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STEP 3: Disk Identification

note

The purpose of this task is to record pertinent information from the physical block device such as:

  • Block Device Serial Number (if available)
  • Partition Table Details
  • File System Type
  1. Use lsblk to list the serial number (and additionally the filesystem types): 
    lsblk -afpo +SERIAL /dev/<DEVICE>
  2. Use mmstat, lsblk, and parted to cross analyze the block device’s partition table and filesystem types: 
    sudo mmstat /dev/<DEVICE>
    sudo lsblk -f /dev/<DEVICE>
    sudo parted /dev/<DEVICE> print
  3. Use fdisk on DOS partition table block devices to identify each partition’s START SECTOR (or gdisk for GPT partition table block devices): 
    sudo fdisk -l /dev/<DEVICE>
    sudo gdisk -l /dev/<DEVICE>
    tip

    If available, mmls may also be used to list the partitions of either GPT or legacy DOS partition tables.

    sudo mmls /dev/<DEVICE>

  4. You should now have the following information:
    • Block Device Serial Number (if available)
    • Number of partitions
    • START SECTOR for each partition
    • File system types