eventually I realized I do not have UEFI so I converted from GPT to MBR with gdisk. fdisk now says:
| Code: | Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x00000000 |
Hybrid disklabel or MSDOS or you need more information? |
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NeddySeagoon
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| Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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grant123,
Try both | Code: | | fdisk -l -t dos /dev/... |
and | Code: | | fdisk -l -t gpt /dev/... |
That forces fdisk to try to read both partition tables. Hopefully, only the first one works.
A GPT disk lab/e includes a 'protective' MSDOS disk label too.
It always has | Code: | | Disk identifier: 0x00000000 |
in the 'protective' MSDOS disk label.
Its quite possible to BIOS boot with a GPT disk label too. Not having EFI makes that easier.
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NeddySeagoon
Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
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grant123
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| Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Code: | | fdisk -l -t dos /dev/... |
produces the familiar fdisk output.
| Code: | | fdisk -l -t gpt /dev/... |
doesn't error but only outputs the first 4 lines which specify Disk model, Units, Sector size, and I/O size.
| Quote: | | Its quite possible to BIOS boot with a GPT disk label too. |
IIRC that requires a special BIOS Boot Partition which I didn't want to tangle with. |
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NeddySeagoon
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| Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 5:02 pm Post subject: |
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grant123,
You have a real MSDOS partition table only with the random | Code: | | Disk identifier: 0x00000000 |
Except that that particular value is not random at all. Its been left behind from the protective MSDOS disk label that was created by the GPT disk label.
As eccerr0r, says, the value should be different between disks for your own sanity.
Choose a non zero 32 bit random number and change it.
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NeddySeagoon
Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail. |
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Installing Gentoo
