Linux: How to connect external hard drive

Quick How To Guide

Diagnostic commands

Display from log directory what was recently connected

 tail -20 /var/log/messages

Display list of the partition tables

 fdisk -l

Display device parameters

 hdparm /dev/sda

More detailed information

 hwbrowser

 more /etc/sysconfig/hwconf

Connection process

Run fdisk

 fdisk /dev/sda

Get list of existing partitions

Command (m for help): p

Delete partition which exist on the drive

Command (m for help): d

Create new partition

Command (m for help): n

Verification before save

Command (m for help): p

Save new table to drive

Command (m for help): w

Update partition table in system

 partprobe

Alternative to partprobe is hdparm -z 

 hdparm -z /dev/sda

Format created partition to ext3 file system

 mkfs.ext3 /dev/sda1

Verification if partition is not mounted

 df -hT

Mount new-created partition to directory /mnt/usb. If directory is not exist, first created it.

 mkdir /mnt/usb

 mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/usb

 df -hT

Display disk partitions

 parted /dev/sda unit GB print free

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