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Thread: Default partitioning

  1. #1
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    Default partitioning

    Hi all,
    Can someone tell me what the default partitioning is for Ububtu?
    I have not used it for years because i have always found that upgrades have screwed something up.
    It used to be that /home was not on it's own partition so a fresh install would mean having to restore it from backup.
    As I have been using my own partitioning scheme since around 7.x i have no idea what the default is now anyway.
    I have set up ubuntu for several friends and family and have always used the following:
    /
    /var
    /tmp
    /home
    each on it's own partition.
    Oh, and of course a swap area
    Each new install has been this way and all partitions formatted except /home each time.
    If I knew enough about how it is set up I could edit the system and create my own disc so it did it
    that way without me having to do a manual setup.
    tia
    Norman
    Last edited by linuxonbute; March 3rd, 2014 at 08:36 PM. Reason: added information
    Running 14.04 on my HP Pavilion g6 4 Gig Ram 320 Gig Disc

  2. #2
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    Re: Default partitioning

    The default partition layout for Ubuntu is one large root and one small swap.
    Usually, if using whole disk,
    /dev/sda1 = /
    /dev/sda2 = Extended Partition
    /dev/sda5 = swap

    Extra simple.

    I think if you install on the newer UEFI systems then it makes a special boot partition.
    Never done it myself, so can't elaborate further.
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  3. #3
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    Re: Default partitioning

    Yes it is very simple but that means it causes the same problems as with Windows.
    If the /home was on it's own partition each user would keep all their own settings, passwords and so on.
    Linux should lead, not follow, shouldn't it?
    Running 14.04 on my HP Pavilion g6 4 Gig Ram 320 Gig Disc

  4. #4
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    Re: Default partitioning

    If multi-user, each uses still has own settings. It does not matter if /home is a folder or a partition.

    But the advantage of a smaller / (root) is now with hard drives becoming very large. The Linux formats write files throughout entire / so some boot files may be at beginning of drive and some at end. Makes drive work a bit.
    So I often suggest a smaller / of 10 to 25GB and separate /home or what I actually use data partitions and linking of data back into /home.
    My / is 25Gb with 11GB used including /home, but all data in data partitions.
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  5. #5
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    Re: Default partitioning

    Hi oldfred,
    thanks for your thoughts on this.

    If it is as deadflowr says and the default is one single partition ( and I have no reason to doubt what he says )
    Then an install will wipe out every users settings and data. You cannot let it install a newer version and protect the data if it is all one partition unless you can tell it not to format the drive - which of course you don't get the option to do if you choose the default install system.

    Having a separate data partition is, I believe intrinsically, no different to having /home on it's own partition and the default install will not link a data partition or disc to /home.

    Sure people like us who have some experience of the system can sort these things out
    but a newcomer from Windows who is not in the same position as us will have no idea about this.

    I just wonder why the default isn't a separate partition for /home so this problem doesn't occur.

    If I can find out how to change the default settings to do something like this I would for my own use and that of anyone I install it for.

    If they watch me install it and I just select 'Use whole disc' and it does it that way I am sure it will be more likely to convince them Linux is easy to install than if I have to select 'Something Else' and then have to go through using disc partitioning software before it even starts to install Linux on their PC.
    Running 14.04 on my HP Pavilion g6 4 Gig Ram 320 Gig Disc

  6. #6
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    Re: Default partitioning

    Quote Originally Posted by linuxonbute View Post
    If it is as deadflowr says and the default is one single partition ( and I have no reason to doubt what he says )
    It is.
    Then an install will wipe out every users settings and data. You cannot let it install a newer version and protect the data if it is all one partition unless you can tell it not to format the drive - which of course you don't get the option to do if you choose the default install system.
    Install and upgrade won't, formatting during install will erase data.
    Having a separate data partition is, I believe intrinsically, no different to having /home on it's own partition and the default install will not link a data partition or disc to /home.
    it actually is different. it's sort of like having "My Documents" or is it "users" now ?! on separate partition. it works but in certain cases symbolic links to home are better.

