Need tips on setting up linux as my long term OS

[Diss]

Have tinkered with linux on and off for about the last 10 years bu now that steam does linux games i am thinking of switching for good so am going to set up up a test box.

OS will probably be Ubuntu or maybe Kubuntu.

What i need help/suggestions with are:

1) How to best partition the drive to allow for future OS upgrades - or even switching to a different linux OS without losing any data e.g. should /home always be on its own partition

2) backup strategies - is it as simple as copying the home folder - any software recomendations - and how about Image backups

3) anything else i don't even know to ask about

many thanks

 

[OhEsEcks]

1: My own partitioning scheme is as follows.

• /boot # 256 MiB
• swap # 8 GiB (Half my RAM)
• / # Whatever usable space is left on the SSD.
• /home # This takes up a whole disk / array of it's own

As for retaining data. I know lots of people who backup their "dot files" to GitHub and the like (I do too!), so that when they do a fresh install, they can just pull the files in from GitHub and all their original settings / preferences are the same again. However, if you don't know what you're doing, I have seen people accidentally upload folders and files they shouldn't, so including the .ssh and .gnupg folders, exposing GPG and SSH secure keys.

2: Yes. It's that simple, if you want it to be. My backup strategy involves the GitHub method for my dotfiles and folders, but then I also copy my Documents, Music and Pictures directories to optical discs once a week, or if there's been a big change in a particular folder (normally after batch ripping a lot of music from CD to my machine). Eventually I'll invest in a tape drive and several tapes for a more long lasting solution. For more methods, search google for "rsync backup". Most backup utilities make use of rsync and give it a front end anyway.

3: Not that I can think of right now. Just ask again in this thread if YOU do.

 

[Diss]

1: My own partitioning scheme is as follows.

• /boot # 256 MiB
• swap # 8 GiB (Half my RAM)
• / # Whatever usable space is left on the SSD.
• /home # This takes up a whole disk / array of it's own

As for retaining data. I know lots of people who backup their "dot files" to GitHub and the like (I do too!), so that when they do a fresh install, they can just pull the files in from GitHub and all their original settings / preferences are the same again. However, if you don't know what you're doing, I have seen people accidentally upload folders and files they shouldn't, so including the .ssh and .gnupg folders, exposing GPG and SSH secure keys.

2: Yes. It's that simple, if you want it to be. My backup strategy involves the GitHub method for my dotfiles and folders, but then I also copy my Documents, Music and Pictures directories to optical discs once a week, or if there's been a big change in a particular folder (normally after batch ripping a lot of music from CD to my machine). Eventually I'll invest in a tape drive and several tapes for a more long lasting solution. For more methods, search google for "rsync backup". Most backup utilities make use of rsync and give it a front end anyway.

3: Not that I can think of right now. Just ask again in this thread if YOU do.

thanks - lots to digest - and most way above my knowledge

quick question about the partitioning:

/home # This takes up a whole disk / array of it's own

you mean you have a separate hard disk just for this i assume which i understand

however i am unsure how you would then use this if for example i want to reinstall the (or another?) os i.e. when i am at the partitioning stage again if i choose the HD with all my data on it will this reformat it or just point to it? its been a while since i ran an installation)

thanks

 

[OhEsEcks]

thanks - lots to digest - and most way above my knowledge

quick question about the partitioning:

/home # This takes up a whole disk / array of it's own

you mean you have a separate hard disk just for this i assume which i understand

however i am unsure how you would then use this if for example i want to reinstall the (or another?) os i.e. when i am at the partitioning stage again if i choose the HD with all my data on it will this reformat it or just point to it? its been a while since i ran an installation)

thanks

I currently have home on a 12TB RAID array of 8x2TB disks...



The 120 GB disk is an M2 SSD. I have /boot, swap and / (root) on that drive. /home goes on the 12TB RAID-6 array (made up of the 8x2TB disks).

In nearly all Linux installers (or through manual installation if you're a glutton for punishment) you can dictate to the installer to use the existing partition or disk without touching the contents of that partition or disk. You're planning on using Ubuntu or Kubuntu, right? It's easy enough to do an install without erasing existing data.

Have a read of these two articles, particularly Ubuntu Reinstallation...

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HomeFolder
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuReinstallation

I haven't used Ubuntu or the various spins in a bit, but I seem to remember that the Ubuntu installer was severely lacking if I wanted to create and install to a RAID array. So I had to use the basic installer and the convoluted Debian like way of doing it. There was no problem with two disks though (one disk for /boot, swap and root, with /home on the other disk). That might have changed though with the latest release, but I'm not sure. I haven't been keeping up with Ubuntu since I switched to Fedora.

Common sense however dictates that you should ALWAYS backup the contents of home before you attempt doing anything that involves formatting and filesystems.

 

[Diss]

thanks very much - great info

cheers