Dear All,
I have got a second hard disk on my desktop computer, which I would like to format. My machine runs Fedora 33, and I would like to ask you what format to adopt: the new Btrfs is advisable?
Moreover, could you please direct me to some documentation on how to format the hard disk? Using GParted?
Thanks in advance,
Paul
On Sun, Feb 28, 2021, at 4:39 AM, Paul Smith wrote:
Dear All,
I have got a second hard disk on my desktop computer, which I would like to format. My machine runs Fedora 33, and I would like to ask you what format to adopt: the new Btrfs is advisable?
Moreover, could you please direct me to some documentation on how to format the hard disk? Using GParted?
Since nobody has replied I will take a shot and people can correct if needed...
Btrfs seems like a good choice since it improves data integrity and is now the default for fresh Fedora installs.
Best to format with a partition instead of just using the file system on the "raw" /dev/sdX, so yes for that one I guess.
You can use more than one partition if you want to segregate things for any reason, like backups etc. You might also like multiple partitions if it is a very large disk.
GParted is a fine choice, but whatever works for you. I use Xfce so the Accessories / Disks GUI works fine but I do also have GParted installed. I am sort of old school so tend to just use the `fdisk` command line util, but that is rather old so maybe gdisk would be the better option now.
On Sun, 2021-02-28 at 14:26 -0800, Doug H. wrote:
On Sun, Feb 28, 2021, at 4:39 AM, Paul Smith wrote:
Dear All,
I have got a second hard disk on my desktop computer, which I would like to format. My machine runs Fedora 33, and I would like to ask you what format to adopt: the new Btrfs is advisable?
Moreover, could you please direct me to some documentation on how to format the hard disk? Using GParted?
Since nobody has replied I will take a shot and people can correct if needed...
Btrfs seems like a good choice since it improves data integrity and is now the default for fresh Fedora installs.
Best to format with a partition instead of just using the file system on the "raw" /dev/sdX, so yes for that one I guess.
You can use more than one partition if you want to segregate things for any reason, like backups etc. You might also like multiple partitions if it is a very large disk.
You can get most of the benefits of partitions and some nice extras by using BTRFS subvolumes. Among other things you can get snapshots, COW, and don't have to commit to a rigid division of space.
poc
On Sun, Feb 28, 2021 at 5:40 AM Paul Smith phhs80@gmail.com wrote:
Dear All,
I have got a second hard disk on my desktop computer, which I would like to format. My machine runs Fedora 33, and I would like to ask you what format to adopt: the new Btrfs is advisable?
Moreover, could you please direct me to some documentation on how to format the hard disk? Using GParted?
If you're already familiar with gparted, use that. Workstation edition also comes with GNOME Disks, and KDE comes with Partition Manager, which can also do this task.
-- Chris Murphy
On 2/28/21 11:26 PM, Doug H. wrote:
I am sort of old school so tend to just use the `fdisk` command line util, but that is rather old so maybe gdisk would be the better option now.
fdisk now supports GPT too, there is no need to use gdisk
Regards.
On Mon, Mar 1, 2021 at 6:44 PM Roberto Ragusa mail@robertoragusa.it wrote:
I am sort of old school so tend to just use the `fdisk` command line util, but that is rather old so maybe gdisk would be the better option now.
fdisk now supports GPT too, there is no need to use gdisk
Thanks to all for your help! I have meanwhile managed to format my second hard drive with btrfs -- and it is working perfectly.
Paul
-
Chris Murphy -
Doug H. -
Patrick O'Callaghan -
Paul Smith -
Roberto Ragusa