May I know the correct way of formatting the hard disk and restoring it to “new”? I want to do a reinstall of LEAP 42.3. Since there is no critical data and no other critical installations, I thought a re installation would be better.
When I first installed, I use a USB drive. However, when I tried that again, the network settings and the display graphics were reset. But the there are other installations such as Anaconda which is still around. I suppose what I did did not really format or restore the hard disk to its original state when first purchased.
When you want to repartition your disk and create new file systems on it destroying all that is on it, then you best at the proposal screen change the proposed partition (whatever it might be) and then choose there for “use the whole disk” (or how it is exactly named). Then check that proposal. It will propose you something like
a partition for swap ( a few GB);
a partition for / (so called root partition) of ~40 GB (in the case of using btrfs for it, ~20GB when you choose ext4);
the rest for /home.
You may of course change there (like smaller /home and some space for something else), but it is a good starting point.
Hello,
This is how I proceed:
I boot from a cd (usb key) with command line.
I partition the disk with cfdisk or cgdisk (GPT).
I format the partitions with mkfs …
Then I install OS on the hdd.
That is a nice way of doing it when you really know what partitioning is, and what making file systems is (e.g. not calling it “formatting”, but mkfs), etc. But that is not something many understand in detail and the fact that the OP asks this questions means to me that he does not belong to those who know like you. Thus I assume that using the installation GUI is a far better way to get what he wants.
Also when installing on a system where the partitions and file systems are prepared already, you need to tell the installer how to use those file systems else there are good chances that the installer “thinks” that the disk is already completely in use (no unused space, everything full with partitions).
You are right.
About the “formatting” - “mkfs” issue: sorry, I did not speak English very well. I thought that I format filesystem with mkfs command.:shame:
“making/creating a file system” is the correct term;
formatting a disk is done in the factory before the disk is delivered to the customer and it includes writing the tracks and sectors on the surface of the disk (or similar on devices that emulate disks like USB sticks and SSDs);
because of the background of many people in using PCs, where writing of the tracks/records and
the creating of a file system was done in one go on so called floppy disks was called formatting, these people use the word formatting for making a file system (like they talk about hard disks as if the temporary usage of floppy disks is still a daily happening).
Thus when you say you create a file system by using (one form of) mkfs, that is correct.
But please be aware of the fact that many people think that partitioning is about the same as formatting and have no clear understanding about partitions, logical volumes, other forms of containers/volumes on one side and using them by e.g. creating file systems on those on the other side.
Thank you.
I did not misunderstood you. My English is to blame. And I appreciate your answer.
What I like on this forum is that there are a lot of kind people (who prefer to help and explain you than to …).