Arch Linux

Bapman

Member

From: Ottawa, Canada

Registered: 2007-09-02

Posts: 140

Install for a HTPC

Hi all,

I am in the process of building a HTPC based on nVidia's ION platform. Of course, I am choosing ArchLinux as OS since I am used to it and I love its philosophy !
I will also have an Ubuntu installed as backup (mainly for XBMC).

I would have a two questions since it is the first time I am building a HTPC:

1) Concerning partitioning, I want to create a partition dedicated to my multimedia files. There will be rather large files (movies and music) and also some pictures. I am hesitating between EXT4 and XFS. Which is best for this particular usage ?
I was thinking:
/ : EXT4
/var : ReiserFS
/media_partition : EXT4 or XFS

Also I do not know where to put this multimedia partition. It must be accessible from Ubuntu so I am guessing that /home is not
a good choice (I do not want a common /home for both distribs). Maybe I should put it in /media/library or smthg like that ?

2) I will install XBMC, which will fulfill most of my needs, except for the Web browser. So I would like to install a whole desktop environment. I am used to GNOME but it is too heavy for this usage. I was thinking of Openbox.
The main problem is that I will use a remote or a small keyboard so it may be quite uneasy to control the desktop environment.
Is there something dedicated to the use of remote controls (simple interfaces like the ones for Moblin or Ubuntu Remix) ?   

Thanks in advance for your help

jelly

Administrator

From: /dev/null

Registered: 2008-06-10

Posts: 714

Re: Install for a HTPC

1)
For your partitioning:
Just do what you said, leave one big seperate partition open for your media files. Ubuntu can mount Ext4 and i think XFS too.

2)
I don't use XMBC but you can pull it from AUR, search for the XMBC thread on the forums

- I won't install a full blown DE, if you just bootup and start XMBC anyway, for  browsing and setting i would recommend openbox.

- You can set keybinding with openbox and there are keyboards with a sort of mouse.

- Remote Control - you probaly wont some IR/bluetooth stuff, again no experiences, but i can give you one tip search first for an remote controller that supports linux well before you buy it.

Last edited by jelly (2009-08-13 12:18:23)

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dotfiles

Bapman

Member

From: Ottawa, Canada

Registered: 2007-09-02

Posts: 140

Re: Install for a HTPC

Thank you for your answer, Jelly !

1) Which fs will perform better in your opinion ?

2) Openbox with keybindings will be great for browsing. Anyway I won't use a remote in Firefox !!! I was just dreaming of a DE dedicated to remote control !

djszapi

Member

From: Cambridge, United Kingdom

Registered: 2009-06-14

Posts: 1,439

Website

Re: Install for a HTPC

"1) Which fs will perform better in your opinion ?" -> I use reiserfs for ages, I think it's the quickest, but btr will be good too, i think so.

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