Help for custom partitioning during re-install of Linux Mint 21 Vanessa

[Oscar]

Hello,

I am new to Linux Mint and to this Forum. Thanks for all the help so far!

I have a few questions about partitioning during a re-install of Linux Mint 21 Vanessa (as single OS/boot on Lenovo Thinkpad Carbon X1 Gen 8, 1T, 16G RAM, UEFI, OS Windows 10 Pro (64b)), after a failed attempt and computer freeze. (See viewtopic.php?f=46&t=386316&p=2264152#p2264152)

Now I will try to re-install LM 21 Vanessa on the same pc, as single boot/OS and without data to save.
Live session works well. In ‘Something else’ installation type, after having clicked on ‘New Partition Table…’ and deleted previous partitions (that I did during the failed installation attempt), I want to re-install them properly.

I see now (see attached printscreen) the simplest form:
-/dev/nvme0n1
---free space
-/dev/sda
---free space
(I cannot delete one or the other)


Questions:

-1- What is the difference between /dev/nvme0n1 and /dev/sda?

-2- Should I keep both? /dev/nvme0n1 has lot of free space and /dev/sda nearly nothing.

-3- If I need to delete one, what is the best way?

-4- Once partitions are done, what should be 'Device for boot loader installation'? Should it be the partition of EFI? Or can it be /dev/sda/?
I have seen that what we put here might depend on the type of boot configured. In the startup section of the BIOS, I have ‘both’ for the UEFI/Legacy Boot. Should I change it to UEFI only as I will only have Linux Mint 21 in single boot/OS (without Windows)?

Thank you very much for your help.
Have a great day.

[linux-rox]

The bad news is, you have an absurd amount of space and can do almost anything you want. You just have to decide what that is!

Let's start with, the nvme is your primary drive. It's where the boot loader and system partition should go. It's also where I would put data files, as it's a large drive. Personally, I'd use sda for backup, both Timeshift snapshots and data files (in separate partitions).

From there, goodness, there are many, many options. Are you familiar with the home vs data partition issue?

[linux-rox]

A few other thoughts.

In future, please use the Screenshot app rather than your camera for taking pictures. If you need to use the camera, e.g., you're capturing the boot screen, disable the flash. It's superfluous and its glare makes the image difficult to read.

Also, if not doing a default installation, I always do my partitioning in GParted (an app on Menu) before starting the installer. Indeed, it would be helpful if you would boot a live session, open GParted, take a screenshot (using the app), and post it to the thread.

To answer your first question, the nvme is an SSD. sda might be an SSD or conventional HDD, but in any event the nvme will be faster because it uses what's called an M2 connection, where sda is using SATA. That's why I say the nvme is your primary drive.

Finally, I notice you had a separate thread on data vs home partition and, as it happened, the three folks who responded are in the home camp. Just so you know, there are many of us in the data camp also, including xenopeek (administrator of the forum) and zcot.

Your computer, your choice.

[Oscar]

Dear linux-rox,

Thank you very much for your replies and advises. Apologies for not replying quickly.


Concerning the points you highlighted:

- /dev/nvme0n1 is the only drive I have on this PC.
The /dev/sda was in fact the bootable USB stick used to create the live session and installation process.

- familiar with /home vs data partition.
No and I am not sure to understand the difference between both data and home camps. I think that isolating more is beneficial. After reading, I now think that /home definitely needs to be separated from / (root).
Now the next step is – maybe this is the dilemma – to decide whether I partition/separate further /home into a ‘simplified’ /home (only with user preferences and user config) and purely user data partitions (/?). I think that theoretically it makes sense but I am scared it goes beyond my understanding and is a complication versus the advantages it brings.
What is you point of view? What is the data camp point-of-view?
How to do this during installation and configuration? We can do this after (at any time) by creating new partition(s) from the /home partition? What names do you give?

- Gparted
I am not familiar with this app. I had the feeling that the classic Linux Mint Live install (with ‘Something else’ installation type) was enough to create the partitions I wanted. What is the advantage to use Gparted?

- Timeshift
I am not familiar with this. I will research further. I nevertheless understand it is a system backup and helps revert to a previous situation. I keep an updated list of key applications/softwares I use and my data is backed-up on external NAS and cloud. If I encounter a problem I would thus just reformat everything and reinstall everything quickly. What do you think of this approach? Does this offer the advantage to start again from a fresh and upgraded version and situation?

- Printscreens
Thanks for the guidance. I will try to use the mentioned app when possible. And when not, do better photos.


Concerning my next steps:

As you can see in the other thread viewtopic.php?f=46&t=386425&p=2285409#p2285409, I re-installed LM in standard as I needed to move forward and as I still had an error (GNU GRUB error after custom install). But I hope someone can tell me what was done wrong.

Thanks again for all your help.
Have a great day.

O.

[linux-rox]

I'm sorry. It would take a lot of time and effort to answer all those questions. Then you're just going to turn around and follow your own intuitions anyway. You're allowed to follow your own intuitions - it's your computer - but you don't need me for that. Good luck.

[RIH]

I will try & answer some of your queries, but, as linux-rox has already said, much is just down to what an individual prefers with no 'wrong' or 'right'.

- familiar with /home vs data partition.

Personally I like to keep it simple - 1 partition for / root & /home.
Then I have a completely different disk where I put all my personal data.
How that Personal Data disk is named & what Folders you have, with what names, is something only you can decide based on what you are using your system for. For example, there is very little point in having a Documents Folder if you never create any Documents.
This makes deciding what to back up very simple.

- Gparted

If you are going to create a complicated system with multiple partitions then it is probably necessary to use GParted to create those partitions before you start the install process. If you want an uncomplicated setup then the Installation disk will manage that without any need for GParted. However, if the disk that you wish to install Mint onto contains a number of partitions in different formats then you will need to use something like GParted to tidy the mess up before you start.

- Timeshift

Your understanding of what Timeshift is designed to do is correct.
Personally, I don't use it and rely on a very similar system that you suggest you will do. I do have a couple of caveats to that though... If you intend to 'experiment' on your system by adding Applications/ other Desktops etc. then a manual Timeshift snapshot before you embark on that course can save a large amount of your time if something goes awry. Personally I do all my experimenting in a throw away VirtualBox guest.

- Printscreens

KSnip is a screenshot Application + . It is well worth downloading and using.
It can be downloaded as a .deb file from here:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/ksnip/