How to partition linux properly

[mchuskie]

Re: How to partition linux properly

It depends on if you include /home on the same partition as /. /home is where most of everything you'll use will go (all your documents, music, video, etc) and so you'll want this partition to be as large as possible.

I think the minimum for a workable Kubuntu is about 5GB.

[andes]

Re: How to partition linux properly

a HDD can have up to 4 primary partitions on it
with that in mind i partition my 80GiB HDD thus ...

/boot = 101MiB > primary
/ (root) = 5GiB > primary
/swap = 512MiB > primary (same as installed ram)
note. do not set greater then 2GiB
/home = rest of drive > primary

this way i can play and keep the data safe ...

I'm new to linux and don't fully understand how the /swap partition works, yet. I noticed that Gezzer suggests keeping the /swap the same as installed ram. Can anybody comment on how this works, and the dangers of having a larger swap than installed ram? Thanks in advance!

[sky]

Re: How to partition linux properly

Hi,

In fact, it's not hurting if you're setting swap too big, it's ok
Usually I'm making it like this :
- twice the size if less 1Go
- same size if over
Cheers

[Hellraiser]

Re: How to partition linux properly

Reading through this post, I'm curious as to how you would partition a 250G hard drive? My current Drives for Windows XP Pro are, 250G (Unpartitioned) and an 80G (Unpartitioned). So for a dual boot, Linux Main System, and Windows XP Pro system for gaming, and the 80 Gig for saved files and what not. I know the 80 Gig could be taken out of the equation, but I have so much stuff that requires saving, it's really not an option at this current time.

So with that info in mind, how would you partition the 250G, as I'm hoping to leave the 80 Gig alone.

[analyticalman]

Re: How to partition linux properly

Reduce your windows partition to the size you need - say 125Gb so you have both linux and windows having the same room just as an example. Have a / partition of say 10Gb minimum, have a /swap partition of 1Gb then the rest for your /home. This is just one of a hundred schemes you could use but that one would, at least, work

[andes]

Re: How to partition linux properly

Hello,

First, thanks to Sky for the reply.

Second, to Hellraiser: I also partitioned a 250gig drive for my linux partitions, but chose to run XP on a seperate drive. I created seperate partitions for some of the linux folders with security and organization in mind. I'll list how much space I'm currently using with a fairly streamlined selection of software running on both my Linux and XP partitions. I would suggest that you need more room than any of these numbers:

Linux:

/root: 1.8GB used (operating system and lots of other things)
/usr: 2.67GB used (software)
/home: 4.86 GB used (My docs)
/tmp: ~650 MB used on an average session
/swap: follow sky's advice above

XP:

C:\ (windows, program files, my documents, etc): 13GB used

Since you're gaming, I'd give the XP partition at least 20 GB for lots of software room. I also have a partition with the fat32 filesystem to place files that I want to have available both to Linux and XP. Hope that helps