[Solved] Partitions SSD64 + 1TB hdd with docs from Win7

[MyM]

Hi,
I'm dumping Win7 for latest Mint Cinnamon. I want to install on the SSD and use the 1TB hdd for /home (and whatever else might be recommended). The HDD has a lot of music files and assorted docs I want to preserve. The question is: How best to partition so as to be able to use the existing data on the 1TB? I'm not interested in a dual boot. But I'm not sure if I need / should wipe the 1TB completely. I can backup all the data to an external drive if needed.

Just looking for a simple solution to get Mint up and running without too much fuss and then be able to access my data.
CPU i5; 64bit Mint; 8GB Ram; ISO is verified and awaiting install via USB.

Thanks in advance,

[WharfRat]

Hello MyM

Welcome to Linux Mint and the Linux Mint forum

Accessing your files on the 1TB hdd will not be a problem. There's no need to setup a /home partition on it to have access to it.

A /home partition can be retrofitted post installation.

I can backup all the data to an external drive if needed.

It's also good practice to backup anything important before installing any OS.

Good luck

[michael louwe]

@ MyM, .......

Assuming you have a pre-2012 Legacy BIOS computer, you should use the manual "Something else" install option for your two-drives configuration. Proceed to partition the SSD and install LM on it, ie without touching the 1TB HDD. Ensure that the "Device for boot loader installation" is the SSD or /sda. ...
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=122276 (manual partitioning Tutorial for Legacy BIOS mode and MBR/ms-dos disks)

If possible, better to do the install by unplugging the 1TB HDD = can use the automatic "Erase disk and install LM" option.

[MyM]

Great ... I think.
Just let LM handle an automatic install on the SSD (unplug the 1TB).
In this case, does LM automatically setup a partition for /home on the SSD? And how does an automatic install determine what amount of space to allocate to whatever partitioning takes place?

Originally, my reasoning for the /home partition on the 1TB was primarily due to space constrictions on the 64GB SSD. (Seems to me I remember reading somewhere that 100GB would be reasonable size for the root partition to accommodate additional software requirements.) However, after reading through the link re: manual partitioning, I understand that having a /data partition (for music, pics, and docs on the 1TB) linked to the /home partition on the SSD would be a good way to preserve data and allow for new release installs of LM without worrying about the other drive. Further, that if the installation is done so as to not format the existing /home partition (small as that may be, since most data is on the other drive,) then all the tweaks, bookmarks, etc. are preserved.

Thoughts, advice?

[michael louwe]

@ MyM, .......

...

.
If you want to do future reinstalls of LM and keep your personal settings, you will need to manually create a separate Home partition = only format the / or Root partition during the reinstall.
... In your case, assuming you are doing the install of LM on the 64GB SSD with the 1TB HDD unplugged, you should manually create the / or Root partition = about 45GB, the Swap partition = 1.5X RAM and the Home partition = about 10GB. Such a small SSD may not allow you to install many games.
... After the install of LM has completed, you should then store all your data in the 1TB HDD, eg movies, photos, music, etc, and not in the Home or Root partition. You may need to use GParted to partition the 1TB HDD for data storage.

The automatic "Erase disk and install LM" option will auto-create the / and Swap partition, ie no Home partition, and auto-install the Grub bootloader. This option is not conducive for a very large 1TB HDD = should use the manual "Something else" option, in order to have a smaller / partition of about 100GB = faster system.

[austin.texas]

In this case, does LM automatically setup a partition for /home on the SSD?

Yes. That is the default.

(Seems to me I remember reading somewhere that 100GB would be reasonable size for the root partition to accommodate additional software requirements.)

Usually, my root partition only uses about 10GB or less, but then, I don't have many games installed (but lots of other, smaller, programs).

after reading through the link re: manual partitioning, I understand that having a /data partition (for music, pics, and docs on the 1TB) linked to the /home partition on the SSD would be a good way to preserve data and allow for new release installs of LM without worrying about the other drive.

Yes, you can set up a separate /data partition on the big HDD and link to it. That is what I do.
But your statement of the /home on the SSD needs some clarification. You have different options.
1: The default installation.
This places your /home on the / partition on the SSD, and your configuration will not be saved when you install a new release of LM. (The configs can be backed up and restored, but that is not an easy or comprehensive process.)
2: Create a /home partition on the SSD
This option, and Option #3, will preserve your configuration as you described, and for both options you would have to install the new LM using the manual (Something Else) option.
This option will require you to set up a /data partition on the HDD for all your personal files (music, docs, photos, etc.) That process is pretty easy.
3: Create a /home partition on the HDD.
This option will not require you to set up a /data partition on the HDD for all your personal files. You can make the /home partition big enough to accommodate everything.

