Ubuntu: Unable to use partition, won't show up on lvdisplay, vgdisplay, nor pvdisplay

If you are using Ubuntu and experiencing issues with a partition not showing up on lvdisplay, vgdisplay, or pvdisplay, don't worry, we're here to help! This article will guide you through the troubleshooting steps to resolve this problem.

Check Disk Utility

The first step is to check the Disk Utility tool, which provides a graphical interface to manage your disks and partitions.

1. Open the Dash by clicking on the Ubuntu logo at the top left corner of your screen.
2. Type "Disk Utility" and click on the application icon.
3. Look for your partition in the list on the left-hand side of the Disk Utility window.
4. If the partition is listed but not mounted, click on it and then click the "Mount Selected Partition" button.
5. If the partition is not listed at all, proceed to the next step.

Check Partition Table

If the partition is not showing up in Disk Utility, it is possible that the partition table is corrupted.

1. Open a terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.
2. Type "sudo fdisk -l" and press Enter.
3. Look for your partition in the list of devices and note the device name (e.g., /dev/sda1).
4. Type "sudo fsck /dev/sdXY" replacing "sdXY" with the device name of your partition.
5. Follow the prompts to fix any errors found.
6. After the process completes, restart your computer and check if the partition is now visible.

Check Logical Volume Management (LVM)

If the above steps didn't resolve the issue, it's possible that the partition is managed by LVM.

1. Open a terminal.
2. Type "sudo vgscan" and press Enter.
3. If your partition is listed in the output, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, skip to the next section.
4. Type "sudo vgchange -ay" and press Enter.
5. Type "sudo lvscan" and press Enter.
6. If your partition is listed in the output, it should now be available for use.

Check Physical Volume (PV)

If the partition is still not showing up, it's possible that it is not recognized as a physical volume by LVM.

1. Open a terminal.
2. Type "sudo pvscan" and press Enter.
3. If your partition is listed in the output, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, skip to the next section.
4. Type "sudo vgchange -ay" and press Enter.
5. Type "sudo lvscan" and press Enter.
6. If your partition is listed in the output, it should now be available for use.

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to resolve the issue of a partition not showing up on lvdisplay, vgdisplay, or pvdisplay in Ubuntu. If you are still experiencing problems, it may be necessary to seek further assistance from a technical expert or consult the Ubuntu community forums for additional support.