Using Linux fdisk and Separate Commands/Utilities

The main Linux partitioning utility is fdisk, which is executed with the fdisk command. Virtually all Linux distributions include the fdisk command/utility.

Some Linux distributions also include a utility called “partid” (GNU Parted – partition editor). And the parted utility is executed by simply typing and running the parted command.

For basic Linux partitioning tasks, use the fdisk command/utility.

However, to perform more advanced Linux partitioning tasks, such as resizing a partition or copying a partition, use the parted utility.

If you run the Linux Parted command and this utility does not start, you can download the Parted program and install it for your Linux distribution.

Some Linux distributions also use other partitioning utilities, particularly during their (own) installation routines.

The “Disk Druid” hard drive partitioning GUI utility used by Red Hat and Fedora

The Red Hat (and Fedora Linux) setup routine allows you to use a partitioning tool called Disk Druid to partition your hard drive(s).

Disk Druid is actually a GUI interface (front-end) for the separate utility. When you perform a task with Disk Druid, such as creating a partition, the partition utility is used “in the background” to perform the partitioning task.

Linux Command Training Tips: Red Hat Linux is very expensive and Fedora is free! Red Hat is sponsoring the creation of Fedora as a “test bed” for features to be added to Red Hat Linux.

So download Fedora or have it mailed to you at a very low price, if you specifically need to learn how to use Red Hat.

From a “learning Linux for system administration” perspective, the Red Hat Linux and Fedora Linux distributions are virtually identical.

The options available on the “Disk Configuration” screen (from Disk Druid in the Red Hat setup routine) do not currently utilize the full capabilities of the split utility.

For example, the parted utility can be run on the Linux command line (by simply typing parted and pressing Enter) to resize (increase or decrease) the size of a Linux partition, and you cannot do this with Disk Druid (since inside Red hat installation routine).

The Linux hard drive partitioning concepts and commands discussed here apply to: Red Hat Linux and Fedora Linux for fdisk, parted, and Disk Druid, and also apply to Ubuntu, Slackware, Debian, and other Linux distributions for fdisk and parted.