DigitalSonata

I'm writing this because I install/uninstall different distros alot, and it can get messy if you don't plan it out. Below is an example partition scheme.

1 Ext2

32MB

Boot Loader (GRUB)

2 NTFS

20GB

Windows

1: If your dual booting (or ever plan to change OSs) you should have a dedicated partition for your boot loader, typically GRUB is installed to your OS partition, so when you uninstall that OS it gets destroyed (who thought that up?) 32MB is more than enough for GRUB and will save you alot of time/headaches if you mess around with your OSs alot.

2: Swap, this should be at max 1.5GB, a rule of thumb I've heard is 1.5 times your RAM, but imo over 1GB is excessive, and 1.5GB being the absolute limit.

3: This is your first partition for Linux. I usually go with 20GB, if you have alot of large applications then increase this as needed.

4: Windows partition, again I like 20GB, but I install all my big applications to partition 6 (or another drive). If you really want to install them on C:\ then increase the size.

5: I leave 20GB of unpartitioned space on the disk, in case I ever want to change distros. I can install them to this and still have a working OS on partition 2 (and 3 if you run windows)

6: The partition for games, media, ect. You can mount this as /home in linux if you wish (I prefer it, then when I uninstall an OS I don't have to move many files around).

Also, if you are doing anything with your partitions, back up your valuable data! I've lost alot of stuff in the past because if partitioners destroying the partition tables and/or filesystems. Even if you think what your doing is unlikely to destroy your disk, it probably will!

Just wanted to get this info out there, hopefully it will save someone some time/hassle.

Edit: Forgot the extended partition, also Windows will not install on a logical partition.

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kurei

everything looks alright... although I would prefer ReiserFS for the 6 partitions(supposedly for Data.. right..)

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lattyware

ResierFS is worse for home users than Ext3. Also, you can only have 4 primary partitions, you'll have to use an extended partition here somewhere.

Also, 2GB of Swap isn't too bad overkill, and some people may need more. As you said, more than 2GB is overkill for the average home user.

Having a separate /boot partition is a good idea too, I tend to do it.

Of course, using LVM is a good idea if you have multiple drives, there is a link in my sig about it.

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error10

I tried ReiserFS once. It wound up killing a whole bunch of my files and then denying it. I switched back to ext3 fast.

metala

I hadn't had any problems with my ReiserFS, but if I want to switch to Ext3, how can I convert it instead of formatting.

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boydyboyd

sorry i don't think there is. I know you can move from ext2 to ext3 but i don't know of a way to go to ext3 from ResierFS without re-formatting it. If you have 2 hard drives this shouldn't be a problem. Or you could just stick with ReiserFS if you don't want to go through the hassle.

Edit: Found This page on it, maybe you should check it out

error10

I don't think much development is going to happen on ReiserFS in the near future since its author is looking at 15-to-life in California for murdering his wife.

boydyboyd

wow, didn't know that.

The last OS campaigning for the development of reiserFS was suse, and they stopped adding it as an install option in suse 10.2.

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error10

Personally I'm looking forward to ext4.

metala

I know about Hans Reiser long time ago, maybe a year.
But Debian still offer ReiserFS, I saw few benchmarks and ReiserFS was faster than ext3 in small files tests. If main developer is in jail, that doesn't mean that the project is dying. I'm sure that Debian devs have made stable ReiserFS support.

FS Benckmarks
http://linux.50webs.org/resources/fs-benchmarks.htm
http://www.csamuel.org/articles/emer...709/#id2481382

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