One of our server need to reconfigure. Install ubuntu server on it and will convert other hardisk for special purpose on vmware appliance.

In fact the server have 4 HD, 1 for system and 3 HD dedicated for virtual appliance.

This steps taken to format and mounting :

1. See current mount point and space .

root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam# df -H
Filesystem             Size   Used  Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sdd1               67G   622M    63G   1% /
varrun                 1.1G    46k   1.1G   1% /var/run
varlock                1.1G      0   1.1G   0% /var/lock
udev                   1.1G    95k   1.1G   1% /dev
devshm                 1.1G      0   1.1G   0% /dev/shm

2. See all attached HD and its file system.

root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 146.8 GB, 146815737856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 17849 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0×00000000

Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1       17849   143372061   a5  FreeBSD

Disk /dev/sdb: 146.8 GB, 146815737856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 17849 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0×0f8000b1

Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *           1       17849   143372061   a5  FreeBSD

Disk /dev/sdc: 146.8 GB, 146815737856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 17849 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0×00000000

Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1   *           1       17849   143372061   a5  FreeBSD

Disk /dev/sdd: 146.8 GB, 146815737856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 17849 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0×90909090

Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdd1               1        8158    65529103+  83  Linux
/dev/sdd2           17120       17849     5863725    5  Extended
/dev/sdd3            8512       17119    69143760   83  Linux
/dev/sdd5           17120       17849     5863693+  82  Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order
root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam#

3. New HD layout scenario.

System in sda
Proxy in sdb -> /proxy
SandboxProgramming in sdc -> /probox
SandboxNetworking  in sdd -> /netbox

4. Format each HD :

root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam# mkfs -t ext3 /dev/sda
mke2fs 1.40.8 (13-Mar-2008)
/dev/sda is entire device, not just one partition!
Proceed anyway? (y,n) y

Proceed anyway? (y,n) y
Filesystem label=
OS type: Linux
Block size=4096 (log=2)
Fragment size=4096 (log=2)
8962048 inodes, 35843686 blocks
1792184 blocks (5.00%) reserved for the super user
First data block=0
Maximum filesystem blocks=0
1094 block groups
32768 blocks per group, 32768 fragments per group
8192 inodes per group
Superblock backups stored on blocks:
32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912, 819200, 884736, 1605632, 2654208,
4096000, 7962624, 11239424, 20480000, 23887872

Writing inode tables: done
Creating journal (32768 blocks): done
Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done

This filesystem will be automatically checked every 26 mounts or
180 days, whichever comes first.  Use tune2fs -c or -i to override.
root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam#

Repeat this step for other HD .

4. Make mounting point for those HD.

Mounting point

root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam# mkdir /proxy
root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam# mkdir /probox
root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam# mkdir /netbox

Mounting to system.

root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam# mount -t ext3 /dev/sda /proxy
root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam# mount -t ext3 /dev/sdb /probox
root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam# mount -t ext3 /dev/sdc /netbox

Check if the HDs already mounted. (using command mount or df)

root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam# df -H
Filesystem             Size   Used  Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sdd1               67G   622M    63G   1% /
varrun                 1.1G    46k   1.1G   1% /var/run
varlock                1.1G      0   1.1G   0% /var/lock
udev                   1.1G    95k   1.1G   1% /dev
devshm                 1.1G      0   1.1G   0% /dev/shm
/dev/sda               146G   197M   139G   1% /proxy
/dev/sdb               146G   197M   139G   1% /probox
/dev/sdc               146G   197M   139G   1% /netbox

5. Make permanent routing, just edit /etc/fstab

root@ubuntuserver:/home/edpteam# nano /etc/fstab

Save the file.

6. Done, next step is install Vmware server