Linux: How to Connect External Hard Drive
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 the partition is not mounted
# df -hT
Mount new-created partition to directory /mnt/usb. If a directory does 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