diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'sbin/pdisk/pdisk.html')
| -rw-r--r-- | sbin/pdisk/pdisk.html | 395 |
1 files changed, 395 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/sbin/pdisk/pdisk.html b/sbin/pdisk/pdisk.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..cb757faa8c7 --- /dev/null +++ b/sbin/pdisk/pdisk.html @@ -0,0 +1,395 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML//EN//2.0"> +<!--This file created 11/5/97 10:18 PM by Claris Home Page version 2.0--> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + <TITLE>pdisk for the Mac OS</TITLE> + <META NAME=GENERATOR CONTENT="Claris Home Page 2.0"> + <X-SAS-WINDOW TOP=42 BOTTOM=477 LEFT=4 RIGHT=556> +</HEAD> +<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> + +<H2>Overview</H2> + +<H3>What is pdisk?</H3> + +<P>A simple editor for Apple disk partition format. There are two +main versions of pdisk: one for MkLinux and one for the Mac OS. This +document describes the Mac OS version of pdisk. Much of this document +is also relevant to the MkLinux version, but check the manual page +(pdisk.8) also.</P> + +<H3>What is the Apple disk partition format?</H3> + +<P>Most operating systems have ways to divide disks into several +pieces - so that an entire disk does not have to be devoted to one +filesystem, or even to one operating system. This division of the +disk is usually called partitioning. In some systems the partitioning +information is built into the operating system code, but that tends to +be restrictive. In the Mac OS the partitioning information is stored +on the first few blocks of the disk.</P> + +<P>The Apple disk partition scheme was developed in 1986 by the A/UX +team with input from the Mac OS and Apple II teams. There was an +earlier partition scheme used in the first SCSI drives on the +MacPlus, but that was replaced by the current scheme in the Macintosh +II and subsequent machines and in subsequent operating system +releases. The current scheme is supported by Mac OS, A/UX, ProDos, +MkLinux, and "Rhapsody".</P> + +<H3>What is MkLinux?</H3> + +<P>Just in case you got pdisk not as part of an MkLinux release: +MkLinux is a version of the Linux operating system, converted to run +as a server process on top of the Mach microkernel. As with Linux, +all of the operating system source code is available for +<A HREF="http://www.mklinux.apple.com">download</A>, including the +Mach source. MkLinux runs on many of PowerPC based Macintosh +machines.</P> + +<H3>Which Macintosh machines does pdisk run on?</H3> + +<P>The Mac OS binary should run on any PowerPC based Macintosh. It +has been tested under System 7.6.1 and System 8, but should run on +older versions of the Mac OS as well. A Mac OS 68000 binary is also +distributed for those who may find it useful.</P> + +<H3>Why would I want to use pdisk on the Mac OS?</H3> + +<P>The main clients for the Mac OS version of pdisk are MkLinux +users. pdisk was originally developed for MkLinux. The command syntax +was originally identical to that for the 'fdisk' program. (fdisk is a +Linux program which edits the DOS/Windows disk partition format.) The +Mac OS version is a simple, crude port of the MkLinux version.</P> + +<P>The advantages of pdisk over the various Mac OS disk partitioning +programs (such as SilverLining, the FWB toolkit, Apple HD SC Setup, +DriveSetup, etc) are:</P> + +<UL> + <LI>unlike the Apple partitioners, it does not restrict the set of + drives it can operate on + + <LI>it allows partitions to be reordered (helpful, as MkLinux + depends on the order) + + <LI>it creates MkLinux partitions by default + + <LI>it allows the size of the partition map to be changed + + <LI>it allows the name of a partition to be changed + + <LI>it allows you to edit the partition map of your boot disk +</UL> + +<P>The disadvantages of pdisk are:</P> + +<UL> + <LI>it doesn't automatically initialize HFS partitions + + <LI>it can't install disk drivers + + <LI>it allows you to edit the partition map of your boot disk +</UL> + +<H3>Where can I get the source?</H3> + +<P>The main site for MkLinux is +<<A HREF="http://www.mklinux.apple.com">http://www.mklinux.apple.com</A>>. +As of the time this document was written you could find the pdisk +distributions at +<<A HREF="ftp://ftp.mklinux.apple.com/pub/Other_tools/pdisk/">ftp://ftp.mklinux.apple.com/pub/Other_tools/pdisk/</A>>. +This includes binary distributions for MkLinux and the Mac OS, as +well as a source distribution.</P> + +<H2>Description of the program (as of version 0.7)</H2> + +<P>Though pdisk is a Macintosh program its interface is very +un-Macintosh. pdisk is what is called a line-oriented program. In a +line-oriented program you do things by typing on the keyboard and the +program does not pay attention to the typing until the return key has +been typed.