Best Partitioning Plan

ChatNoir · 2011-01-13 15:11:34

Hi,

I'm just about to install Arch on top of Ubuntu and Win7 and I'm trying to work out the best way to do the partitioning.
Here is what I have at the moment (fdisk -l)

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x67296729

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 10199 81920000 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 10199 50355 322554108 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 50355 60801 83908129+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 58831 60558 13880128+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 60559 60801 1951866 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 50355 58479 65254400 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 58479 58830 2820096 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Now I'm not actually sure why I have two swap partitions or even two Linux partitions, I assumed on installing ubuntu it would create a single partition and a swap partition? Maybe I had another distro installed at some point... Is there any way to check which swap I'm using so I can get rid of the other one?

So I am going to resize the 322 GB NTFS partition by about 40GB and create a couple of new ones for Arch: /boot: 125 MB, /: 25 GB, /var: 15 GB, 4GB swap, and share my home directory with Ubuntu. Do these sizes look normal to you?

Now how should I create these partitions? Can I create another extended partition? Presumably I can make one more Primary... Or is it best just to add some more Logicals under the extended?

Lastly, when I install Arch what should I do about GRUB? I've got GRUB2 running to boot win7 and Ubuntu at the moment, is it best just to leave that and add Arch or install GRUB on the MBR with the Arch install and add Ubuntu and Win7? If so is there anything special I need to do during installation?

I'm sorry if these questions have been asked before, I did have a look at the wikis and forum but couldn't find exactly what I wanted.

Thanks

Mr Green · 2011-01-13 15:19:23

swap check fstab, partition you have stated sounds ok [down to you really] as for grub simply add an entry

Have tried sharing /home before, would say add a new user but again your call

Welcome to Arch

Inxsible · 2011-01-13 15:24:44

just add logicals under the current extended partition. However, for that after you partition your 322GB, you will have to extend the "Extended Partition" (sda3) and probably move around a few partitions.

Partitioning scheming is really upto the user, so no one will be able to give you any definite answers. However, try to understand what filesystems will be useful and faster for what type of partitions. eg. reiserfs is best suited for /var etc...

Arch works with grub2 as well, so instead of installing grub again, I would just add an entry as well.

.:B:. · 2011-01-13 15:25:22

The good part: welcome to Arch.

The bad part: even though you claim to have checked the wiki, I glanced over the Beginner's Guide (which is mandatory but really should be compulsory reading), and I found this:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Be … ard_Drives

Particularly note the phrase A disk partitioning scheme is a very personalized preference.

As such, I highly advise you to 1) peruse the search some more and 2) read that wiki again. This has been discussed way too many times, and every time it boils down to the same thing: you decide. I look forward to seeing a new topic from you - with evidence that you indeed did research, and with proper, targeted questions, instead of 'just tell me how I should lay out my partition scheme, according to you?'.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-01-13 15:11:34

Best Partitioning Plan

#2 2011-01-13 15:19:23

Re: Best Partitioning Plan

#3 2011-01-13 15:24:44

Re: Best Partitioning Plan

#4 2011-01-13 15:25:22

Re: Best Partitioning Plan

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