104.1 Create Partitions and Filesystems

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LPIC-1 Exam Objective 104.1: Create Partitions and Filesystems #

Introduction #

Creating partitions and filesystems is a fundamental skill for any Linux administrator. This tutorial will guide you through the process of configuring disk partitions and creating filesystems on Ubuntu/Debian and Enterprise Linux (RHEL/CentOS) systems. We will cover the management of MBR and GPT partition tables, the use of various mkfs commands to create filesystems like ext2/ext3/ext4, XFS, VFAT, exFAT, and provide a basic overview of Btrfs.

Key Knowledge Areas #

  1. Manage MBR and GPT partition tables.
  2. Use various mkfs commands to create different filesystems such as ext2/ext3/ext4, XFS, VFAT, and exFAT.
  3. Basic feature knowledge of Btrfs, including multi-device filesystems, compression, and subvolumes.

Tools and Utilities #

  • fdisk
  • gdisk
  • parted
  • mkfs
  • mkswap

Managing MBR and GPT Partition Tables #

MBR vs GPT #

MBR (Master Boot Record)

  • Supports disks up to 2TB.
  • Maximum of 4 primary partitions.
  • Compatibility with older systems.

GPT (GUID Partition Table)

  • Supports disks larger than 2TB.
  • Allows more than 4 partitions.
  • Better data integrity with CRC32 checksums.

Using fdisk for MBR #

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo fdisk /dev/sdX

Enterprise Linux (RHEL/CentOS):

sudo fdisk /dev/sdX

Commands within fdisk:

  • n: Create a new partition.
  • d: Delete a partition.
  • p: Print the partition table.
  • w: Write changes to disk.

Using gdisk for GPT #

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo gdisk /dev/sdX

Enterprise Linux (RHEL/CentOS):

sudo gdisk /dev/sdX

Commands within gdisk:

  • n: Create a new partition.
  • d: Delete a partition.
  • p: Print the partition table.
  • w: Write changes to disk.

Using parted for Both MBR and GPT #

Ubuntu/Debian and Enterprise Linux:

sudo parted /dev/sdX

Common parted commands:

  • mklabel gpt: Create a GPT partition table.
  • mklabel msdos: Create an MBR partition table.
  • mkpart primary ext4 1MiB 100%: Create a primary ext4 partition.

Creating Filesystems #

ext2/ext3/ext4 #

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX1

Enterprise Linux (RHEL/CentOS):

sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX1

XFS #

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo mkfs.xfs /dev/sdX1

Enterprise Linux (RHEL/CentOS):

sudo mkfs.xfs /dev/sdX1

VFAT #

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdX1

Enterprise Linux (RHEL/CentOS):

sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdX1

exFAT #

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo mkfs.exfat /dev/sdX1

Enterprise Linux (RHEL/CentOS):

sudo mkfs.exfat /dev/sdX1

Basic Feature Knowledge of Btrfs #

Btrfs (B-tree filesystem) is a modern filesystem with advanced features.

Creating a Btrfs Filesystem:

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo mkfs.btrfs /dev/sdX1

Enterprise Linux (RHEL/CentOS):

sudo mkfs.btrfs /dev/sdX1

Creating a Btrfs Multi-device Filesystem:

sudo mkfs.btrfs -d raid1 /dev/sdX1 /dev/sdX2

Enabling Compression:

sudo mount -o compress=zlib /dev/sdX1 /mnt

Creating Subvolumes:

sudo btrfs subvolume create /mnt/my_subvolume

Handling Swap Partitions #

Creating a Swap Partition:

  1. Using fdisk or parted to create a partition of type 82 (Linux swap).

  2. Initialize the swap partition:

    Ubuntu/Debian and Enterprise Linux:

    sudo mkswap /dev/sdX2

  3. Enable the swap partition:

    Ubuntu/Debian and Enterprise Linux:

    sudo swapon /dev/sdX2

  4. To make it permanent, add the following line to /etc/fstab:

    /dev/sdX2 none swap sw 0 0

Conclusion #

Creating partitions and filesystems is an essential task for managing disk storage in Linux. This tutorial covered the key tools and commands needed to manage MBR and GPT partition tables and create various filesystems on both Ubuntu/Debian and Enterprise Linux systems. With these skills, you can efficiently manage disk storage and ensure your Linux systems are well-organized and optimized for performance.