file instead of seperate partition for /tmp and /var-

cameris · 2009-12-14 08:58:18

Hi,

currently I'm setting up my workstation and don't know if I should make separate partitions or files for /tmp and /var. I would prefer to make files and mount them, because it will give me more flexibility if I have to resize them, but I have no experience with that. So my questions are:
Is there any big performance or other issue by making a tmp- and varfile?
How big should they be?
Which filesystem should be used?

btw, with file I mean:

dd if=/dev/null of=/dev/tmp_part (bs=... count=...)
    mkfs.ext4 /dev/tmp_part

in fstab:

/dev/tmp_part /tmp ext4 defaults,noexec,nosuid,noatime(,loop?) 0 0

mikesd · 2009-12-14 09:19:46

I have heard of people using a file for swap but not for var or tmp. If I was you I would look into lvm. It will give you the flexibility you want.

For filesystems I have been using ext4 since it was included in Arch Linux. Before that I used ext3. They are solid choices. If you go with lvm and leave a little space spare you can always switch from extX to jfs, xfs, etc if you find a need.

Size? Best way is to look at an existing install that *you* use and go by that. There have been a couple of threads about this in the past. Here is one.

cameris · 2009-12-14 12:01:44

thanks for the help.
lvm ... already forgot about that

For the filesystem I will stick with ext4. Only thought that journaling on tmp maybe unneeded, and therefor use ext2.

mikesd · 2009-12-14 20:19:50

Another option for tmp would be to use tmpfs if you have plenty of ram.

some-guy94 · 2009-12-15 00:03:28

cameris wrote:

Hi,
currently I'm setting up my workstation and don't know if I should make separate partitions or files for /tmp and /var. I would prefer to make files and mount them, because it will give me more flexibility if I have to resize them, but I have no experience with that. So my questions are:
Is there any big performance or other issue by making a tmp- and varfile?
How big should they be?
Which filesystem should be used?
btw, with file I mean:
dd if=/dev/null of=/dev/tmp_part (bs=... count=...)
    mkfs.ext4 /dev/tmp_part
in fstab:
/dev/tmp_part /tmp ext4 defaults,noexec,nosuid,noatime(,loop?) 0 0

I would recommend ext3, just because it's stable and does have journaling.
To make it, use

dd if=/dev/zero of=/virtpartitions/tmp bs=1M count=NUMBER_OF_MEGABYTES # There is a difference between /dev/null and /dev/zero :)
mkfs.ext3 /virtpartitions/tmp

In fstab

/virtpartitions/tmp                  /tmp    ext3  defaults,noatime,loop 0 0

kjon · 2009-12-15 00:45:17

/.loop/var.reiserfs    /var        reiserfs    noatime,nodiratime,loop      0 0

Arch Linux

#1 2009-12-14 08:58:18

file instead of seperate partition for /tmp and /var-

#2 2009-12-14 09:19:46

Re: file instead of seperate partition for /tmp and /var-

#3 2009-12-14 12:01:44

Re: file instead of seperate partition for /tmp and /var-

#4 2009-12-14 20:19:50

Re: file instead of seperate partition for /tmp and /var-

#5 2009-12-15 00:03:28

Re: file instead of seperate partition for /tmp and /var-

#6 2009-12-15 00:45:17

Re: file instead of seperate partition for /tmp and /var-

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