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Pdisk: Editing the Partition Map

4.4 Editing the Partition Map

You will use the commands c, C, n, and d to setup the partition map.

Sample empty partition map:

 #:                type name             length   base    ( size )
 1: Apple_partition_map Apple                63 @ 1      
 2:      Apple_Driver43*Macintosh            54 @ 64     
 3:      Apple_Driver43*Macintosh            74 @ 118    
 4:       Apple_Patches Patch Partition     512 @ 192    
 5:          Apple_Free Extra           8418112 @ 704     (  4.0G)

4.4.1 Creating a New Partition

The commands c and C will create new partition map entries. The C command will also ask you for the partition type. We don't recommend you use this unless you know what you are doing.

To add a partition type 'c'. You will be asked for the first block. You may either type in the block number, or the partition number. For example either '704' or 5p. You will then be asked for the Length in blocks. You may type in a number and letter abreviation. Such as '2G' for 2 gigabytes or '2M' for 2 megabytes. And finally you will be asked for the name of the partition.

Command (? for help): c
First block: 5p
Length in blocks: 2G
Name of partition: root

The partition map now looks like the following:

 #:                type name             length   base    ( size )
 1: Apple_partition_map Apple                63 @ 1      
 2:      Apple_Driver43*Macintosh            54 @ 64     
 3:      Apple_Driver43*Macintosh            74 @ 118    
 4:       Apple_Patches Patch Partition     512 @ 192    
 5:     Apple_UNIX_SVR2 root            4194304 @ 704     (  2.0G)
 6:          Apple_Free Extra           4223808 @ 4195008 (  2.0G)

4.4.2 Rename Partition

To rename a partition use the 'n' command. For example we will rename the 'root' partition in the above example to 'usr'.

Type 'n'. You will be asked for the partition number, and then asked for the new name of the partition.

Command (? for help): n
Partition number: 5
New name of partition: usr

The entry now looks like:

 5:     Apple_UNIX_SVR2 usr             4194304 @ 704     (  2.0G)

4.4.3 Delete Partition

To delete a partition use the 'd' command. For example we will delete the 'usr' partition in the last example.

Type 'd' and then enter the number of the partition.

Command (? for help): d
Partition number: 5
The partition no longer exists or has been replaces with "Apple_Free".


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