Tell the kernel to re-read the partition table so new or changed partitions become visible without a reboot. 19.04.2026 | reading time: 2 min When you change a disk's partition table you must tell the kernel about it; partprobe does exactly that by asking the kernel to re-read the partition table so new partitions appear without rebooting. A quick real-world run Create a partition and then make the kernel notice it; here is a minimal sequence you can reproduce on a test disk: ```bash $ sudo parted /dev/sdb --script mklabel gpt $ sudo parted /dev/sdb --script mkpart primary ext4 1MiB 100% $ sudo partprobe /dev/sdb $ lsblk /dev/sdb NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT\nsdb 8:16 0 10G 0 disk\nsdb1 8:17 0 10G 0 part ``` This shows the new partition sdb1 being visible to the system after running partprobe. When partprobe helps and when it does not Partprobe is ideal right after you change partitions with fdisk or parted, but it can fail if the kernel still has the disk busy or partitions are mounted; in that case unmount or close devices first, or use tools that operate at the kernel-partition level until the device is free, and remember that some distributions with modern udev will refresh automatically so partprobe may be redundant. Companions that finish the job For more control use partx to add or remove partition mappings, kpartx for mapping partitions of disk images, and blockdev --rereadpt to request a re-read; also combine lsblk and udevadm to inspect and stabilize device state after changes. Next steps and study path Mastering low-level disk commands pays off for safe system maintenance; practice on disposable images, learn fdisk and parted workflows, and consider formalizing knowledge with certifications like CompTIA Linux+ or LPIC-1 — bitsandbytes.academy offers intensive exam preparation to get you exam-ready. Join Bits & Bytes Academy First class LINUX exam preparation. utilities storage boot-process troubleshooting
