3. LVM.EXE/LVMGUI.EXE - Fixed Disk Utility¹

   Again it's important to realize that LVM.EXE is a replacement for and an extension of FDISK. Because of this, FDISK is no longer available in any of the operating systems that use LVM (e.g. WSeB, OS/2 Warp 4 + MCP, and eComStation). Fortunately, all of the functionality formerly available in FDISK is still available by using the physical view of LVM.EXE.

   However, LVM.EXE is designed in such a way as to encourage the user to manage his/her disks by using volumes instead of physical partitions, and it is here that LVM shows its real power such as:

   1. the ability to change volume letters "on the fly";
   2. the ability to undo uncommitted changes to the volume structure;
   3. the ability to expand volumes "on the fly";
   4. the ability to span disk drives; etc.

4. The following are screen-shots of the main screens for both LVM and LVMGUI.

   1. LVM.EXE - Physical View

      

      [ Click to expand image.]

   2. LVM.EXE - Logical View

      

      [ Click to expand image.]

   3. LVMGUI.EXE - Physical View

      

      [ Click to expand image.]

   4. LVMGUI.EXE - Logical View

      

      [ Click to expand image.]

   For more detailed information about LVM menus, including a complete description of its powerful command-line parameter set, see the IBM Redbook, Inside OS/2 Warp Server for e-Business, pages 98 and 107ff.

   Finally, it is worth repeating that the changes in the disk I/O subsystem and replacement of FDISK with LVM(GUI).EXE have largely rendered utilities such as Partition Magic and other third-party disk management tools useless, even dangerous. My advice is to avoid them completely for versions of OS/2 using LVM. However if you are among the brave of heart or have nothing to lose because you've already "lost" your data, then you might want to check out the article LVM, FDISK and Partition Magic in which the author presents some techniques that will allow you to successfully use Partition Magic with those systems in certain situations. (Note: I have not tried any of these techniques, and therefore cannot confirm whether they work. As with any data recovery operations, you should back up your data before attempting these procedures.)

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—Walter Metcalf

For Further Reading:

Inside OS/2 Warp Server for e-Business, Chapter 4; IBM Redbook SG24-5393-00
Very complete and detailed treatment of all aspects of LVM as used in WSeB.

A Short Introduction to LVM and JFS
Brief overview, but very helpful as an introduction, to both JFS and LVM as used in eComStation.

eComStation -- Using the Logical Volume Manager
Previous article in which I concentrated on how to use LVM for installation of eCS.

AIX Logical Volume Manager, from A to Z: Introduction and Concepts
The logical volume manager "bible" for the AIX version on which the LVM was originally developed.