x86: Partitioning Recommendations
When using the Solaris OS on x86 based systems, follow these guidelines for
partitioning your system.
The Solaris installation program uses a default boot-disk partition layout. These
partitions are called fdisk partitions. An fdisk partition is a logical partition of a
disk drive that is dedicated to a particular operating system on x86 based
systems. To install the Solaris software, you must set up at least one
Solaris fdisk partition on an x86 based system. x86 based systems allow up
to four different fdisk partitions on a disk. These partitions can be used
to hold individual operating systems. Each operating system must be located on a
unique fdisk partition. A system can only have one Solaris fdisk partition per disk.
Table 4-8 x86: Default Partitions
Partitions |
Partition
Name |
Partition Size |
|---|
First partition (on some systems) |
Diagnostic or Service partition |
Existing size on system. |
Second
partition (on some systems) |
x86 boot partition |
If you are performing an initial installation, this partition is not created. If you upgrade and your system does not have an existing x86 boot partition, this partition is not created. If you upgrade and your system has an x86 boot partition:
If the partition is required to bootstrap from one boot device to another, the x86 boot partition is preserved on the system. If the partition is not required to boot additional boot devices, the x86 boot partition is removed. The contents of the partition are moved to the root partition.
|
Third partition |
Solaris OS partition |
Remaining space
on the boot disk. |
Default Boot-Disk Partition Layout Preserves the Service Partition
The Solaris installation program uses a default boot-disk partition layout to accommodate the
diagnostic or Service partition. If your system currently includes a diagnostic or Service
partition, the default boot-disk partition layout enables you to preserve this partition.
Note - If you install the Solaris OS on an x86 based system that
does not currently include a diagnostic or Service partition, the installation program does not
create a new diagnostic or Service partition by default. If you want
to create a diagnostic or Service partition on your system, see your hardware
documentation.
