Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

brando56894 · 2008-08-24 06:42:05

I installed arch onto a 10gb partition just to test it out and im becoming very accustomed to it but the partition is too small if i want to use it as my main distro and was wondering if I could use the same user (and home partition) for both linux mint and arch or would it be safer to create separate users and have them live on the same partition?

fukawi2 · 2008-08-24 07:20:44

Using the same partition for /home shouldn't cause a problem - just make sure the same user exists, with the same UID, on both Arch and Mint (in /etc/passwd)

11010010110 · 2008-08-24 09:30:55

They may beat each others dotfiles (hidden files in your home that keep your settings etc)

If you experience any config problems in the distros then use another user with other username and same uid

If you use different DEs on the disros the problem is less likely to happen

Hessiess · 2008-08-24 09:46:28

make a separate partition for storing your data and mount it into your home directory i.e. I have /home/a/ALL on its own partition.

ScriptDevil · 2008-08-24 10:18:35

I feel some config files in your home might get mutilated... Have 2 different user ids

Onwards · 2008-08-24 16:26:19

You could create another partition (provided you have free space, better yet kill any Window$ partition ) and then mount it as your /home in Arch.

I second the idea of creating different user accounts for the two installations in your current setup. IMHO, you needn't worry about UIDs as they are used by the kernel; it doesn't care about usernames...

Last edited by Onwards (2008-08-24 16:37:23)

brando56894 · 2008-08-24 17:26:54

i definitely have enough space (1.2TB ) but i hate having to resize partitions and deal with extended partitions and all that crap. i have my /home partition as a 50gb JFS partition and there is only one user in it which has the same name and uid, im assuming it would work but then again it might screw with the config files. i might just create a new user and link to the larger folders from my linux mint home on there such as my music folder and my pictures.

haxit · 2008-08-24 17:32:57

Its best to keep the usernames seperate. The config files will run into some problem. However, what you could do is this:

These two will just store config files:
/home/yourname1/
/home/yourname2/
And this will store your files:
/home/FILES

This would work properly if your home directory is on a seperate partition. That way you could also uninstall Mint and Arch and install anything if you wanted and you would still have your files intact.

brando56894 · 2008-08-24 17:37:16

i think ill try that approach, thanks.

haxit · 2008-08-24 17:48:45

No problem. Send me an email or post a thread if you have any problems.

fukawi2 · 2008-08-25 07:48:11

Onwards wrote:

...you needn't worry about UIDs as they are used by the kernel; it doesn't care about usernames...

Exactly - if you're trying to keep things "in sync" between installations, then the UID needs to be the same because files and directories on disk are stored by UID. They are then just mapped to a username for display purposes.

Eg, username "bruce" on install 1 has UID 500 and username "bruce" on install 2 has UID 502. Same username, different UID's. Permissions will always fail between the installations because as far as the kernel on install 1 is concerned, all of "bruce"s files are owned by 500. The kernel on installation 2 won't allow read/write etc (depending on the permissions) because it knows the files are owned by 500, but "bruce" is 501.

I think that makes sense? It does in my head

brando56894 · 2008-08-25 08:41:23

it makes complete sense, lucky for me they are both the same UID.

Onwards · 2008-08-25 12:15:51

fukawi2 wrote:

Eg, username "bruce" on install 1 has UID 500 and username "bruce" on install 2 has UID 502. Same username, different UID's. Permissions will always fail between the installations because as far as the kernel on install 1 is concerned, all of "bruce"s files are owned by 500. The kernel on installation 2 won't allow read/write etc (depending on the permissions) because it knows the files are owned by 500, but "bruce" is 501.

Beautifully explained !!

Arch Linux

#1 2008-08-24 06:42:05

Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#2 2008-08-24 07:20:44

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#3 2008-08-24 09:30:55

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#4 2008-08-24 09:46:28

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#5 2008-08-24 10:18:35

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#6 2008-08-24 16:26:19

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#7 2008-08-24 17:26:54

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#8 2008-08-24 17:32:57

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#9 2008-08-24 17:37:16

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#10 2008-08-24 17:48:45

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#11 2008-08-25 07:48:11

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#12 2008-08-25 08:41:23

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

#13 2008-08-25 12:15:51

Re: Using Same Home For Mint and Arch

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