Need advice on drive partitioning

[Luke225]

I plan to install Cinammon (64-bit) in a dual boot scenario with Windows Vista x64. As I have never run Linux before, I have some basic questions about setting up my hard drive prior to installation. I have read that for a basic install, three partitions are necessary: one for the OS, one for a home directory and one for a swap partition.

I currently have two primary NTFS partitions defined (see attached). The first contains Vista and the second is also an NTFS partition for data (mp3's, photos, etc.) that I'm hoping to share between both OS's. My understanding is that I am now to set up an extended partition in what free space I have left and then define the three (logical) partitions mentioned above.

Is this the correct setup? If so, should I define the extended partition first, or will the Linux installer give me a chance to do that? I don't want to delete the Vista partition, so sorry if I sound a little paranoid. Also, will Mint be able to read an NTFS partition and vice versa?

Any advice would be appreciate.

If it helps, I have a Toshiba Laptop, Core 2 Duo (P8400@2.26GHz)
4GB RAM (PC2-6400)
320GB HDD

[anandrkris]

Hi - I switched from Windows to Linux Mint few months ago and this tutorial helped me. There are other tuturials here. 'Shrink' one of your windows partition and use that unallocated space to install Mint.

I i think I have around 10 GB for root folder, ~ 100 GB for home (for Steam games, Music and Movies) , ~2GB for swap. Yes, Mint can read NTFS natively and in Linux you have ext4 format for which you need to install additional software in Windows. So you /home aprtition in Linux may not require so much space as NTFS partitions automatically get mounted.

[catweazel]

You shouldn't need to worry about anything. The Mint installer will see that empty space and set everything up for you, without you having to do much other than click a few buttons.

The default install won't create a separate /home partition. If you want your /home partition separate then you'll have to create a swap partition, and one extended partition containing both root / and /home logical partitions.

[Luke225]

Thanks for the info. So you're saying Windows can read your 100GB /home partition after installing some software? What do you need to install in order to see the /home partition?

[anandrkris]

Yes and it works. ext2fsd is the application I use in windows.

[Luke225]

Great, thanks for the image...that always helps. If you don't mind a final question - your ext3 partitions (/, /home and swap)...those are showing up in windows as F, G and H. Are these set up as TehGhodTrole said by defining a swap partition first and then an extended partition with / and /home as logical drives? Is this what you specified during the install? I guess what I'm not clear on...is the swap partition also included in the extended partition or is it considered another primary partition?

[anandrkris]

Welcome. Glad to be of any help.
F is root, G is Home, H (280 MB) is set for boot though i re-installed GRUB to MBR later.
Frankly, I forgot what i had configured because that point in time i did not have much clarity on the installation process. Good that you're doing your homework.
All Mint related partitions are extended partitions partition - May not be an optimal setup. This is what i configure as noob and did not bother to change it.

I would suggest you to read few partitioning guides / tutorials to get a better view of the process and configure it rightly.