I just realized that I could test the mkfs on an exhisting partition with files on it and got: root@bmike1:/mnt# mkfs -t ext2 -j /mnt/sda6 mke2fs 1.34-WIP (21-May-2003) /mnt/sda6 is not a block special device. Proceed anyway? (y,n) y mkfs.ext2: Device size reported to be zero. Invalid partition specified, or partition table wasn't reread after running fdisk, due to a modified partition being busy and in use. You may need to reboot to re-read your partition table. root@bmike1:/mnt# That, to me, seems to be confirming that it isn't real. Why does fdisk -l say that sda6 it starts on cylinder 901 and ends on 1001 while mkfs reports it at zero in length?  root@bmike1:/mnt# fdisk -l /dev/sda Disk /dev/sda: 1050 MB, 1050112000 bytes 64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 1001 cylinders Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 = 1048576 bytes Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/sda1 * 1 400 409584 82 Linux swap /dev/sda2 401 1001 615424 5 Extended /dev/sda5 401 900 511984 83 Linux /dev/sda6 901 1001 103408 83 Linux root@bmike1:/mnt#  > I think that all my disks need to have the mkfs -t ext2 -j done > to them. Do the disks need to be blank before such an operation is carried > out? If I were to make the filesystem msdos on the floppy disks then I > could use them with the rest of the world (M$), right? If that is so it is > mkfs -t msdos, right (man & info doesn't have this info) or is it fat32? > Never mind this last part here. I just found the command: it is mkfs.msdos > or mkfs.vfat. So what is the difference between... never mind that either. > Man pages indicate they are the same command. > > :)~MIKE~(: > > (what makes me think this is that when I go to my Linux partition it > tells me nothing is in the directory) > > bmike1@bmike1:~$ cd /mnt > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls > cdrom floppy hda1 hda5 hda6 hda7 hda8 sda5 sda6 > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ mount floppy > mount: can't find /mnt/floppy in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab (it is in fstab) > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ mount cdrom > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ mount cdrom > mount: can't find /mnt/cdrom in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab (it is in fstab) > # /etc/fstab: filesystem table. > # > # filesystem mountpoint type options dump pass > /dev/cdrom /cdrom iso9660 defaults,ro,user,noexec,noauto 0 0 > /dev/fd0 /floppy vfat defaults,user,auto,showexec,umask=022 0 0 > /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1 vfat > defaults,users,exec,umask=000,uid=knoppix,gid=knoppix 0 0 > /dev/hda5 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1 > /dev/sda5 /mnt/sda5 ext3 defaults,users,exec 0 2 > /dev/sda6 /mnt/sda6 ext3 defaults,users,exec 0 2 > /dev/sda1 swap swap noauto 0 0 > proc /proc proc defaults 0 0 > /etc/fstab (END) > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls cdrom > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls floppy > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls hda1 (msdos) > My Documents bootlog.txt io.sys quickenw suhdlog.dat > Program Files command.com msdos.--- recycled system.1st > autoexec.bat config.sys msdos.sys scandisk.log temp > bootlog.prv detlog.txt netlog.txt setuplog.txt windows > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls hda5 (linux) > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls hda6 (didn't create this)(cat /proc/partitions > shows this) > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls hda7 (didn't create this) > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls hda8 (didn't create this) > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls sda5 > downloads drakx-images lost+found > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls sda5/d* > sda5/downloads: > sda5/drakx-images: > 01-thanks.pl 07-desktop.pl 13-mdkcampus.pl > 01-thanks.png 07-desktop.png 13-mdkcampus.png > 02-community.pl 08-development.pl 14-mdkexpert.pl > 02-community.png 08-development.png 14-mdkexpert.png > 03-internet.pl 09-server.pl 15-mdkexpert-corporate.pl > 03-internet.png 09-server.png 15-mdkexpert-corporate.png > 04-multimedia.pl 10-mnf.pl 16-thanks.pl > 04-multimedia.png 10-mnf.png 16-thanks.png > 05-games.pl 11-mdkstore.pl 17-mdkclub.pl > 05-games.png 11-mdkstore.png 17-mdkclub.png > 06-mcc.pl 12-mdkstore.pl DEADJOE > 06-mcc.png 12-mdkstore.png > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls sda5/do* > bmike1@bmike1:/mnt$ ls sda6 (didn't create this) > lost+found > root@bmike1:/mnt# cat /proc/partitions; cat /etc/fstab; fdisk -l /dev/sda > major minor #blocks name > 8 0 1025500 sda > 8 1 409584 sda1 > 8 2 1 sda2 > 8 5 511984 sda5 > 8 6 103408 sda6 > 3 0 29316672 hda > 3 1 14659281 hda1 > 3 2 1 hda2 > 3 5 14651248 hda5 > # /etc/fstab: filesystem table. > # > # filesystem mountpoint type options dump pass > /dev/cdrom /cdrom iso9660 defaults,ro,user,noexec,noauto 0 0 > /dev/fd0 /floppy vfat defaults,user,auto,showexec,umask=022 0 0 > /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1 vfat > defaults,users,exec,umask=000,uid=knoppix,gid=knoppix 0 0 > /dev/hda5 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1 > /dev/sda5 /mnt/sda5 ext3 defaults,users,exec 0 2 > /dev/sda6 /mnt/sda6 ext3 defaults,users,exec 0 2 > /dev/sda1 swap swap noauto 0 0 > proc /proc proc defaults 0 0 > > Disk /dev/sda: 1050 MB, 1050112000 bytes > 64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 1001 cylinders > Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 = 1048576 bytes > > Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System > /dev/sda1 * 1 400 409584 82 Linux swap (swap) > /dev/sda2 401 1001 615424 5 Extended > /dev/sda5 401 900 511984 83 Linux > /dev/sda6 901 1001 103408 83 Linux > > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss