[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       fedora-list
Subject:    Re: New external harddrive and 106Mb unallocated - why
From:       Robert Moskowitz <rgm () htt-consult ! com>
Date:       2013-12-31 13:26:08
Message-ID: 52C2C5F0.4000707 () htt-consult ! com
[Download RAW message or body]


On 12/30/2013 06:46 PM, Chris Murphy wrote:
> On Dec 30, 2013, at 4:22 PM, Robert Moskowitz <rgm@htt-consult.com> wrote:
> 
> > I just got a Toshiba Canvio Desk 2TB external HD that my plans are to delete the \
> > NTFS partition and put on an EXT4 one. 
> > Thing is the first 106MB are unallocated.  Why?
> Can you post the results from 'parted -l /dev/sdX u s p' that might be useful. This \
> was new in box?

It is brand new from a sealed box.  And the the command seems to have 
done both drives:

# parted -l /dev/sdb u s p
Model: ATA TOSHIBA MK3261GS (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 320GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number  Start   End    Size   Type     File system  Flags
  1      1049kB  525MB  524MB  primary  ext4         boot
  2      525MB   320GB  320GB  primary               lvm


Model: TOSHIBA External USB 3.0 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 2000GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number  Start  End     Size    Type     File system  Flags
  1      106MB  2000GB  2000GB  primary  ntfs


Model: Linux device-mapper (linear) (dm)
Disk /dev/mapper/fedora_19-home: 280GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop
Disk Flags:

Number  Start  End    Size   File system  Flags
  1      0.00B  280GB  280GB  ext4


Model: Linux device-mapper (linear) (dm)
Disk /dev/mapper/fedora_19-root: 31.5GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop
Disk Flags:

Number  Start  End     Size    File system  Flags
  1      0.00B  31.5GB  31.5GB  ext4


Model: Linux device-mapper (linear) (dm)
Disk /dev/mapper/fedora_19-swap: 8389MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop
Disk Flags:

Number  Start  End     Size    File system     Flags
  1      0.00B  8389MB  8389MB  linux-swap(v1)



> 
> > why the unallocated space; is this for sector replacement?
> Those are hidden on modern drives. When a physical sector is replaced, it no longer \
> has an LBA, it's reassigned to the replacement. It's one of the reasons zeroing \
> drives is an almost pointless security task because substituted sectors still \
> contain data and are erase only the ATA Security Erase functions.

I thought so.  My revised thinking is that if I were to put this drive 
on a Win system and run the install software, this unused space will be 
used to create a partition for managing the backups.

> 
> > Seems to be a rather nice unit.  Drive did not power up until I connected the \
> > USB; very convient not to have to unplug it to save on power usage.
> I see, it's in an enclosure, so chances are this is some weirdness on the part of \
> the vendor who partitioned and pre-formatted the drive, rather than something the \
> OEM did.

Toshiba in both cases.   Just probably different groups in Toshiba.

> I'm a nut, so I'd pull the drive, SATA or eSATA it to a board, and ATA Secure Erase \
> the thing, take a baseline smartctl -x sample, put it back into its enclosure, and \
> then GPT partition and format it. 
> I might even go so far as to use gdisk to partition it twice, once outside and once \
> inside the enclosure, and make sure the relevant data are identical, in particular \
> the number of physical sectors. There are some enclosure firmware floating around \
> that misreport the size of the drive so you end up with a drive partitioned one way \
> in the enclosure and yet the backup partition is reported as missing or damaged \
> when pulled from the enclosure. Such enclosure deserve to be returned as defective.

You are a nut, but does not mean some squirrel is not out to get you!  :)

This case is NOT made to be opened in the field.  So I am just going to 
use the Gnome disk gui tool, delete the partition, and go from there.

Unless the partd output I included at the beginning gives you any idea 
of something else going on...


-- 
users mailing list
users@lists.fedoraproject.org
To unsubscribe or change subscription options:
https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users
Fedora Code of Conduct: http://fedoraproject.org/code-of-conduct
Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines
Have a question? Ask away: http://ask.fedoraproject.org


[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]