Arch Linux

SystemParadox

Member

From: Tavistock (Devon) and Bristol

Registered: 2006-06-09

Posts: 35

Website

Root filesystem size - how small can I make it?

I run Arch on a server. I want to repartition it to be "the right way" - that is, a small root partition. But how small is small? What is the total size of all packages which install to root? What would you recommend? Debian set theirs to only 260Mb, which I found very interesting. Is there some agreement whereby the total size of packages installed to root will not exceed some value? Also, can I mount /etc somewhere else or does it have to be on the root?

Thanks in advance.
Simon

kakTuZ

Member

From: Hannover, Germany

Registered: 2007-10-20

Posts: 86

Re: Root filesystem size - how small can I make it?

/etc must be on the / partition, take the fstab file as an example, but thats no problem, etc directory is ony a few mb (without gconf).

RobbeR49

Member

From: Columbus, OH

Registered: 2006-01-17

Posts: 178

Re: Root filesystem size - how small can I make it?

Just an idea on how to do it, check the size of your package cache folder now and see how big it is (assuming you haven't cleaned it out), double it to allow for the installed packages and then add an appropriate safety margin for your other folders and any other changes. You could always put your package cache on a different partition entirely as well.

In the end it's probably better to make it a little too big just to be on the safe side, disk space is relatively inexpensive nowadays anyway.

alex_anthony

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2007-09-25

Posts: 344

Re: Root filesystem size - how small can I make it?

Mount /tmp on a different partition to / . It can grow quite big randomly if working with big files

SystemParadox

Member

From: Tavistock (Devon) and Bristol

Registered: 2006-06-09

Posts: 35

Website

Re: Root filesystem size - how small can I make it?

Just an idea on how to do it, check the size of your package cache folder now and see how big it is (assuming you haven't cleaned it out), double it to allow for the installed packages and then add an appropriate safety margin for your other folders and any other changes. You could always put your package cache on a different partition entirely as well.

RobbeR49, I don't think you've understood what I'm trying to do. That would give me the total size of ALL installed packages. What I want to know is how big to make the root partition. /usr, /var and /opt will all be mounted elsewhere.

Mount /tmp on a different partition to / . It can grow quite big randomly if working with big files

Done already. It's symlinked to /var/tmp.

Total size of /bin, /boot, /etc, /lib and /sbin is 90Mb, so I guess I'm probably safe if I give it 250Mb or so.

RobbeR49

Member

From: Columbus, OH

Registered: 2006-01-17

Posts: 178

Re: Root filesystem size - how small can I make it?

I had no idea how many partitions you were planning on making out of your main directories, my idea was just a general idea if you were only planning on doing a root and home partition. Looks like you have something a little different in mind.