How to change disk partition on Solaris

In Solaris you can change disk partition using format utility. If you want to change partition size of a partition that already mounted, unmount that partition first. See simple tips below

1. Become super user

2. Type format

The format output will be like this :

root@solaris-sunray # format

Searching for disks...done

AVAILABLE DISK SELECTIONS:

0. c0d0 <DEFAULT cyl 2085 alt 2 hd 255 sec 63>

/pci@0,0/pci-ide@1,1/ide@0/cmdk@0,0

3. Choose the disk

Specify disk (enter its number): 0

selecting c0d0

Controller working list found

[disk formatted, defect list found]

Warning: Current Disk has mounted partitions.

/dev/dsk/c0d0s0 is currently mounted on /. Please see umount(1M).

/dev/dsk/c0d0s1 is currently used by swap. Please see swap(1M).

FORMAT MENU:

disk - select a disk

type - select (define) a disk type

partition - select (define) a partition table

current - describe the current disk

format - format and analyze the disk

fdisk - run the fdisk program

repair - repair a defective sector

show - translate a disk address

label - write label to the disk

analyze - surface analysis

defect - defect list management

backup - search for backup labels

verify - read and display labels

save - save new disk/partition definitions

volname - set 8-character volume name

!<cmd> - execute <cmd>, then return

quit

4. Type partition

format> partition

PARTITION MENU:

0 - change `0' partition

1 - change `1' partition

2 - change `2' partition

3 - change `3' partition

4 - change `4' partition

5 - change `5' partition

6 - change `6' partition

7 - change `7' partition

select - select a predefined table

modify - modify a predefined partition table

name - name the current table

print - display the current table

label - write partition map and label to the disk

!<cmd> - execute <cmd>, then return

quit

5. Type print to see disk partition map

partition> print
Current partition table (original):

Total disk cylinders available: 2085 + 2 (reserved cylinders)

Part Tag Flag Cylinders Size Blocks

0 root wm 70 - 2084 15.44GB (2015/0/0) 32370975

1 swap wu 3 - 68 517.72MB (66/0/0) 1060290

2 backup wm 0 - 2084 15.97GB (2085/0/0) 33495525

3 unassigned wm 0 0 (0/0/0) 0

4 unassigned wm 0 0 (0/0/0) 0

5 unassigned wm 0 0 (0/0/0) 0

6 unassigned wm 0 0 (0/0/0) 0

7 unassigned wm 0 0 (0/0/0) 0

8 boot wu 0 - 0 7.84MB (1/0/0) 16065

9 alternates wu 1 - 2 15.69MB (2/0/0) 32130

6. Choose disk partition that you want change

partition> 0
Part Tag Flag Cylinders Size Blocks

0 root wm 70 - 2084 15.44GB (2015/0/0) 32370975

Enter partition id tag[root]:

Enter partition permission flags[wm]:

Enter new starting cyl[70]:

Enter partition size[32370975b, 2015c, 2084e, 15806.14mb, 15.44gb]:

7. After change partition you must label it

partition> label
Ready to label disk, continue? Yes

8. Quit format utility

partition> quit

FORMAT MENU:

disk - select a disk

type - select (define) a disk type

partition - select (define) a partition table

current - describe the current disk

format - format and analyze the disk

fdisk - run the fdisk program

repair - repair a defective sector

show - translate a disk address

label - write label to the disk

analyze - surface analysis

defect - defect list management

backup - search for backup labels

verify - read and display labels

save - save new disk/partition definitions

volname - set 8-character volume name

!<cmd> - execute <cmd>, then return

quit

format> quit

9. Save your disk partition configuration onto text file. You can use this text file later to restore your disk partition configuration if your configuration is lost.

root@solaris-sunray # prtvtoc /dev/rdsk/c0d0s0 > c0d0s0-vtoc.txt

root@solaris-sunray # more c0d0s0-vtoc.txt

* /dev/rdsk/c0d0s0 partition map

*

* Dimensions:

* 512 bytes/sector

* 63 sectors/track

* 255 tracks/cylinder

* 16065 sectors/cylinder

* 2087 cylinders

* 2085 accessible cylinders

*

* Flags:

* 1: unmountable

* 10: read-only

*

* Unallocated space:

* First Sector Last

* Sector Count Sector

* 1108485 16065 1124549

*

* First Sector Last

* Partition Tag Flags Sector Count Sector Mount Directory

0 2 00 1124550 32370975 33495524 /

1 3 01 48195 1060290 1108484

2 5 00 0 33495525 33495524

8 1 01 0 16065 16064

9 9 01 16065 32130 48194