linux partitionsize

[Michel]

Hello,

 

another question....I'm just reinstalling linux, but unlike the normal install, I would like separate partitions for /usr(programs),/tmp(for noexec),/home(ofcourse) and then / for the rest(mostley systemstuf tjhen). and... swap(artoung 250 mb)

 

I was wondering how big I should make "/" .... and /tmp because it is the first time I set it up "manually".... I was looking for a post about this subject, because I know there has been one abou this, but I can't find it?

 

Thanks,

 

Michel

[Counterspy]

Read the Partitioning Section in the Install Section of othe old docs at the top of the page.

 

Counterspy

[Michel]

Thanks

[mtweidmann]

Remember that unless you specify other wise /var and /root are counted under /, both of which can take up quite a bit of room.

[Cannonfodder]

So it depends on what you are using your box for. If its just home stuff, I generally make my / partition about 600 meg and /usr and /home about 3 gig each. But for /home, that is generally over kill. I recently added a /share partition that I will use to share files between linux distros. I have share type partitions between windows and linux too.

[aru]

Remember that unless you specify other wise /var and /root are counted under /, both of which can take up quite a bit of room.

 

I agree with you with /var; also /opt can be huge... but /root? :shock:

[arusabal@myslackware ~]$ su -c "du -sh /root*"

Password: 

29k     /root

[arusabal@myslackware ~]$

 

arusabal@mymandrake ~$ su -c "du -hs /root*"

Password: 

468K    /root

arusabal@mymandrake ~$

so... what are you using root for? ;)

 

seriously, the /root directory, as the home of root is suposed to be the place for his configuration-profile settings[1], the rest of the whole system is the place to put all his stuff as root is the only user who has the whole system at his feet (obviously with the right permissions, and obviously his stuff IS the system stuff) .

So a root directory shouldn't be big at all.

 

To answer Michel's question about how big "/" should be:

If /var (and maybe /opt) are in it's own partitions, plus the partition scheme you have purposed, with 400-600 Mb you have more than enough.

Though if /var is in your root partition, then you should think what are you going to use your system for. If it is meant to be a server (ie http or ftp server ***in that case you should put /var in it's own partition***), then you should think to provide enough "/" to hold a huge "/var" space.

 

[1] even the /root directory shouldn't include those GUI conf-profile files, as root isn't supposed/doesn't need to login graphicaly

 

Just IMHO

 

[edited]

mtweidmann, you might want to take a look to:

Filesystem Hierarchy Standard :: 3.13 /root : Home directory for the root user (optional)

[/edited]

[Guest duir66]

As I have been taught, the swap file needs to be double the amount of the ram UP TO 256 mb of physical mem/512mb of swap.

 

Past that, (512 swap) it is wasted space.

[aru]

... Past that, (512 swap) it is wasted space.

 

Again, that will depend on what are you going to use your system for. If you want to hack with Knoppix, less than 1,5-2Gb of swap is not a good idea. :)

[DragonMage]

... Past that, (512 swap) it is wasted space.

 

Again, that will depend on what are you going to use your system for. If you want to hack with Knoppix, less than 1,5-2Gb of swap is not a good idea. :)

 

Why is that anyway? Does knoppix actually load the whole content of the iso into the memory or swapfile?

[aru]

No, I was talking about hacking knoppix, not using it. If you want to have your own knoppix distro, you need first to copy its uncompressed contents to your harddisk, then change/add/remove whatever you want, and finally re-make and re-compress the iso (and of course burn it). The last part (compressing) is where you'll need loads of memory, and here is where a big swap does the trick.

 

Here is a link where the whole process is explained in detail:

http://www.gacetadelinux.com/en/lg/issue87/sunil.html