Disk Partitioning in Linux Explained for Beginners

A practical guide to creating and managing disk partitions in Linux.

Overview of Disk partitioning in Linux — screenshot created for educational purposes by author

Introduction

In Linux, disk partitioning is the process of dividing a physical disk into multiple logical sections. Each partition can be used for different purposes such as storing data, installing operating systems, or managing backups.

Disk partitioning is a fundamental skill for system administrators and is often the first step before creating filesystems or configuring storage.

What Is Disk Partitioning?

Disk partitioning means splitting a disk into smaller sections called partitions.

Each partition:

• Acts like a separate disk
• Can have its own file system
• Can be mounted independently

Disk Partition Structure Overview — screenshot created for educational purposes by author

The above diagram represents:

• MBR → Master Boot Record
• Primary Partition (P) → Main partitions (up to 4 in MBR)
• Extended Partition → Container for logical partitions
• Logical Partition (L) → Created inside extended partition
• Free Space → Unallocated disk area

Types of Partitions in Linux

There are three main types of partitions:

1. Primary Partition

• Used to install OS or store data
• A disk can have up to 4 primary partitions

2. Extended Partition

• Used to create more partitions beyond the primary limit
• Only one extended partition is allowed

3. Logical Partition

• Created inside the extended partition
• Used for additional storage

Common Commands for Disk Partitioning

1. View Available Disks

lsblk

Listing available disks — screenshot captured by the author

2. Start Partitioning

fdisk /dev/sdb

Creating a partition using fdisk — screenshot captured by the author

3. Common fdisk Options

n → Create new partition p → Primary partition e → Extended partition d → Delete partition w → Write changes q → Quit without saving

4. Verify Partitions

lsblk or fdisk -l

Important Note

⚠️ Always double-check the disk name (like /dev/sdb) before partitioning to avoid data loss.

Common filesystems in Linux include ext4 and XFS (default in modern RHEL systems) — screenshot created for educational purposes by author

Why Disk Partitioning Is Important

Disk partitioning helps:

• organize data efficiently
• separate system and user data
• improve performance
• simplify backup and recovery

Conclusion

Disk partitioning is the foundation of storage management in Linux. Understanding how to create and manage partitions is essential before working with file systems and LVM.

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