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#1 2025-04-14 08:47:49
- spaikkk
- Member
- Registered: 2025-04-14
- Posts: 1
/root partition suggested size for developers
Hi everyone,
newbie here, I have been using arch for the last 3 weeks as main os without problems.
However, I noticed that my root partition (I created /root and /home as separate partitions with archinstall) is 50 Gb.
I read in the arch wiki that the suggested should be At least 23–32 Gb.
Seeing it was almost full (45+Gb used) I cleared all pacman a yay caches and removed unused packages, but manages to only get 16 gb free after that., and I noticed most of the data is stored in /usr/lib.
My question is: I use my system expecially for c++/c programming and I install lot of libraries/dependencies, and I also use vcpkg (which however is in my /home partition), is it okay for this use having the root almost full with only 50Gb available or I am doing something wrong? Should I expand the root partition?
Thanks in advance 
(I know that the post is pretty verbose but I tried to describe in detail to help you guys understand better the problem
Last edited by spaikkk (2025-04-14 08:48:57)
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#2 2025-04-15 08:42:58
- gromit
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- From: Germany
- Registered: 2024-02-10
- Posts: 1,525
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Re: /root partition suggested size for developers
I nowadays prefer a root partition that is not separate because it's always a hassle when you run out of space ... Instead I use BTRFS and subvolumes
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#3 2025-04-15 08:47:16
- V1del
- Forum Moderator
- Registered: 2012-10-16
- Posts: 25,157
Re: /root partition suggested size for developers
Basically the same as above (... even without subvols and running on ext4), I generally think the 50GB default in archinstall is not very realistic for most people (it can be done if you generally keep to a minimalistic setup, but if you're doing that you're generally very aware of what you setup)
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#4 2025-04-15 14:46:30
- Lone_Wolf
- Administrator
- From: Netherlands, Europe
- Registered: 2005-10-04
- Posts: 14,973
Re: /root partition suggested size for developers
75G root on ext4 here .
I have a 24G swapfile on it and clean chroot building (/var/lib/archbuild) can fill up remaining space pretty fast,
and I have to use a bind mount for /var/lib/archbuild to prevent clean chroot building from filling up everything .
If i do clean chroot builds on my 2nd ssd the 75 G is enough .
In case I stick with separate root for next system , it will probably be much larger.
Disliking systemd intensely, but not satisfied with alternatives so focusing on taming systemd.
clean chroot building not flexible enough ?
Try clean chroot manager by graysky
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#5 2025-04-15 16:06:48
- mackin_cheese
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- Registered: 2025-01-07
- Posts: 477
Re: /root partition suggested size for developers
Bikeshed topic
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#6 2025-04-16 13:08:58
- tekstryder
- Member
- Registered: 2013-02-14
- Posts: 518
Re: /root partition suggested size for developers
Bikeshed topic
OP posted an earnest question in the Newbie section and received multiple helpful responses from very qualified forum members. Until yours.
~100G-ish root here, only limited due to triple-boot and other shenanigans.
All chroot/builds take place in tempfs as I've 128GB RAM sitting around waiting for the next compile.
NAME FSTYPE FSVER LABEL UUID FSAVAIL FSUSE% MOUNTPOINTS
sda
└─sda1 linux_raid_member 1.2 humonculux:data b74ab1bb-c3d9-025b-3403-1ceea7e22752
└─md127 crypto_LUKS 1 601a9ee4-69f3-483c-b25e-72bffdd83792
└─crypt-data ext4 1.0 Data bf8e0350-d26a-45dc-adff-4864f79a491d 7.9T 27% /mnt/Data
sdb
└─sdb1 linux_raid_member 1.2 humonculux:data b74ab1bb-c3d9-025b-3403-1ceea7e22752
└─md127 crypto_LUKS 1 601a9ee4-69f3-483c-b25e-72bffdd83792
└─crypt-data ext4 1.0 Data bf8e0350-d26a-45dc-adff-4864f79a491d 7.9T 27% /mnt/Data
sdc
└─sdc1 linux_raid_member 1.2 humonculux:data b74ab1bb-c3d9-025b-3403-1ceea7e22752
└─md127 crypto_LUKS 1 601a9ee4-69f3-483c-b25e-72bffdd83792
└─crypt-data ext4 1.0 Data bf8e0350-d26a-45dc-adff-4864f79a491d 7.9T 27% /mnt/Data
sdd
└─sdd1 linux_raid_member 1.2 humonculux:data b74ab1bb-c3d9-025b-3403-1ceea7e22752
└─md127 crypto_LUKS 1 601a9ee4-69f3-483c-b25e-72bffdd83792
└─crypt-data ext4 1.0 Data bf8e0350-d26a-45dc-adff-4864f79a491d 7.9T 27% /mnt/Data
sde
├─sde1 ntfs scratch-ntfs 27CED16474BF341B
├─sde2 ext4 1.0 debian-backup 0c2776a6-c7d8-46a1-9f49-d73129c762b8
└─sde3 ext4 1.0 arch-backup 51e226aa-fdaa-45b9-be9d-97f8549538bb
sdf
├─sdf1 ext4 1.0 virtual-disks 77b732ef-e9e8-45e9-bac1-f8686bb6e1d9 75.8G 33% /mnt/Virtual-Disks
├─sdf2 ntfs windows-backup 4CDDA496F80C84DC
└─sdf3 vfat FAT32 ESP-BACKUP 012B-251D
nvme0n1
├─nvme0n1p1 vfat FAT32 ESP F280-E596 385.1M 61% /boot
├─nvme0n1p2 ext4 1.0 arch d475ae3e-f8c5-4e02-9c23-541d4667d78e 42.1G 49% /
├─nvme0n1p3 ext4 1.0 debian 1f4bfa2c-f2b0-492c-99eb-42e4b395d451
├─nvme0n1p4 ntfs windows FCF80CCAF80C84DC
└─nvme0n1p5 ntfs 08AC713EAC7126FA Last edited by tekstryder (2025-04-16 13:17:02)
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