Partition sizes for multiple installs

[cortman]

a. 60 gib ntfs for windows 7
b. 200 gib ntfs for data sharing between windows and linux(thats better i guess)
1. 25 gb for /
2. 10 gb for /home
3. 3gb swap area

All 1,2 and 3 are ext4 logical partitions under same extended partition while 'a' and 'b' are primary partitions.

^^ Good example of a well partitioned HD. I have mine partitioned approximately as follows-

a) 100 GB for Windows
b) 40 GB for Ubuntu
c) 500 GB data sharing between Ubuntu and Windows (the "data" partition)
d) 40 GB for Fedora 16
e) 4 GB swap

If you let Ubuntu install on its own without telling it how to partition it will make two partitions; one for / and everything under it (i.e., /home, /etc, /usr, /boot, etc.) and one for swap. The "data" partition we're referring to is something you do on your own after the fact. Its purpose is to be a point for file storage that can be accessed by both Windows and Ubuntu.

with /home shared for both ubuntu versions

I DO NOT recommend this.

[nipunshakya]

^^ Good example of a well partitioned HD. I have mine partitioned approximately as follows-

a) 100 GB for Windows
b) 40 GB for Ubuntu
c) 500 GB data sharing between Ubuntu and Windows (the "data" partition)
d) 40 GB for Fedora 16
e) 4 GB swap

Glad to know that after a long struggle to get a perfect combination of ubuntu and windows 7 i found this scheme best for me, and even more glad to know that a guru has similar to mine..

Thank You.
Regards,Winuxuser

[cortman]

Glad to know that after a long struggle to get a perfect combination of ubuntu and windows 7 i found this scheme best for me, and even more glad to know that a guru has similar to mine..

Thank You.
Regards,Winuxuser

Whoa, whoa! I am FAR from a guru! I'm still learning myself on a LOT of things. It took me a good bit of trial and error to get a decent partitioning scheme myself, but I'm very happy with it, and yours looks good too!

[nipunshakya]

^^^^^

[smcrossman]

hmmm....this is what I have so far. Only 2 install done...currently installing packages I heavily rely on into Ubuntu and doing first round of updates/upgrades so I can use it if need be. I have 8 partitions and a block of Free between the windows and Ubuntu sections which I guess if I format it would become partition 4

1 105 MB NTFS System Restore
2 157 GB NTFS Windows (I know that I'll be storing a lot of video/audio so I went rather large here

Free 18GB

3 144GB "Extended" note says its for "Logical"
5 10GB Swap
6 22 GB Ext4 /
7 50 GB Ext4 /home
8 20 GB
9 42 GB

8&9 are for Server currently unformatted & unassigned

Regardless....so far so good. time to CALL support re: my network storage drive already did chat for a couple of hours so I'm being elevated. See if I can get that resolved in time to set it up after I get Server installed and basic set ups done in Desktop and Windows. What a day!

[cortman]

Looks good so far! Your partitions are sized a little oddly, but as you use your various OS's you'll find what works for you, and can resize accordingly. Be very careful with resizing though, and always be sure your data is backed up.
Good luck with your NAS. Any more questions, feel free to post!

[nipunshakya]

hmmm....this is what I have so far. Only 2 install done...currently installing packages I heavily rely on into Ubuntu and doing first round of updates/upgrades so I can use it if need be. I have 8 partitions and a block of Free between the windows and Ubuntu sections which I guess if I format it would become partition 4

1 105 MB NTFS System Restore
2 157 GB NTFS Windows (I know that I'll be storing a lot of video/audio so I went rather large here

Free 18GB

3 144GB "Extended" note says its for "Logical"
5 10GB Swap
6 22 GB Ext4 /
7 50 GB Ext4 /home
8 20 GB
9 42 GB

8&9 are for Server currently unformatted & unassigned

Regardless....so far so good. time to CALL support re: my network storage drive already did chat for a couple of hours so I'm being elevated. See if I can get that resolved in time to set it up after I get Server installed and basic set ups done in Desktop and Windows. What a day!

I think u did too much on swap area. 10gib was more than needed. And, there is no need to worry about extended saying logical, coz its that way. Just assume extended as a container for a number of logical partitions.


Goodluck And happy Linuxing
Regards,WinuxUser

[darkod]

@WinuxUser
But you can have only one extended partition. You can't create a second one.

The layout looks good, but I have no idea why you left the 18GB unallocated space in front of the extended partition, why didn't you just continue where sda2 ends.

All logical partitions have to be next to each other, making a "group" and linux marks the extended partition according to that. Make sure you don't try to make logical partitions which are not next to each other as a one single group.

[nipunshakya]

@WinuxUser
But you can have only one extended partition. You can't create a second one.

Thanks Drako. Shall consider that as an unforgettable advice. I corrected my previous comment accordingly. Thanks again.

[smcrossman]

Actually I didnn't create the extended drive...regardless of what I partition or how it is just there.

Anyway the free space was because I was re-partitioning from pre-existing setup and thought I was going to try to save some data. I wanted it in case I needed it for windows but didn't want to commit it to windows because I HATE windows. I started with my linux partitions from the end of the disk to the middle which is totally backwards but I knew approx (which is why the sizes are so odd....I did approximates not exact numbers figuring more than less would be best) what I THOUGHT would suffice and then whatever free space was left over could be used by windows if needed in the future. Since the server thing is a learning situation and may or may not be included when I get a new machine I wasn't hung up on getting it just right this time. As long as I back up my info and all this should be good for a while now.

The installs went fine. Only I had a duh moment when it asked about installing the bootloader in server & told it yes. Now I'm stuck with no menu and only access to server because I have a nVidia system which grub default is out of range. Know how to fix it in desktop, using graphical but not in command style. So I have to go refresh my memory on that issue and the fixes I ignored before. Not fun,but at least I KNOW what the issue is a year ago when I encountered this I was in a full blown panic...LOL.

Since the partitioning and installs are done basically successfully I'm going to mark the thread solved. I'd love to see further input if ya'll have thoughts or discoveries along this line for future reference!

Thanks for your help!