on Tue, Dec 31, 2002 at 05:12:21PM -0500, Nori Heikkinen ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
wrote:
> thanks to all who responded -- this has been immensely useful. right
> now i'm thinking:
>
> / 100M
> /usr 3G
> /tmp 100M
> /var 3G
> swap 384M
> /home rest
That looks better. Probably a bit rich for /var.
I'd also do 3-4 swap partitions, each 1-2 x the size of your current memory
allocation. Here's why:
- You want your swap roughly paired with your memory allocation.
Swap = 1x or 2x memory is the standard guideline. Usually a new
system has only a fraction of the total possible system memory.
Count on maxing your RAM as the system grows, so you're going to
want an allocation (available swap partitions) of ~2x your maximum
possible RAM. Since having _too_ much swap can result in sluggish
performance (your system swaps and lags while doing it), you'll
want to cut this allocation up into reasonable chunks.
- IMO 1GB is sufficient for /var on a baseline Debian system, where
the primarly use is storing package archives. If you're running
special-purpose servers (particularly logging, usenet, mail,
database, or very large website), you may want to add to your /var
allocation, though creating dedicated partitions may also be
useful. Advantages of partitioning: management of space, ability
to specify performance or security related options (nodev, nosuid,
blocksize, async mounts, etc.). Disadvantages: more things to
think about.
> a couple questions more:
>
> - i need to make / bootable, right?
Usually.
> - i don't think i need a /usr/local, as i don't think i usually
> download and compile a lot from non-debian sources ... but i might
> be wrong on that one. what do most people have in theirs?
You don't *need* any partitions other than /. Creating separate
partitions for /, /usr, /home, /tmp, /var, /usr/local, /boot,
/var/spool, /var/www, etc., is a _convenience_ for better managing your
system.
If you don't mount an additional filesystem at a particular point, then
that directory tree simply resides on the parent filesystem. In your
case, /usr/local will be on the /usr filesystem.
> now, what i'm most confused on:
> - if i can only have 3 primary partitions if i want more than 4
> partitions total, do i just designate the first three (/, /usr, and
> /tmp) as the primary ones, and then just keep partitioning my merry
> way along, designating all the rest to be logical? will that work,
> or do i need to make four partitions, and somehow subdivide the last
> one into the rest of the partitions i want? i think it's the former
> and i'm just confusing myself ... please correct me if i'm wrong
> here.
If you have more than four partitions, you partition anywhere from 0-3
as primary partitions, have at least one extended partition, and the
remainder are logical partitions within the extended partition(s).
In practice, I generally use 3 primary, one extended, and the remainder
logical, partitions.
> - i *do* need to specifically partition /home as its own partition,
> right?
No, see above. Though it's generally useful practice.
Peace.
--
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