How To Create Unformatted Partition

I needed to create an un-formatted partition of X MB on a disk.  I don't want it from GUI but from command line not sure what should be specified for fdisk.

Answer:

Please check your own OS information first. Commands and options for fdisk utility varies from OS to OS. 

Here's what I would do on a RHEL system to create 30MB partition! 

Code:

[root@testserv-sl6 ~]# fdisk /dev/sdb

WARNING: DOS-compatible mode is deprecated. It's strongly recommended to

         switch off the mode (command 'c') and change display units to

         sectors (command 'u').

Command (m for help): m

Command action

   a   toggle a bootable flag

   b   edit bsd disklabel

   c   toggle the dos compatibility flag

   d   delete a partition

   l   list known partition types

   m   print this menu

   n   add a new partition

   o   create a new empty DOS partition table

   p   print the partition table

   q   quit without saving changes

   s   create a new empty Sun disklabel

   t   change a partition's system id

   u   change display/entry units

   v   verify the partition table

   w   write table to disk and exit

   x   extra functionality (experts only)

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sdb: 8589 MB, 8589934592 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1044 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0x00092e03

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System

/dev/sdb1               1         244     1953125   83  Linux

Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.

/dev/sdb2             244         487     1952768   83  Linux

Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.

/dev/sdb3             487         730     1952768   83  Linux

Partition 3 does not end on cylinder boundary.

/dev/sdb4             730        1045     2529280   83  Linux

Command (m for help): d

Partition number (1-4): 1

Command (m for help): d

Partition number (1-4): 2

Command (m for help): d

Partition number (1-4): 3

Command (m for help): d

Selected partition 4

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sdb: 8589 MB, 8589934592 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1044 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0x00092e03

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System

Command (m for help): n

Command action

   e   extended

   p   primary partition (1-4)

p

Partition number (1-4): 1

First cylinder (1-1044, default 1): 1

Last cylinder, +cylinders or +size{K,M,G} (1-1044, default 1044): +30M

Command (m for help): p 

Disk /dev/sdb: 8589 MB, 8589934592 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1044 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0x00092e03

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System

/dev/sdb1               1           5       40131    5  Primary

Command (m for help): w

Unix

See Also
RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive/Independent Disks)

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