Disk partitions and file systems.

Slinwagh

Slinwagh

Slinwagh

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I am going to install Ubuntu Server 7.10.

The machine in question has three physical disks in it, they are as follows.

120Gb
150Gb
500Gb

I am planning to install the server onto the 120Gb disk and let it automatically partition itself. Is this the best way utilise the disk or is there a better way?

The 150Gb I was hoping to use for running VMWare and actual VM's, what is the best way to partition this disk and what is the best file system to use?

The 500Gb disk will be used for data storage, music, video. What is the best file system to use for this disk.

Please bear in mind although I have used Linux on the desktop I have never manually partitioned anything so please be gentle !!!
 
I'd really recommend the ubuntu forums for advice on Ubuntu. Put it this way, there are 9000 people online there compared with 4 here. Do a search and you'll find an answer to any possible question.
 
If you don't know what you're doing, stick with the default suggestions.

As for partitioning the 150 - don't bother... it'll make it a PITA, as you'll be mounting the drive in the file hierarchy somewhere anyway.

Same for the 500. Don't bother (unless you REALLY want to).

For linux - generally go for reiser on ext3. journaling file systems, unlike ext2.

@ Likwid - great answer :rolleyes:
 
I'm so sorry you don't approve of my recommending the ubuntu forums to someone wishing to learn about ubuntu.

:o
 
He's installing ubuntu and asking about disk partitioning. Where would be a good place to find information? How about the ubuntu forums, you know that enormously popular forum of ubuntu(linux) users?!
 
Generally I use Ext3 for my system and I would do something like this.

120gb
/ 20gig
/swap 3gig (pending on amount of ram)
/home the rest

Mount the 150gig drive as /vm or /virtualmachines (up to you really)

Then mount the 500gig drive as /backup (up to you again :p).

Use ext3 on all volumes.

Edit: You say you are installing ubuntu server but talk about audio and stuff. Are you using a GUI or just going commandline?
 
I have used the EXT3 file system and partioned as suggested on the Ubunti forums.

10G ext3 for /
10G ext3 spare for / when testing the next OS release
2G swap
rest /home

The machine in question is a e6600 and 2Gb RAM.
 
What VMs will you be running? You can choose to give VMWare either a virtual disk, in which case it will create a .vmdk file with all of the data for that VM inside it or you can pass it a real disk which is faster. There are pros and cons of each method.

The .vmdk file gives you an extremely quick way of backing things up if you want to at the expense of a bit of speed (which you WILL feel if you use the VMs for anything serious unless you have blistering I/O, which you dont). However, you can set the virtual disk to only grow in size when it needs to, maximising efficiency on the real disk.

The disk way gives you the most speed and potential recoverability if it all goes wrong (bung the drive in another PC with a linux and mount the volume) but at the expense of having consumed all of that space (and you wont be able to mount the drive in both the original OS and the VM at the same time to use any "free" space on that VM).

If you plan to use the VM for dev work, go with the dedicated drive. If you are just doing it for mucking about then go for the first option :)
 
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