But I think all the fdisk programs will fail when we start creating
multiple extended partitions on one disk (is there a limit?)
If we have an extended dos and extended linux partition (assuming we
already created it), how do we tell our *fdisk program which slice to
add the parititon to?
>: If I make hda2/hda3 extended linux partitions, the kernel counting
>: mechanism will screw up /dev/hda4
>
>Screw up in what way? What is your complaint?
If /dev/hda5 sits in /dev/hda4 now, and then I add extended partitions
to /dev/hda3, what used to be /dev/hda5 may be /dev/hda7.
I think the labeling needs to be rethought, since its too easy to
wreak havoc on a working system. The BSD file system also has
the same problem (does the newest 2.1. incarnations work with freebsd?)
I think the following would work much better:
/dev/hd*1 extended partitions would be in /dev/hd*10-19
/dev/hd*2 extended partitions would be in /dev/hd*20-29
/dev/hd*3 extended partitions would be in /dev/hd*30-39
/dev/hd*4 extended partitions would be in /dev/hd*40-49
What I'm proposing is a strategy to make disk slices independent of other
slices on the same disk...
>Do you know what you are doing when you create two chains of
>extended partitions? Sometimes that is the only solution,
>but usually it is just a very bad idea.
>
Actually, if you have a large disk, and create 2 extended partitions chains
(lets say, each holding several gig) I don't see it as a bad idea.
marty