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Topic: create GPT partition table on new hard disk

I need install Linux on new non partitioned hard disk. Can someome specify step by step instruction how to  use GParted to make GPT partition table on new hard disk?

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Re: create GPT partition table on new hard disk

You can use GParted from any live Linux cd or dvd, or live USB stick (many live Linux distributions contain GParted). You also can use the GParted live, that includes some other tools too.
You can find detailed info about GParted live and how to prepare the live media in the specific page of the GParted web site.

After booting, you have to select the drive you want to partition, from a list with all drives detected by the system. If the drive in question is completely empty, you will no see any partitions on it.
Please take into account that in case your hard drive isn't empty, the existing partition table will be overwritten by the new one and any existing partitions and files will become unavailable. So, in that case you need to keep backup copies from any important files before making the new partition table.

You have to select the command about making a new partition table from the menus.
You will normally get a warning about loosing previously existing files, and you have to confirm the new partition table if you are pretty sure about this.
You have then to select the type of the partition table (GPT) in the command window, and apply the command.
After a few seconds the partition table will be ready.

If you want to create partitions, you can do it now, otherwise you can exit from GParted and leave this task for the Linux installer, depending on the distribution you plan to install.
The available space for the partitions is normally the entire dive space minus the reserved space in the beginning and the end for the main partition table and spare partition table.

In the Documentation page you can find the "GParted Manual" as well the "GParted Live Manual" with  more detailed instructions.

*** It is highly recommended to backup any important files before doing resize/move operations. ***

3 (edited by laguna 2020-12-16 01:11:29)

Re: create GPT partition table on new hard disk

Thank you for tips. Yes, its clear up to point of creation of partitions.  I need boot, root (/) , swap, /home partitions on a new disk, what are the steps? Also, its not clear about space in the beginning before partitions,and between it. Various GParted manulas  show 1Mb(?) spacing present at the beginning, not clear  the purpose.

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Re: create GPT partition table on new hard disk

It it recommended to let the Linux installer perform it's own default partitioning.  That way you don't have to partition the drive manually first.

The 1 MiB spacing at the beginning is because the partition table occupies the first sector or first few sectors and to keep partitions aligned to whole mebibytes the first partition starts at 1 MiB.

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Re: create GPT partition table on new hard disk

mfleetwo wrote:

It it recommended to let the Linux installer perform it's own default partitioning.  That way you don't have to partition the drive manually first.

The 1 MiB spacing at the beginning is because the partition table occupies the first sector or first few sectors and to keep partitions aligned to whole mebibytes the first partition starts at 1 MiB.

Linux installer most likely may not offer to create a separate /home directory. Not sure about Debian, in particular.

6 (edited by laguna 2020-12-19 23:54:28)

Re: create GPT partition table on new hard disk

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