</P> + +<P>When you start up pdisk it brings up a window with some text in +it. The last line of this text should be something like " Top level +command (? for help): ". This is the prompt. If you type "?" followed +by a return character you should get a list like this:</P> + +<PRE>Notes: + Disk have fake names of the form /dev/scsi<bus>.<id> + For example, /dev/scsi0.1, /dev/scsi1.3, and so on. + MkLinux style names are also allowed (i.e /dev/sda or /dev/hda), + and these names follow the MkLinux DR3 conventions. + +Commands are: + h print help + v print the version number and release date + l list device's map + L list all devices' maps + e edit device's map + E (edit map with specified block size) + r toggle readonly flag + q quit the program</PRE> + +<P>Some of these commands need what are called arguments - for +example <B>l</B> (list) and <B>e</B> (edit) need a single argument, +the name of the device to list or edit. Commands which take arguments +prompt for each argument in turn. You can also type any number of the +arguments separated by spaces and those prompts will be skipped. +Commands are case insensitive (e.g. <B>h</B> and <B>H</B>) except +when the upper case letter does a variant form of the operation.</P> + +<DL> + <DT><B>h</B> + + <DD>Prints just the command help. The difference between <B>h</B> + and <B>?</B> is the latter prints some helpful notes as well. + + <DT><B>v</B> + + <DD>Prints a version number and release date. Matches the + version in the GetInfo window for the application. + + <DT><B>l</B> + + <DD>Prompts for the name of the device and then lists the + partition map on that device. + + <DT><B>L</B> + + <DD>Lists all the devices. + + <DT><B>e</B> + + <DD>Prompts for the name of the device and then opens the partition + map for editing. + + <DT><B>E</B> + + <DD>Same as <B>e</B>, except also prompts for block size. + + <DT><B>r</B> + + <DD>Toggles read-only setting. When read-only is on pdisk will not + write a partition map. + + <DT><B>q</B> + + <DD>Quit pdisk. +</DL> + +<H3>The form of the listing</H3> + +<P>This is a good point to show what the partition map listing looks +like.</P> + +<PRE>Partition map (with 512 byte blocks) on '/dev/scsi0.2' (/dev/sda) + #: 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_HFS untitled 2117430 @ 704 ( 1.0G) + 6: Apple_Free Extra 10 @ 2118134 + +Device block size=512, Number of Blocks=2118143 +DeviceType=0x0, DeviceId=0x0 +Drivers- +1: @ 64 for 20, type=0x1 +2: @ 118 for 32, type=0xffff</PRE> + +<P>The first line indicates what device this is and what size blocks +the partition map is using. Most partition maps will use 512-byte +blocks, but partition maps can use 1024-byte (1K) or 2048-byte (2K) +blocks instead. If we are able to deduce an MkLinux name different +from the name the MkLinux name is given in parentheses.</P> + +<P>Next is the partition list. Each partition (or piece) of the disk +takes one line of the list. The data describing the partition is +called the partition map entry. The entries are listed in order by +index. For each entry, the following information is displayed:</P> + +<UL> + <LI>index - where the partition entry is in the map. This does not + correspond the relative order of the partition contents and can + change when the partition map is edited. + + <LI>type - the sort of data expected to be in the partition. pdisk + doesn't put data into the contents of any partition except the + partition map partition. The type is a case-insensitive string. + + <LI>name - the name is for the user's information. + + <LI>length - the number of partition blocks the partition takes. + + <LI>base - the first block of the partition, measured in partition + blocks, starting from zero. + + <LI>size - this is the length in bytes. Only shown if the size is + at least one megabyte. +</UL> + +<P>Following the partition list is information from block zero of the +device which describes the location of drivers.</P> + +<H3>Editing Partition Tables</H3> + +<P>The <B>e</B> command at the top level menu opens a partition map +for editing. The prompt is then changed to "Command (? for help):". +If you type "?" followed by a return character you should get a list +like this:</P> + +<PRE>Notes: + Base and length fields are blocks, which vary in size between media. + The name of a partition is descriptive text. + +Commands are: + h help + p print the partition table + P (print ordered by base address) + i initialize partition map + s change size of partition map + c create new partition (standard MkLinux type) + C (create with type also specified) + n (re)name a partition + d delete a partition + r reorder partition entry in map + w write the partition table + q quit editing (don't save changes)</PRE> + +<P>Commands which take arguments prompt for each argument in turn. +You can also type any number of the arguments separated by spaces and +those prompts will be skipped. The only exception to typeahead are +the confirmation prompts on the <B>i</B> and <B>w</B> commands. +Commands can are case insensitive (e.g. <B>h</B> and <B>H</B>) except +when the upper case letter does a variant form of the operation.