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Reuse reserved boot-partition
Reuse reserved boot-partition
Hallo !
I am on a debian box, which has four primary partitions.
The first patition ist just reserved - it contains the bootblock (bootsector)
only, while "/boot" is on other partitions.
While installations and repairs I need a small extra storage to provide some packages to use
from the installer and the space on the currently unused boot partition would be enough.
The boot partion is ext2, but I cannot mount it (bad superblock).
From my thinking: Just give that part a filesystem and all done.
Is this true, or will creating a filesystem on this partition change something else?
Thanks anyway,
Manfred
I am on a debian box, which has four primary partitions.
The first patition ist just reserved - it contains the bootblock (bootsector)
only, while "/boot" is on other partitions.
While installations and repairs I need a small extra storage to provide some packages to use
from the installer and the space on the currently unused boot partition would be enough.
The boot partion is ext2, but I cannot mount it (bad superblock).
From my thinking: Just give that part a filesystem and all done.
Is this true, or will creating a filesystem on this partition change something else?
Thanks anyway,
Manfred
Re: Reuse reserved boot-partition
does the boot process rely on the boot partition, or is it a leftover from some previous system configuration?
Re: Reuse reserved boot-partition
Hi!
Thanks for the question.
Yes, it contains the boot-sector (and everything grub needs very early), but
"/boot" is on another partition, where one of the OS resides.
Regards,
Manfred
Thanks for the question.
Yes, it contains the boot-sector (and everything grub needs very early), but
"/boot" is on another partition, where one of the OS resides.
Regards,
Manfred
Re: Reuse reserved boot-partition
so, "Yes, the boot process relies on the boot partition"? or not?
because if yes, i wouldn't mess with it.
how big is it?
because if yes, i wouldn't mess with it.
how big is it?
- Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: Reuse reserved boot-partition
Can we please see the full output of
Thanks!
Code: Select all
fdisk -l
deadbang
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Re: Reuse reserved boot-partition
What do you mean by "very early" ? GRUB PC is divided in 3 parts :mabra wrote:Yes, it contains the boot-sector (and everything grub needs very early), but
"/boot" is on another partition
- boot image (in a boot sector)
- core image (in various locations but always on the same disk as the boot image)
- /boot/grub directory
AFAIK, the boot image is located in the same partition as the boot image in two cases :
- when the partition type supports embedding - btrfs does, ext* does not
- when the partition contains /boot/grub
Your set up does not seem to match any of these conditions.
Please clarify. The report from boot-info-script may be helpful.
Re: Reuse reserved boot-partition
Hi !
Thanks you.
I do not know, what you mean with the boot-info-script ... my partition table follows:
/dev/sdc1 is the partion, I am talking about.
This layout is due to the fact, that I have dual booting with an emergency
repair installation on /sdc2, while an installation having zfs on boot
is located on sdc3.
For my next installations, I will have the boot sector and the repair
installation on a separate disk, a HDD, becauase they dont have the
problems to become unbootable with power outages (which here
happens a lot).
At setup time with the debian installer, sdc1 is marked *boot, but
"dont use" - which explains, why it isnt formatted.
My question is only, what happens, If I format it!
Regards,
Manfred
Thanks you.
I do not know, what you mean with the boot-info-script ... my partition table follows:
Code: Select all
root@grid-rep:~# fdisk -l /dev/sdc
Disk /dev/sdc: 238.5 GiB, 256060514304 bytes, 500118192 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xaf5f5d77
Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sdc1 * 2048 2047999 2045952 999M 83 Linux
/dev/sdc2 2048000 23019519 20971520 10G 83 Linux
/dev/sdc3 23019520 337592319 314572800 150G 83 Linux
/dev/sdc4 337594366 500118191 162523826 77.5G 5 Extended
/dev/sdc5 337594368 404703231 67108864 32G 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdc6 404705280 500118191 95412912 45.5G 83 Linux
This layout is due to the fact, that I have dual booting with an emergency
repair installation on /sdc2, while an installation having zfs on boot
is located on sdc3.
For my next installations, I will have the boot sector and the repair
installation on a separate disk, a HDD, becauase they dont have the
problems to become unbootable with power outages (which here
happens a lot).
At setup time with the debian installer, sdc1 is marked *boot, but
"dont use" - which explains, why it isnt formatted.
My question is only, what happens, If I format it!
Regards,
Manfred
- GarryRicketson
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Re: Reuse reserved boot-partition
When you format a partition it over writes, or wipes all the data, and formats it, depending on how you actually format it. That partition will no longer boot, nor be bootable. You would have to install a new mbr to make it bootable.My question is only, what happens, If I format it!
There is much more details available if one does a search.
what happens when you format a partition
All though you do say this is a multi boot system, and based on what you say, the 2nd
partition might still be bootable, you might need to flag it as bootable, like the 1st one is.
A lot depends on what bootloader you are using, where it is installed, and you conveniently do not tell us that.
Is there some reason you don't just make a good back up of the entire drive (disk) before doing anything ?
Or you can also make a backup copy of the partition, that way if you format it, and it effects the other partitions, you can restore it.
If you don't believe me, or also I might just be wrong, go ahead and try it, but make a good backup first, that way you don't have to worry about it. If you are using Grub or Grub2 it depends a lot on where you have that installed, other bootloaders as well.
"What we expect you have already Done"
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Re: Reuse reserved boot-partition
Hello!
I've just done it.
mkfs ....
It modifies nothing else and the box is working usind the new partion (Have booted to test).
Regards,
Manfred
I've just done it.
mkfs ....
It modifies nothing else and the box is working usind the new partion (Have booted to test).
Regards,
Manfred
- GarryRicketson
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- Location: Durango, Mexico
Re: Reuse reserved boot-partition
Well, that is good, glad it worked out.
"What we expect you have already Done"
==========
Old Website
======================
For the Birds
==================
What Does a Parrot Know About PTSD?
==========
Old Website
======================
For the Birds
==================
What Does a Parrot Know About PTSD?