[CentOS] partitioning with fdisk

CentOS-6.2

I created a new VirtIO disk for one of my virtual
machines. Previous experience has taught me that I need to
partition it before attempting to add the new storage to
the physical volume set of the intended guest.

Up to now I have simply accepted the defaults given by
fdisk after telling it that I want a new partition.  The
defaults always exclude the first 2048 sectors.

Disk /dev/vg_vhost01/lv_vm_inet09.harte-lyne.ca_01: 33.6
GB, 33554432000 bytes
109 heads, 61 sectors/track, 9856 cylinders, total
65536000 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2b33a3c9

                                         Device Boot     
Start         End
     Blocks   Id 
System
/dev/vg_vhost01/lv_vm_inet09.harte-lyne.ca_01p1           
2048    65535999    32766976   83  Linux

Why?  Is this space reserved for a boot partition?  For my
purposes can I simply use sector 0 to max sector size and
override the default values provided by fdisk?


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James B. Byrne                mailto:ByrneJB at Harte-Lyne.ca
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