On Aug 8, 2014, at 7:21 AM, Robert Moskowitz <rgm(a)htt-consult.com> wrote:
So I am making progress but saw a strange bit.
#parted /dev/sdb mkpart uboot ext3 4 516
# parted /dev/sdb print
Model: Generic- Multi-Card (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 7969MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags:
Number Start End Size File system Name Flags
1 4194kB 516MB 512MB fat32 uboot
I formated it with:
#mkfs -t ext3 /dev/sdb1
# parted /dev/sdb print
Model: Generic- Multi-Card (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 7969MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags:
Number Start End Size File system Name Flags
1 4194kB 516MB 512MB ext3 uboot
So why did parted mislabel the partition?
Yeah you're getting confused. It's really easy. It didn't format it ext3, it
just sets it to a partition type GUID for that filesystem, which in the version of parted
you're using is for Microsoft basic data (i.e. it would not have made any difference
had you chosen fat32 or ext3, because on GPT disks parted uses the same partition type
code until you get to the Fedora 21 version and then choosing ext3 would make it a
partition type GUID for "Linux filesystem".
Parted is showing it as fat32 because it found a fat32 superblock. When you reformatted it
ext3, parted found the ext3 superblock. So again, it's a throwback from when parted
did formatting and fs resizing.
The behaviors change silently (including flags) between MBR and GPT partition schemes too.
So you have to be aware of what partition method is being used.
For example "boot" flag for MBR disks sets the active bit for a partition;
whereas on GPT the "boot" flag changes the partition type GUID to that of
"EFI System partition". Yeah I know, you're welcome to start shooting gin at
any time but I guarantee you it doesn't really help. It's sorta like taking
Percocet for pain and realizing it still hurts, you just don't care.
Chris Murphy