[plug] Partitioning Hard Disk

[Lyndon Kroker]

> Well, as far as I know, IDE drives can have a maximum of 4 primary or
> extended partitions. A primary partiton has data on it, whereas an
> extended partition is divided up into logical partitions which contain
> data. So what does this mean to you?

IDE hard disks contain a partition table which has space for up to four 
entries.  An entry can be either primary or extended, but only one extended 
partition can be assigned.

Using Windows fdisk (last time I tried) I could only make one primary 
partition.  If you wanted another partition, the second one had to be 
exteneded.  In the extended partition you could create up to 23 logical 
drives (D-Z).

If you need more than four partitions you will have to make one an extended 
partition into which you will place the logical partions.  If memory serves 
me correctly, the maximum for SCSI systems is 15 partitions and 63 for IDE.

In general Linux doesn't care what kind of partition it gets put into.  I 
often use a primary partition for /boot and/or swap.  The rest I put into 
extended partitions.  (Although I once installed Linux using four primary 
partitions.)

Hope this helps.

Lyndon