    I just wonder why the default isn't a separate partition for /home so this problem doesn't occur.
    in my opinion there is no problem with home being on /

    there is also not really a problem having it on separate partition.
    If they watch me install it and I just select 'Use whole disc' and it does it that way I am sure it will be more likely to convince them Linux is easy to install than if I have to select 'Something Else' and then have to go through using disc partitioning software before it even starts to install Linux on their PC.
    as mentioned it might be better to create data partition and leave home on /. unless you are multibooting you don't actually need separate /home partition on desktop.

    if you wanted to have My documents on separate disk partition or to create data parittion in windows you would also need to choose "advanced" during setup.
    Some more opinions on this topic: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2091983

    bottom line - defaults are preety sane.
    Read the easy to understand, lots of pics Ubuntu manual.
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  7. #7
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    Re: Default partitioning

    Boot a live disc and choose use whole disc will trash everything on the disc. It will delete all partitions and put the whole system on one partition.
    So where am I wrong?
    If instead you choose to install along side what is on the disc already it will leave whatever is there and still put the installation on one partition.
    There will in both cases there will be no room for a data partition.
    Sure I can fire up gparted afterwards and shrink the partition, create a new data partition and symlink it to /home but I will have lost all my data and have to restore from backup.
    Now I want to impress a new user with how wonderfully easy linux is to install not perform what is to them arcane magic.
    So that is why I asked the original questions.

  8. #8
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    Re: Default partitioning

    what you want is customized OS install. i mean why stop at one partition? why not create separate Video, Files, Music, Pictures partitions? Why not create separate program partition?

    For example on my windows maschine i have 2 hard disks and the following partitions:
    System
    Games and programs
    Virtual disks
    Downloads and pictures
    Data, iso images


    you can bet that this wasn't offered as system's default. furthermore i doubt everyone else will divide disk like i have.

    for normal user everything on one partition should be OK. Windows usually also comes preinstalled only on one partition (maybe they have additional boot partition, while various tools and restore parittion do not count in this case). same goes for other OS.

    i did show to my father how you install an os in 20 minutes. left it at default partitioning. it erased the preinstalled SUSE (which also had one / and /swap and another restore thing i believe). works just fine.
    Read the easy to understand, lots of pics Ubuntu manual.
    Do i need antivirus/firewall in linux?
    Full disk backup (newer kernel -> suitable for newer PC): Clonezilla
    User friendly full disk backup: Rescuezilla

  9. #9
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    Re: Default partitioning

    Hi Mastablasta,

    I think you are misunderstanding what I am saying here. Maybe I am not explaining it well enough.

    I have always had to do a fresh install because any time I have tried upgrading to the latest release it has messed up.

    Now if the default install created / and a separate /home and didn't format /home then anyone even without absolutely any understanding of computers whatsoever
    could just boot a live distro and click 'default install' and no-one would loose their settings.

    All they would have to do afterwards would be to install any extra software they wanted over and above the standard.

    As it is this just does not happen so anyone who knows about these things as we obviously do could still choose custom install.

    However anyone who doesn't understand would just wipe all their photos, documents, and so on and have no way of getting them
    back as they would probably be someone who doesn't do backups either.
    Running 14.04 on my HP Pavilion g6 4 Gig Ram 320 Gig Disc

  10. #10
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    Re: Default partitioning

    Quote Originally Posted by linuxonbute View Post
    I have always had to do a fresh install because any time I have tried upgrading to the latest release it has messed up.

    Now if the default install created / and a separate /home and didn't format /home then anyone even without absolutely any understanding of computers whatsoever
    could just boot a live distro and click 'default install' and no-one would loose their settings.
    so you issue is the upgrade (which so far has worked for me). Upgrades work well as long as the system is not heavily cusomized.

    one can upgrade from internet or from install media.

    as i said before oyu can also do a reinstall where you overwrite the previous version with new version leaving the files on disk (without formatting). which is almost what the upgrade does and definatelly what the windows upgrade does (i still have win98 files left over on ye old mashicne...).

    more here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes
    I underlined..
    Renewing the Installation without formatting the partitions (in contrast to upgrading), will also keep the personal data and configurations under /home but will renew all system settings under /etc as well as the default set of installed packages.
    mint backup tool - backup the settings if you need them backed up. if you do a reinstall you should backup anyway...
    Read the easy to understand, lots of pics Ubuntu manual.
    Do i need antivirus/firewall in linux?
    Full disk backup (newer kernel -> suitable for newer PC): Clonezilla
    User friendly full disk backup: Rescuezilla

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