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FreeBSD gpart
What FreeBSD gpart is
FreeBSD gpart is a utility for managing disk partitioning through FreeBSD’s GEOM class. It can create, add, delete, modify, and resize partitions, set or clear partition attributes, and show partition details. Documented schemes include APM, BSD, BSD64, LDM, GPT, and MBR. When adding a partition, users can request alignment for its starting offset and size. The show command reports partition indexes, types, starting blocks, sizes, and readable size values, with libxo output available in human-readable and machine-readable formats. The dump action saves a partition table in a format that restore accepts, including for copying a table to multiple providers. Changes can remain pending until commit, or be reversed with undo. The recover command can address corrupt partition-scheme metadata, but selecting the wrong provider can damage metadata belonging to another GEOM class. A partition cannot be deleted while the kernel is actively using it. gpart is included with FreeBSD, which is available free of charge with its source code. FreeBSD offers installer, virtual machine, and SD card images, and lists supported architectures including amd64, aarch64, armv7, powerpc64, powerpc64le, and riscv64.
Who it suits
gpart suits people managing disk partition providers in FreeBSD environments. It is included with FreeBSD, which the project describes for server, desktop, appliance, and embedded use.
What it does well
- Creates, resizes, and inspects partitions
- Supports multiple partition schemes
- Partition tables can be dumped and restored
- Pending changes can be committed or undone
What to know first
- A partition in active kernel use cannot be deleted
- Choosing the wrong recovery provider can damage metadata
- Requires kernel support for the partitioning scheme
Limits
The FreeBSD gpart plan costs nothing and is included in FreeBSD. It requires kernel support for the partitioning scheme being used.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| FreeBSD gpart | Included in FreeBSD · requires kernel support for the partitioning scheme being used | Free |
As freebsd.org lists them, read 9 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the FreeBSD website.
- Choose a FreeBSD installer, virtual machine, or SD card image.
- Install or run FreeBSD on a supported architecture.
- Use gpart with a partitioning provider supported by the kernel.
Verdict
gpart provides partition management, inspection, backup, and recovery actions within FreeBSD’s GEOM system. Recovery requires care because choosing the wrong provider can damage metadata, and the selected scheme must have kernel support.
Questions
How much does FreeBSD gpart cost?
The listed plan is free, and gpart is included in FreeBSD.
What platforms does it support?
It is listed as self-hosted. FreeBSD lists architectures including amd64, aarch64, armv7, powerpc64, powerpc64le, and riscv64.
Which partition schemes are supported?
Documented schemes include APM, BSD, BSD64, LDM, GPT, and MBR. The kernel must support the scheme in use.
Can it back up and restore partition tables?
Yes. It can dump a table in a format accepted by restore, including for copying a table to multiple providers.
Can it undo partition changes?
Changes can be left pending, then written with commit or reversed with undo.
Facts from FreeBSD gpart's own pages
- Availability
- FreeBSD is available free of charge and includes its source code. · freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Backup and restore
- It can dump a partition table to a special format and restore a table from a backup; restoring the table does not restore partition contents. · man.freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Boot code
- The bootcode command can write bootstrap code to partitioning metadata or to a specified partition. · man.freebsd.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Boot support
- gpart can embed bootstrap code in partitioning metadata or write it to a partition, subject to scheme-specific requirements. · man.freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Download formats
- FreeBSD offers installer images, virtual machine images, and SD card images; installer and USB options include offline and network-dependent variants. · freebsd.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 1993 · freebsd.org, 28 Sept 2026
- FreeBSD included
- FreeBSD is available free of charge and comes with its source code. · freebsd.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Inspect partitions
- The show command reports partition start blocks, sizes, indexes, types, and human-readable sizes. · man.freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Installation media
- FreeBSD offers DVD and USB installer images, virtual machine images, and SD card images. · freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Intended environments
- FreeBSD describes its supported uses as including server, desktop, appliance, and embedded environments. · freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Intended use
- FreeBSD describes itself as an operating system for varied platforms and highlights server, appliance, and embedded uses; gpart’s manual describes its use for partitioning providers, normally disks. · freebsd.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Machine-readable output
- The --libxo option can generate output in different human- and machine-readable formats. · man.freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Output formats
- The show command supports libxo output in several human-readable and machine-readable formats. · man.freebsd.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Partition alignment
- When adding a partition, users can request alignment for its start offset and size. · man.freebsd.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Partition operations
- Its commands include creating, adding, deleting, modifying, resizing, recovering, and destroying partitions or partitioning schemes. · man.freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Partition schemes
- Documented schemes include APM, BSD, BSD64, LDM, GPT, and MBR. · man.freebsd.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Pending changes
- Changes can be left pending and later written with commit or reverted with undo. · man.freebsd.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Project history
- The gpart utility appeared in FreeBSD 7.0. · man.freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- gpart is a utility for partitioning GEOM providers, normally disks. · man.freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Recovery
- The recover command can recover corrupt partition scheme metadata; the manual cautions that choosing the wrong provider can damage metadata belonging to another GEOM class. · man.freebsd.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Safety behavior
- A partition cannot be deleted while it is actively used by the kernel. · man.freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Security process
- FreeBSD directs reports about base-system security issues to its Security Team, with PGP-encrypted reporting available for higher confidentiality. · freebsd.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Security updates
- FreeBSD publishes security advisories and provides instructions for updating binary installations with freebsd-update. · freebsd.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- FreeBSD lists community support and commercial support from vendors offering products, services, or consulting. · freebsd.org, 8 Oct 2026
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