FDISKPM Program

• Installable: the partition is used as the target for installing another operating system.

• Bootable: the partition is displayed on the Boot Manager menu when the system is restarted.

• Startable: the system will restarts directly to this partition. This option is available for primary partitions only. Remember, one of the primary partitions must be set as startable for the system to restart successfully.

Access: specifies if a partition is accessible. The letter in the column indicates that the partition is accessible. This column also indicates if the partition is a primary partition or a logical drive within the extended partition.

File System Type: indicates the type of file system on the partition. Any partitions that have not been formatted will be displayed as unformatted. Any area on the hard disk not assigned to a partition will be displayed as free space.

MBytes: indicates the size in megabytes of the partition or free space.

The user may select choices on the options pull-down to:

Create a primary partition or logical drive.

Add a partition to the Boot Manager menu.

Change the partition name.

Assign the accessibility of primary partitions.

Specify startup values such as a default partition, startup selection time, or mode for the Boot Manager menu.

Remove a partition from the Boot Manager menu.

Delete a primary partition or logical drive.

Set a primary partition as installable.

Specify a primary partition as being startable.

Exit FDISKPM.

Note that a hard disk and partition must be selected before these operations can be performed.

Setting a Partition Installable

The FDISKPM Set Installable menu option is used to set the selected partition as the target for continuing the OS/2 installation, or as a target to install another operating system. When a partition is set installable, the installable indicator will be displayed in the Status column.

The FDISKPM Create menu option is used to create logical drives in primary or extended partitions on the selected physical drive. In addition, the user may do the following:

Create multiple primary partitions (up to four for each physical drive).

Place the partitions in relation to the beginning or end of each free area on the physical drive.

Assign extended partition space as each logical drive is created. This provides flexibility for later assignment of free space. For example, if free space exists between a primary and extended partition, it may subsequently be allocated to another primary partition or for expanding the extended partition.

The FDISKPM Delete menu option is used to delete primary or extended partitions on the selected physical drive.

Warning: All data in such a partition is lost after saving changes on exiting FDISK.

Making a partition Bootable
The Add to Boot Manager menu option is used to name the partition and add it to the Boot Manager menu at startup. When Bootable appears in the Status column, the partition will be displayed. To remove the partition so that it is not displayed on the Boot Manager menu, select Remove from Boot Manager menu.
Assign Primary Partition
The Assign x: partition option is used to specify the accessibility of primary partitions. Because only one primary partition for each hard disk can be active (accessible) at a time, other primary partitions are effectively hidden (inaccessible). This feature exists for primary partitions only. All logical drives are accessible.
Making a partition Startable
Use Make startable to make a primary partition that you have highlighted on the FDISKPM window the one that will be activated each time you start the system. To have Boot Manager support active and have the Boot Manager menu displayed when the system is started, the Boot Manager partition must be set as startable. To deactivate Boot Manager support so that the Boot Manager menu is not displayed, set another primary partition as startable, that is, the partition that you want started when the system is turned on. Only one primary partition is startable at a time.
Partition Names
Partition names are important especially in the event of a hardware reconfiguration such as adding other physical disks to the system. The names assigned to partitions will not change and still identify the same area on the disk, unlike the drive letters which can change if your system is reconfigured. Names are up to eight characters in length and are case sensitive. Use the Change partition name to rename any bootable partitions.
Setting Startup Values
The FDISKPM Set startup values is used to specify the startup values for the partitions on the system. The values are for the following:

A default partition to be started automatically without being selected from the Boot Manager menu.

A startup selection time allowing you to specify the amount of time you want the menu to be displayed before the default partition is started automatically.

A mode for the menu allowing you to indicate how much information about the partitions you want displayed on it.

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