Ubuntu
gnome-terminal package

FORMAT 320 GIG DRIVE EXT3 IS USB -- FREE

Asked by Fred ORourke

Hi -- I am very new I guess and maybe a little dense as I can still not get this to work & am changing the whole system over to Linux --- in time. I just got a 320 Gig USB Maxtor drive. I have partioned with QTParted and it is listed as free. I will paste the other information I have seen people want to be able to help me. The files are mainly media & document files and should only take about 120 gigs of space. Maxtor/Seagate does not want to know & told me to return the drive! Please help, I have read and read, but just not sure as this nis my 5th day enjoying Linux. Thanks in advance

          Fred

fred@fred-desktop:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for fred:

Disk /dev/hda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa3d7a3d7

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 13995 112414806 83 Linux
/dev/hda2 13996 14593 4803435 5 Extended
/dev/hda5 13996 14593 4803403+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x690e25bc

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 30401 244196001 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x28c82b84

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 30401 244196001 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdc: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x90372d39

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
fred@fred-desktop:~$ cat /etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# -- This file has been automaticly generated by ntfs-config --
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>

proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# Entry for /dev/hda1 :
UUID=1e75e24b-9ced-4d13-a250-d2be2f54f7f9 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# Entry for /dev/hda5 :
UUID=3f7ed83a-88bf-427f-ac4f-e2c1167ea21b none swap sw 0 0
/dev/hdc /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec 0 0
/dev/hdd /media/cdrom1 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom2 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto,exec 0 0
fred@fred-desktop:~$

Question information

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Ubuntu gnome-terminal Edit question
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Solved by:
Gilbert Mendoza
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Revision history for this message
Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said : 		#1

Sorry, but I'm not sure I understand what you want to do. If are trying to format a new drive, use gparted. Install it first. Open a terminal (apps-accessories) and type (or just paste)

sudo apt-get install gparted.

Give your password when asked. It will not show anything as you type. Once installed, run it with

gksudo gparted

Make sure the drive you want to format/partition is unmounted. You can do that under the partition menu. There are more common ways using commands in the terminal but this should be more friendly. Hope that helps.

If I've misunderstood what you want to do, please clarify.

Revision history for this message
Best Gilbert Mendoza (gmendoza) said : 		#2

I am going to make an assumption that you want the 320GB hard drive to be accessible to Linux as a native Linux volume type. e.g. EXT3. If not let us know.

Your drive is referenced as /dev/sdb, and has no partitions defined yet. You can use gparted, fdisk, or cfdisk to create a single partition table on the drive. You shoudl make it a Linux Primary partition (ID of 83).
$ sudo cfdisk /dev/sdb

Makes sure you save your changes, and use verify the partition table exists:
$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb

You should see a reference to /dev/sdb1, which is the first (and only partition) that should be defined on the volume.

Let's format it to EXT3.
$ sudo mkfs.ext3 /dev/sdb1

Since this is just a data drive, tune it to use a smaller reserve size.
$ sudo tune2fs -m 1 /dev/sdb1

Make a new mount point, of /media/datadrive (or whatever you want).
$ sudo mkdir /media/datadrive

Mount the drive:
$ sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /media/datadrive

Check out your new file system:
$ df -h /media/datadrive

For more info on how to mount this automatically on reboot, and all sorts of other info, check out the following document.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InstallingANewHardDrive

Revision history for this message
Fred ORourke (fcorourke1) said : 		#3

Thanks the link & the point in the right direction worked --- it is now writing the inode tables and should be finished in x number of hours, anyway it is at 220 of 2385 --- So I think it is solved and just wanted to say thanks very much.. Now to plug in another NTFS drive and copy all the files over. They are business files and I have had the disk sitting at home for 5 days thanks again. I might be finished by tomorrow. Thanks again very much. After working on Apples since early 80's and IBM's to finish college, I suddenly feel pretty stupid. I can quite reading now -- eyes are killing me. & THANKS AGAIN!!!!

      Fred

Revision history for this message
Fred ORourke (fcorourke1) said : 		#4

Thanks Gilbert Mendoza, that solved my question.

Revision history for this message
Gilbert Mendoza (gmendoza) said : 		#5

That's great news! I'm very glad to have helped you out. Have a great day, and be sure to visit the ubuntu forums and IRC channels!