Episode 13 — Partitioning decisions: MBR vs GPT, growth, identifiers, verification
Partitioning shows up on Linux+ because it blends design choices with operational consequences, and the exam likes to test whether you understand the tradeoffs rather than just the names. This episode compares MBR and GPT as partition table approaches that affect scalability, resilience, and compatibility, and it explains why modern systems often prefer GPT while legacy compatibility can still matter in mixed environments. You’ll learn how partitioning choices influence future growth and recovery, especially when workloads evolve and you need to resize, add disks, or migrate systems. The key exam skill is being able to read a scenario, infer which partitioning scheme is in use, and predict what is possible or risky before you attempt changes.
we focus on identifiers and verification, because most real failures come from acting on the wrong device or referencing the wrong identifier. You’ll learn why stable identifiers like UUIDs or labels are favored over device names that can change across reboots or hardware reorderings, and how that relates to persistent mounts and boot reliability. We also cover growth planning and validation: checking free space alignment, confirming the target partition and filesystem relationship, and ensuring that changes are consistent with the boot configuration and initramfs expectations. The outcome is a disciplined workflow: inspect first, change one thing, verify the new layout, and confirm the system still knows how to boot and mount everything in the correct order. Produced by BareMetalCyber.com, where you’ll find more cyber audio courses, books, and information to strengthen your educational path. Also, if you want to stay up to date with the latest news, visit DailyCyber.News for a newsletter you can use, and a daily podcast you can commute with.
