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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 1995 17:44:17 -0600
From: Nate Williams <nate@rocky.sri.MT.net>
Message-Id: <199509262344.RAA15898@rocky.sri.MT.net>
To: hackers@FreeBSD.org
CC: bde@FreeBSD.org
Subject: Diskslice naming convention?
Sender: owner-hackers@FreeBSD.org
Precedence: bulk

Let me see if what I *think* is true is really true.

First of all, B.S. (Before Slice), the naming convention was as follows

x = generic device name.
# = disk number
/dev/
xd#a - root partition
xd#b - swap partition
xd#c - Entire FreeBSD portion of disk
xd#d - Entire disk
xd#e - optional additional FreeBSD partitions (/usr, swap, /var, etc...)
xd#f - optional additional FreeBSD partitions (/usr, swap, /var, etc...)
xd#g - optional additional FreeBSD partitions (/usr, swap, /var, etc...)
xd#h - optional additional FreeBSD partitions (/usr, swap, /var, etc...)

Note, the root and swap partitions were only special on the first (0th)
disk.  If the disk wasn't the first disk, they had no specific purpose.

Now, with slices we have a completely new scheme.  

Basically, we have a similar scheme, but with the additions of slices.

So, am I right in saying that other than the 'compatability' slice of
/dev/xd#a for the root partition, the naming scheme is as follows:

X = generic device name.
# = disk number
Y = slice number (ie; one of the 4 'fdisk' partions')

Xd#asY  (where 'a' could be any lower-case letter 'a-h')

BTW - Are slices named 1-4 or 0-3?

Anyway, we create a FreeBSD slice by setting it's ID to 0xA5.  Then, we
build a disklabel onto this 'slice' which gives us individual partitions
on that slice.  Are there any 'special' partitions in this disklabel?
How would I read the *entire* FreeBSD portion of the slice?  How about
the entire disk?  How do I create a FreeBSD partition which accesses a
DOS slice?

Is there anything other documentation other than the the 'diskspace.FAQ'
and the sources available?

Note, sysinstall does a good job of automating all of this, but I'd like
to understand how the new naming scheme works.

Thanks,


Nate