Can't create a new partition using fdisk it says I must delete one first

[Peter Smith]

Dave Martini 1 wrote:

>I'm trying to create a new partition on my boot disk but I get an error
>that says I must delete one first. I have 4 partitions defined
>so far and want to create a 5th. which I would have thought
>would be an extended partition since I already have 4.
>
>Can anyone help?
>
>Command (m for help): p
>
>Disk /dev/sda: 73.4 GB, 73407865856 bytes
>255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 8924 cylinders
>Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
>
>   Device Boot    Start       End    Blocks   Id  System
>/dev/sda1   *         1       127   1020096   83  Linux
>/dev/sda2           128       382   2048287+  82  Linux swap
>/dev/sda3           383      1657  10241437+  83  Linux
>/dev/sda4          1658      2266   4891792+  83  Linux
>
>Command (m for help): n
>You must delete some partition and add an extended partition first
>
>Command (m for help): v
>106960832 unallocated sectors
>
>Dave Martini
>LLNL
>
>  
>
Sorry, but you are allowed only 4 primary partitions *including* the 
extended partition.
You will have to back up /dev/sda4 and delete it, then make the rest of 
the disk into the extended partition /dev/sda4.
Then you can create as many logical partitions (sda5, sda6, ...) as you 
wish inside the extended partition.
The extended partition itself is not mountable and does not contain 
data, only logical partitions.

Regards,
Peter Smith
WBM Pty Ltd.