Partition table formats on PCs Historically, which partition table format has Linux commonly used on IBM-PC compatible systems for disk partitioning (prior to widespread GPT adoption)?

Introduction / Context:
Disk partitioning on IBM-PC compatible systems historically relied on the Master Boot Record (MBR) scheme, often referred to as the DOS partition table. While modern systems favor the GUID Partition Table (GPT), Linux has long supported and commonly used DOS/MBR due to broad firmware and tool compatibility.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question targets historical/common use on PC hardware.
• We are choosing among named formats, not filesystems.
• Linux supports many schemes, but one was standard for decades.

Concept / Approach:
The DOS partition table (MBR) organizes up to four primary partitions (or three primary plus one extended containing logical partitions). Tools like fdisk, cfdisk, and sfdisk manage MBR layouts. Although BSD and UnixWare have their own disklabel or VTOC formats, they were not the default standard on typical PC installs of Linux.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the widely used PC partition format prior to GPT: DOS/MBR.Recognize Linux's broad support and installer defaults for DOS/MBR for many years.Exclude vendor-specific or platform-specific formats (BSD disklabel, UnixWare VTOC).Select DOS as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Review man pages for fdisk and legacy installer docs; they defaulted to MBR for BIOS systems. On UEFI hardware, GPT is now prevalent, but the question focuses on historical/common usage.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Linux: not a partition table format; it is an operating system kernel.BSD and UnixWare: platform-specific schemes not commonly used by default on Linux PCs.

Common Pitfalls:

• Confusing partition tables (MBR/GPT) with filesystems (ext4, xfs, etc.).
• Assuming UEFI/GPT has always been the standard; GPT adoption is relatively recent.
• Believing the answer is filesystem-related due to the word “Linux.”

Final Answer:
DOS