Is partitioning required?

[Rashkae]

On 06/12/2011 03:45 AM, Robert Spanjaard wrote:
> I just installed a new harddisk. Because I was planning to use it as a
> single large volume, I forgot to partition it. I just clicked Format in
> the Disk Utility, and it works.
> But now, "sudo fdisk -l" shows the following information:
>
> ---
> Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
> 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
> Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
> Disk identifier: 0x00000000
>
> Disk /dev/sdb doesn't contain a valid partition table
>
> Disk /dev/sdc: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
> 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
> Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
> Disk identifier: 0x00021241
>
>     Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
> /dev/sdc1   *           1      121601   976760001   83  Linux
> ---
>
> Disk dev/sdb is the new harddisk.
> Disk /dev/sdc is a different harddisk, where I did create a single large
> partition before formatting.
>
> Both disks are working fine, but still, I wonder if I should have created
> a partition table first.
>
Not strictly necessary, but a very good idea nontheless.  It can be 
helpful, for example, if you have a boot sector that bootloaders can 
install on.  Also, without a partition table, other low level disk 
utilities or OS may, at some point, simply overwrite parts of the hard 
drive without warning (as they would assume the hd is blank)