Environment
Novell Open Enterprise Server 1 (OES 1) Linux
Novell Open Enterprise Server 2 (OES 2) Linux
Novell Open Enterprise Server (Linux based)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9
PC architecture (x86 or x86_64)
Novell Open Enterprise Server 2 (OES 2) Linux
Novell Open Enterprise Server (Linux based)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9
PC architecture (x86 or x86_64)
Situation
When trying to create a file system larger than 2TB, a (much) smaller file system is created instead.
Resolution
The "GPT" disk labeling scheme needs to be used in order to be able to create partitions larger than 2 TB. When you use the default "msdos" disk labeling scheme, you are limited to four partitions of just under 2 TB. If you want to use the disks, regardless of the disk labeling scheme as data drives, you have the following options:
1. Format the entire drive with a file system, without partitioning the drive.
2. Create partitions smaller that 2 TB, and add them to an Logical Volume Manager (LVM) volume group, then create a logical LVM volume greater than 2 TB. Once the logical volume is created, you can format it with a file system of your choice.
3. You can use the Enterprise Volume Management System (EVMS) volume manager in a similar way as described in step 2 above.
1. Format the entire drive with a file system, without partitioning the drive.
2. Create partitions smaller that 2 TB, and add them to an Logical Volume Manager (LVM) volume group, then create a logical LVM volume greater than 2 TB. Once the logical volume is created, you can format it with a file system of your choice.
3. You can use the Enterprise Volume Management System (EVMS) volume manager in a similar way as described in step 2 above.
Additional Information
Change the Disk Labeling Schema
The parted tool can be used to change the partition labeling scheme of a disk.
WARNING: The following procedure will erase all data and partitioning on the block device!
Root Cause
This problem is caused by the limitations of the disk label (partitioning scheme).
For disks partitioned using fdisk or partitioned as part of a default yast2 installation, the disk label will be ms-dos (the traditional PC disk labeling scheme). With this disk label, the maximum size of a partition is limited to 2 TB.
GPT - GUID Partition Table - is a more recent partitioning scheme which does not have the 2 TB limit for individual partitions.
parted note
As of this writing, parted version 1.7.1 can only create ext2, FAT32, FAT16, and linux-swap filesystems. For other filesystem (reiserfs, ext3, OCFS2 etc.), the appropriate mkfs tool needs to be used, e.g.
The wikipedia article GUID Partition Table provides background on GPT.
The parted tool can be used to change the partition labeling scheme of a disk.
WARNING: The following procedure will erase all data and partitioning on the block device!
- Open the block device for the disk in
parted:parted /dev/sda
- Create the GPT partition label:mklabel
- Set the label to GPT:gpt
- Leave parted:quit
- Check that the label of the partition is
now set to "EFI GPT" by usingfdisk -l /dev/sdaorparted /dev/sdaand press "p".
Root Cause
This problem is caused by the limitations of the disk label (partitioning scheme).
For disks partitioned using fdisk or partitioned as part of a default yast2 installation, the disk label will be ms-dos (the traditional PC disk labeling scheme). With this disk label, the maximum size of a partition is limited to 2 TB.
GPT - GUID Partition Table - is a more recent partitioning scheme which does not have the 2 TB limit for individual partitions.
parted note
As of this writing, parted version 1.7.1 can only create ext2, FAT32, FAT16, and linux-swap filesystems. For other filesystem (reiserfs, ext3, OCFS2 etc.), the appropriate mkfs tool needs to be used, e.g.
mkfs
-t <TYPE> /dev/the_partition
or
mkfs.<TYPE>
/dev/the_partition
Status (Last updated: 2009-06-23)
YaST2 in SLE11 has an option to change the
disk label and to boot from GPT disks. A feature request for SLE10 SP3 functionality has been logged with Novell Engineering.
The wikipedia article GUID Partition Table provides background on GPT.