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#1 2011-06-14 16:29:24

Bucky Ball
Member
Registered: 2011-06-14
Posts: 3

Will Arch use existing EXT4 /home?

Hi all,

I'm an avid Ubuntu user. I have a couple of weeks holiday so I have re-jigged my partitions and currently have Win7, Ubuntu 10.10 and a Ubuntu 10.04 LTS minimal install triple booting on my machine. I have left a 20Gb partition for another OS (not Ubuntu!) and thought I might try Arch as I am looking to get minimal.

Firstly: I have a separate /home partition which both Ubuntu installs are using as their /home (along with the same /swap). Can Arch share the existing /home and /swap partitions and if so how do I go about setting this up at boot? Is it as easy as not formatting the existing partitions and Arch will presume they are what to use? (Yes, I will be going for the manual install.)

Secondly: From reading the instructions here:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners%27_Guide

... it seems easy enough to not install Grub during install as I'm wanting to boot into Ubuntu after install and 'sudo update-grub' the existing Grub (which is currently handling my triple boot). I'm assuming the update will pick up the Arch install and add it to the existing Grub.

All ideas, suggestions, and clues appreciated ... wink

Last edited by Bucky Ball (2011-06-14 16:33:24)

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#2 2011-06-14 16:36:11

Inxsible
Forum Fellow
From: Chicago
Registered: 2008-06-09
Posts: 9,183

Re: Will Arch use existing EXT4 /home?

I would recommend that you not use the same partition as your Ubuntus. The reason being, that Arch is bleeding edge. If you install the same software, the config files may have changed which will lead to your program not working in either Arch or in Ubuntu. Keep them separate. Keep it simple !


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#3 2011-06-14 16:37:34

Wintervenom
Member
Registered: 2008-08-20
Posts: 1,011

Re: Will Arch use existing EXT4 /home?

Skip mounting your /home and swap partitions from the Prepare Hard Drives step, and, when you get to the Configure System step, add lines in /etc/fstab for them.

Last edited by Wintervenom (2011-06-14 16:39:01)

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#4 2011-06-14 16:50:18

Bucky Ball
Member
Registered: 2011-06-14
Posts: 3

Re: Will Arch use existing EXT4 /home?

Thanks for the quick responses. Yes, keep it simple!

So I will manual partition and create a /, /home, /var (I believe this is necessary) and /swap for Arch inside the 20Gb partition. Is 20Gb going to be enough for all this? I have plenty of other space to put data on (also a 50Gb NTFS partitions for sharing). The 20Gb partition reserved for Arch is right next to my existing /home so I could shrink that a bit (currently 150Gb). Can I redirect some of my data rather than have it all on the partitions I create on the 20Gb partition?

Thanks Wintervenom, I will mount the other partitions via fsab when I get there. smile

* Guess the other important point is: Will sudo update-grub in the Ubuntu partition that is controlling Grub pick up the Arch install and add it to the options at boot?

Last edited by Bucky Ball (2011-06-14 17:06:08)

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#5 2011-06-14 20:06:36

oboedad55
Member
From: Baku
Registered: 2011-04-05
Posts: 392

Re: Will Arch use existing EXT4 /home?

To the last question, yes. I run Arch that way and Ubuntu grub2 picks it up no problem. Actually, at this point all I use Ubuntu for is the boot manager...


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#6 2011-06-15 02:12:34

George.Harmony
Member
From: Off The Wire
Registered: 2010-04-30
Posts: 97

Re: Will Arch use existing EXT4 /home?

If you want to use the same home partition but keep your config files separate just use different user names. I use to do this with my ubuntu and arch installs. Then you can link to your documents and the such from one user or the other as needed. Videos, Pictures etc. All that stuff that does not have anything to do with the system.


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#7 2011-06-15 02:30:47

ewaller
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From: Pasadena, CA
Registered: 2009-07-13
Posts: 19,739

Re: Will Arch use existing EXT4 /home?

I agree with Inxsible to a point.  If it is just /home, you only need only worry about the user configurations.

What you do need to be careful of is the user and group numbers.  When you create users and groups under Arch, make sure they are harmonious with those already on your home partition.  I came from Gentoo and it worked just fine; but I did recursively remove ~/.config.


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#8 2011-06-15 10:53:42

hokasch
Member
Registered: 2007-09-23
Posts: 1,461

Re: Will Arch use existing EXT4 /home?

So I will manual partition and create a /, /home, /var (I believe this is necessary) and /swap for Arch inside the 20Gb partition.

A seperate /var is not "necessary" per se (nor is /home), the Beginners Guide should have a section explaining the basics. You can use Ubuntu's swap partition for Arch, as it gets cleared out after shutdown anyway - with one exception:  If you use hibernate / suspend to disk, you should not boot into one system with the other hibernated, since that will kill the ram image saved on /swap.

Can I redirect some of my data rather than have it all on the partitions I create on the 20Gb partition?

You can always mount other partitions into your arch system, have a look at "mount --bind" for more convenience.

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#9 2011-06-17 02:46:49

Bucky Ball
Member
Registered: 2011-06-14
Posts: 3

Re: Will Arch use existing EXT4 /home?

Thanks for all the helpful replies!

Have been driving interstate for past couple of days but am now settled for a week so will have a good luck at the options soon. Look forward to trying Arch soon.

Will let you all know how I go and won't hesitate to post any further queries. wink

Thanks again ...

PS: ewaller; I am the only user on my machine in any OS so that shouldn't be an issue. Will keep it in mind if for any reason I need to add a user (or group). wink

Last edited by Bucky Ball (2011-06-17 02:48:45)

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#10 2011-06-17 03:47:46

frostmorne
Member
Registered: 2011-05-02
Posts: 19

Re: Will Arch use existing EXT4 /home?

I never format my home partition, it works perfectly!


sorry for bad english. i'm not english speaking

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#11 2011-06-19 13:28:57

wojox
Member
From: San Antonio TX.
Registered: 2009-08-27
Posts: 35

Re: Will Arch use existing EXT4 /home?

What's up Bucky Ball? After a week on Arch you will probably wipe out both Ubuntu installs and just use Arch / Windows 7. I remember you from Ubuntu Forums. Your a smart dude and will have no problem with this distro. wink


“Simplicity is the key to brilliance.” - Bruce Lee

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