</P> + +<P>Partitions are always specified by their number, which the index +of the partition entry in the partition map. Many of the commands +will change the index numbers of other partitions besides the +affected partition. You are advised to print the table as frequently +as necessary.</P> + +<P>Creating more than fifteen partitions is not advised. There is +currently a bug in the some (all?) of the kernels which causes access +to the whole disk fail if more than fifteen partitions are in the +map.</P> + +<DL> + <DT><B>h</B> + + <DD>Prints just the command help. The difference between <B>h</B> + and <B>?</B> is the latter prints some helpful notes as well. + + <DT><B>p</B> + + <DD>Prints the partition table. The form is identical to the + listing described above. + + <DT><B>P</B> + + <DD>Identical to <B>p</B>, except the entries are listed in the + order of the partitions on the disk (i.e. by the increasing base + value) rather than in index order. + + <DT><B>i</B> + + <DD>Initializes the partition map (rarely used). This command + prompts for the size of the device. WARNING - if you write the map + after initializing it you will delete all the drivers on the device. + That makes the device invisible to the Mac OS. pdisk is not able + to install drivers. + + <DT><B>s</B> + + <DD>Change the size of the partition map partition. The partition + map's size must be less than or equal to the size of the partition + it is contained in. This is mostly useful when you want to do + tricky things like making a disk with multiple partitioning + schemes on it. + + <DT><B>c</B> + + <DD>Create a new partition takes three arguments.<BR> + + The first argument is the base address (in partition blocks) of + the partition. Besides a raw number, you can also specify a + partition number followed by the letter 'p' to indicate that the + first block of the new partition should be the same as the first + block of that existing free space partition.<BR> + + The second argument is the length of the partition in partition + blocks. This can be a raw number or can be a partition number + followed by the letter 'p' to use the size of that partition or + can be a number followed by 'k', 'm', or 'g' to indicate the size + in kilobytes, megabytes, or gigabytes respectively. (These are + powers of 1024, of course, not powers of 1000.)<BR> + + The last argument is the name of the partition. This can be a + single word without quotes, or a string surrounded by single or + double quotes.<BR> + + The type of the created partition is set to the correct type for + MkLinux ("Apple_UNIX_SVR2"). + + <DT><B>C</B> + + <DD>Identical to the <B>c</B> command, with the addition of a + prompt for the partition type after the other arguments. The type + can be a single word without quotes, or a string surrounded by + single or double quotes. + + <DT><B>n</B> + + <DD>Rename a partition. Do not change the name of any partition + whose type starts with "Apple_Driver". The MacOS looks at the + names of those partitions. All other partitions should be okay + to change. + + <DT><B>d</B> + + <DD>Delete a partition. When a partition is deleted it's type is + changed to free ("Apple_Free") and then it is combined with any + adjacent free space. + + <DT><B>r</B> + + <DD>Reorder takes the current index and the desired new index. If + you give a new index which is greater than the last index the + entry will be moved to the last index. + + <DT><B>w</B> + + <DD>Write does write the partition map out, but pdisk does not yet + flush the appropriate caches and unmount volumes so the partition + map is not reinterpreted. In order to use the new partition map + you must reboot your machine. Sorry. + + <DT><B>q</B> + + <DD>Quit out of editing. Returns to the top level prompt. If you + have modified the partition map you are NOT asked if you want to + save the changes, instead the changes are quietly thrown away. +</DL> + +<H3>Known problems</H3> + +<DL> + <DD>This is an awful Mac OS application, it should be rewritten + to look the way a Mac OS app should look. + + <DD>The code assumes a better understanding of the partitioning + scheme than most people care to acquire. + + <DD> + + <DD>Even more help should be available during user input. +</DL> + +<P> +<HR> +</P> + +<ADDRESS><A HREF="mailto:eryk@apple.com">eryk@apple.com</A> +</ADDRESS> +</BODY> +</HTML> |