Following the x86 handbook, in chap. 4 (Preparing the Disks) there's no reference to the problem that it's impossibile to handle big partitions in device bigger than 2Tb with fdisk. Moreover the partition table should be set to gpt instead of msdos. With big devices should be used "parted" instead of "fdisk" and should be useful to write a dedicated section. In the ia64 handbook (http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-ia64.xml?part=1&chap=4) parted is the default tool used to prepare disks.
Okay, that's an extreme edge case, so it's assumed that if you need that kind of support, you know what you're doing already. Also, not all of our install media contain parted. It's a rather specialized tool that isn't, for example, found on the x86 media.
(In reply to comment #1) > Okay, that's an extreme edge case Are you very sure? Small RAID arrays with 2 or 3 disks easily go over 2TB, especially now that a single disk reaches 2TB. I think a little warning that informs the installer can avoid unpleasant surprises. > Also, not all of our install media contain parted. It's a rather specialized > tool that isn't, for example, found on the x86 media. I'm not sure that this is true. I used parted and was present in the installation cd.
(In reply to comment #2) > (In reply to comment #1) > > Okay, that's an extreme edge case > Are you very sure? Small RAID arrays with 2 or 3 disks easily go over 2TB, > especially now that a single disk reaches 2TB. > > I think a little warning that informs the installer can avoid unpleasant > surprises. Provide some instructions and we can see about adding it to the handbooks. I'm not sure that any of us have experience using parted for that kind of setup. > > Also, not all of our install media contain parted. It's a rather specialized > > tool that isn't, for example, found on the x86 media. > I'm not sure that this is true. I used parted and was present in the > installation cd. It's very possible my media were missing a few bits. I spoke with our Releng lead, and he did say that parted should be present on x86 and some other arches, though those were not specified.
(In reply to comment #3) > Provide some instructions and we can see about adding it to the handbooks. I'm > not sure that any of us have experience using parted for that kind of setup. > I think there are two possibility: 1) insert a small advice 2) write a "parted" dedicated section as an alternative to fdisk (1) In chap. 4.b after "Otherwise continue now with partitioning your disk by reading Using fdisk to Partition your Disk." insert: "WARNING: If you are using devices bigger than 2Tb you should use "parted" instead of fdisk. See parted user manual for additional informations (http://www.gnu.org/software/parted/manual/html_mono/parted.html). (2) In chap. 4.b replace "Otherwise continue now with partitioning your disk by reading Using fdisk to Partition your Disk." with: "Otherwise continue now with partitioning your disk. For devices smaller than 2Tb follow section Using fdisk to Partition your Disk. Otherwise if you are installing gentoo over big devices or raid systems with more than 2Tb, please follow section Using parted to Partition your Disk. This section can be taken exactly as it is from IA64 handbook, chap. 4.c removing references to the ia64 architecture and to the need to create fat32 filesystem inside boot partition. I think this is only necessary for IA64 arch. I have my own ext2 boot partition and I don't have any problem.
