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[Solved] GParted 'Random' Partition
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 6:18 am
by WhatUsernameIsFree?
Hi all,
I've got this random partition sat on my hard drive. The second is Windows recovery partition, the third is the Windows partition itself and fourth is Linux. It's an Intel SSD and I notice that the random partition is also exactly the same size as my RAM (co-incidence?)
parted -l
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Model: ATA INTEL SSDSC2BW12 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 120GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 4296MB 4295MB primary
2 4296MB 18.3GB 14.0GB primary ntfs boot
3 18.3GB 70.4GB 52.1GB primary ntfs
4 70.4GB 120GB 49.7GB extended
5 70.4GB 120GB 49.7GB logical ext4
Any idea what this is for?
Thanks
Re: GParted 'Random' Partition
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 10:27 am
by srs5694
I assume you mean /dev/sda1. My hunch is that it's something Windows-related, but I can't be sure. Try showing the output of "sudo fdisk -l /dev/sda" to provide a bit more information.
Re: GParted 'Random' Partition
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 10:49 am
by WhatUsernameIsFree?
Of course!
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Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders, total 234441648 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x34245856
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 2048 8390655 4194304 84 OS/2 hidden C: drive
/dev/sda2 * 8390656 35653631 13631488 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3 35653632 137433087 50889728 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda4 137433088 234441647 48504280 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 137435136 234440703 48502784 83 Linux
Edit: If it is used by Windows, what is it used for and why isn't it just 'merged' in with the Windows partition?
Re: GParted 'Random' Partition
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 11:13 am
by srs5694
The partition has a type code of 0x84 (as shown under the "Id" column), which is rather peculiar. fdisk thinks it's a hidden OS/2 partition, which of course is extremely unlikely these days. A more likely explanation is offered
here:
84 Hibernation partition
(following Appendix E of the Microsoft APM 1.1f specification). Reported for various laptop models. E.g., used on Dell Latitudes (with Dell BIOS) that use the MKS2D utility. APM 1.2 hibernation partitions can be used by Windows 98 or higher.
You might try checking further sources to verify that your model ships with such a partition, or you could just accept that this explanation is correct. If it is a hibernation partition, it does explain why its size is identical to your computer's RAM size.
Edit: If it is used by Windows, what is it used for and why isn't it just 'merged' in with the Windows partition?
A hibernation partition is sometimes kept separate to ensure that the space in the partition isn't fragmented. Windows also sometimes creates ancillary partitions for a variety of other purposes, such as having a separate recovery partition and having space that its partitioning tools can use as "scratch space" when performing complex partitioning operations such as partition resizing.
Re: GParted 'Random' Partition
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:28 pm
by WhatUsernameIsFree?
Ok, I think the hibernation idea is correct. Is it safe enough to just delete? I suspend rather than hibernate, especially given that my swap is encrypted.
Re: GParted 'Random' Partition
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:53 pm
by srs5694
WhatUsernameIsFree? wrote:Ok, I think the hibernation idea is correct. Is it safe enough to just delete? I suspend rather than hibernate, especially given that my swap is encrypted.
I don't know how your manufacturer uses the partition, so I can't say. It's a small enough partition that, IMHO, it's not worth the hassle and risk involved in reclaiming the space, so I just wouldn't worry about it.
Re: GParted 'Random' Partition
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:57 pm
by WhatUsernameIsFree?
srs5694 wrote:I don't know how your manufacturer uses the partition, so I can't say. It's a small enough partition that, IMHO, it's not worth the hassle and risk involved in reclaiming the space, so I just wouldn't worry about it.
I think, looking in perspective, that's a very insightful post and I'll leave it alone.
Thanks