"fdisk -l" output: what are Disk label type" and "Disk identifier"

Question

fdisk -l output:

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Disk label type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x0006a8bd
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What are Disk label type and Disk identifier?

Also, apart from the manuals, where else can I find more information about disk management / partitioning etc..?

Solution

The disk label type is the type of Master Boot Record. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_boot_record. The disk identifier is a randomly generated number stuck onto the MBR.

In terms of tools for looking at disks, fdisk is on its way to being deprecated if it isn't already so. parted is the replacement for fdisk and gparted can be used to provide a graphical interface to parted (although certainly other tools exist as well).

Comments

[VaTo]

Have you tried fdisk? Also, try gpart if you don't like command line ones and you would like something more visual.

[Lavya]

yes, the able output is from the command fdisk -l. I have read about gparted but I wanted to know more about the basics of dis partitioning.

[VaTo]

I'm sorry I forgot for one second that the output you provided was from fdisk -l my bad. Just so you know, if you ever use gparted every time you do any action with that program and try to see the details it would tell you what command it used to execute that action. So you can use that same command in command line to see if in the terminal.

[Narek Hambardzumyan]

I assume definition "type of Master Boot Record" is not correct, what if I use GPT instead of MBR? Besides, DOS is a file system type..

[Bharath]

@NarekHambardzumyan GPT & MBR are types of Master Boot Records. In general you always want to use GPT as your Master Book Record type.