Can I set up my partitions like this?

linkmaster03 · 2009-02-20 14:59:09

I'm going to install Arch soon, and I'm wondering if I can install it with two partitions. (/ and /home) I had two partitions before Ubuntu (sda3) which I deleted. I am planning to put the Arch partitions there. (both ext4) Would anything be wrong doing it like this? If I deleted my Ubuntu partition+swap, would I be then able to extend the Arch /home partition to fill the rest of the space?

Here's a current layout from gparted:

Inxsible · 2009-02-20 15:02:28

you will still need a swap space - size depending on how big your RAM is.

linkmaster03 · 2009-02-20 15:11:28

I have 2GB RAM, and its usage on Ubuntu never goes above 600MB. I've also got 'vm.swappiness' at 0, so I'm pretty sure I could easily do without swap space.

cwjiof · 2009-02-20 15:46:17

Why not use LVM to manage your disk partition?

cdwillis · 2009-02-20 16:18:35

You could do that. Hell, I'm using ext4 with just one partition for / and a swap partition. That maybe unwise as I could lose everything if ext4 decides to act up, but I'm not worried about it.

jacko · 2009-02-20 16:48:03

+1 for lvm and use a separate /boot and /home. You won't regret it. I totally wasted my / the other day messing with ext4, took me 10 mins to re-install arch on /. All my configs in /home where safe and intact.

broch · 2009-02-20 17:11:24

linkmaster03 wrote:

I have 2GB RAM, and its usage on Ubuntu never goes above 600MB. I've also got 'vm.swappiness' at 0, so I'm pretty sure I could easily do without swap space.

hmm,
there is fine reading about "swappless" setup mostly by A. Morton (I think at lklm). I don't believe that he thinks well about such configuration. He argues that users running without swap do not understand how memory is used by linux. This has nothing to do with the amount of RAM installed.

linkmaster03 · 2009-02-20 18:35:04

jacko: Why do you suggest separating /boot from /?

Does LVM basically create logical volumes within a single physical partition? The problem is that I need to fit Arch before Ubuntu so I can easily delete Ubuntu and have my partitions lined up neatly at the beginning.

Inxsible · 2009-02-20 18:44:56

linkmaster03 wrote:

jacko: Why do you suggest separating /boot from /?
Does LVM basically create logical volumes within a single physical partition? The problem is that I need to fit Arch before Ubuntu so I can easily delete Ubuntu and have my partitions lined up neatly at the beginning.

A separate boot is useful because you can set up a different filesystem. /boot doesn't have many writes to it. Only when a kernel update comes in. So you don't need a journaling filesystem. That's why I have my /boot as ext2. These partitions are also small (mine is 61MB) so the fsck is also fast.

If you are going to get rid of Ubuntu anyway, wouldn't it be better to simply delete Ubuntu and use GParted to simply create the partitions all over. Or am I mis-understanding your take on it?

Last edited by Inxsible (2009-02-20 18:45:09)

linkmaster03 · 2009-02-20 19:19:34

I am keeping Ubuntu on there for a bit so I can transfer Firefox stuff, some configs, and personal files over to Arch. Also going to use it as a backup OS in case something doesn't work on install.

linkmaster03 · 2009-02-21 19:13:21

linkmaster03 wrote:

Does LVM basically create logical volumes within a single physical partition? The problem is that I need to fit Arch before Ubuntu so I can easily delete Ubuntu and have my partitions lined up neatly at the beginning.

Or, is there a way to move my current partitions over or something so I can fit 3 before it?

linkmaster03 · 2009-02-23 23:56:24

Anyone? Is there even a way to install Arch with two partitions before Ubuntu?

.:B:. · 2009-02-24 00:00:31

jacko wrote:

+1 for lvm and use a separate /boot and /home. You won't regret it. I totally wasted my / the other day messing with ext4, took me 10 mins to re-install arch on /. All my configs in /home where safe and intact.

On what grounds will you recommend a separate /boot? Unless you share kernels between installation this will only complicate setup and be useless.

SkonesMickLoud · 2009-02-24 00:05:12

linkmaster03 wrote:

Anyone? Is there even a way to install Arch with two partitions before Ubuntu?

Yes. Just make 2 partitions, mount them in the installer, and install Arch.

jacko · 2009-02-24 03:48:41

B wrote:

jacko wrote:
+1 for lvm and use a separate /boot and /home. You won't regret it. I totally wasted my / the other day messing with ext4, took me 10 mins to re-install arch on /. All my configs in /home where safe and intact.
On what grounds will you recommend a separate /boot? Unless you share kernels between installation this will only complicate setup and be useless.

For flexibility in my installation. Yes, that means added complexity, but I feel the trade off is worth it for me.

I only mention it here because that is also the default arch auto partition scheme. AFAIK

jacko · 2009-02-24 03:51:15

Does LVM basically create logical volumes within a single physical partition? The problem is that I need to fit Arch before Ubuntu so I can easily delete Ubuntu and have my partitions lined up neatly at the beginning.

LVM would make this easier if you did not want to resize your partitions.

Again, adds some complexity, but is worth it in some circumstances.

Last edited by jacko (2009-02-24 03:53:03)

linkmaster03 · 2009-02-25 21:00:51

SkonesMickLoud wrote:

linkmaster03 wrote:
Anyone? Is there even a way to install Arch with two partitions before Ubuntu?
Yes. Just make 2 partitions, mount them in the installer, and install Arch.

Thank you!

Leigh · 2009-02-26 03:21:06

I think the amount of partitions is pretty much open when installing arch or most linux distros. Anywhere from one to as many as you'de like. I'm a little old fashioned, always using 3. I like a seperate ext2 boot partition, and always make it's size 100mb. Then a swap partition, and everything els on the 3rd using ext3. I decided against a seperate partition for /home, since I couldn't predict how large it would get over time. For the best considering how much music I have collected over time.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-02-20 14:59:09

Can I set up my partitions like this?

#2 2009-02-20 15:02:28

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#3 2009-02-20 15:11:28

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#4 2009-02-20 15:46:17

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#5 2009-02-20 16:18:35

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#6 2009-02-20 16:48:03

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#7 2009-02-20 17:11:24

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#8 2009-02-20 18:35:04

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#9 2009-02-20 18:44:56

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#10 2009-02-20 19:19:34

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#11 2009-02-21 19:13:21

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#12 2009-02-23 23:56:24

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#13 2009-02-24 00:00:31

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#14 2009-02-24 00:05:12

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#15 2009-02-24 03:48:41

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#16 2009-02-24 03:51:15

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#17 2009-02-25 21:00:51

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

#18 2009-02-26 03:21:06

Re: Can I set up my partitions like this?

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