[MyM]

@ MyM, .......

... In your case, assuming you are doing the install of LM on the 64GB SSD with the 1TB HDD unplugged, you should manually create the / or Root partition = about 45GB, the Swap partition = 1.5X RAM and the Home partition = about 10GB. Such a small SSD may not allow you to install many games.

I'm not too worried about games. Even still, since the bulk of personal data would be on the 1TB, why not allocate the bare minimum for a /home partition, say 1GB, thus leaving the max for / and swap?

[MyM]

2: Create a /home partition on the SSD
This option, and Option #3, will preserve your configuration as you described, and for both options you would have to install the new LM using the manual (Something Else) option.
This option will require you to set up a /data partition on the HDD for all your personal files (music, docs, photos, etc.) That process is pretty easy.

I'll take a shot at this approach and see how far I get before the process turns from "pretty easy" to HELP!!!

Thanks so much people for your input. I've been looking forward to this "switch" for a long time ... just waiting for necessity to kick in and give me the boot in the right direction.

[michael louwe]

@ MyM, .......

@ MyM, .......

... In your case, assuming you are doing the install of LM on the 64GB SSD with the 1TB HDD unplugged, you should manually create the / or Root partition = about 45GB, the Swap partition = 1.5X RAM and the Home partition = about 10GB. Such a small SSD may not allow you to install many games.

I'm not too worried about games. Even still, since the bulk of personal data would be on the 1TB, why not allocate the bare minimum for a /home partition, say 1GB, thus leaving the max for / and swap?

.
AFAIK, games, Wine's Windows programs and certain apps/programs are installed on the Home partition, and not on the Root partition. 1GB will likely not be enough. You can try 5GB for Home.

[MyM]

So LM did not boot from the USB.
Tried compatibility mode with no luck (saw a lot of messages relating to "failed to run journal", or something to that effect.)
Tried the "nomodeset" and "nouveau.noaccel=1" switches with no luck.
Integrity check of medium mentioned something about a bad file. (The ISO sha256 checked out and Etcher verified the flash to USB so ...???)
I guess I'll try going with the LM 18 release and then upgrade to 18.3 if it works. Unless of course someone can offer a possible explanation and suggest a fix.

Thanks,

[austin.texas]

Can you test the Mint USB on a different computer?

[michael louwe]

@ MyM, .......

...

.
What is the brand, model and other specifications of your computer.? Or post the Terminal output for inxi -Fxz and sudo parted -l from the Live LM USB.

[MyM]

Can you test the Mint USB on a different computer?

I tested it on the family's laptop (the one I'm using now with Windows 10); it works fine.

[MyM]

@ MyM, .......
What is the brand, model and other specifications of your computer.? Or post the Terminal output for inxi -Fxz and sudo parted -l from the Live LM USB.

I can't get a Live LM up and running on that computer. It suffered a motherboard failure a few weeks ago and that was replace with a pretty low end mobo. They said the H2 (LGA1155) socket boards were hard to come by and that's all they had. It's an AFOX based on the H61 chipset. The CPU is Intel i5 "Sandybridge" and the 2 DIMMs are 4gb each (one is out of the machine at present; I'm waiting for the replacement because when it failed it was still under warranty). The VGA card I had in my original setup also failed some time ago and I'm loath to keep dumping more money into the old machine so I just let the onboard VGA stand-in. I'm not using the machine for much other than communication. And as it turns out, there now appears to be a problem with the "new" motherboard: my monitor --as of last night-- is not receiving a signal (it works fine connected to the laptop). I will bring the computer back the shop today and let them have a look.

[MyM]

Update:
Desktop is back now with new i3 and I managed to install my new OS. All appears fine. I used GParted from the live session to partition ssd and hdd (shrinking the ntfs); backed up files on the hdd (not already backed up before the integrated graphics on the i5 cpu failed); and then used the LM installer to point to the partitions as follows:

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Disk /dev/sda: 64.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start   End     Size    Type     File system  Flags
 1      1049kB  41.9GB  41.9GB  primary  ext4         boot
 2      41.9GB  64.0GB  22.1GB  primary  ext4


Model: ATA WDC WD10EZEX-21W (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 1000GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/4096B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start   End     Size    Type     File system     Flags
 1      1049kB  106GB   106GB   primary  ntfs
 2      106GB   127GB   21.5GB  primary  linux-swap(v1)
 3      127GB   1000GB  873GB   primary  ext4

Looks like I slipped an extra "0" in there for the swap (I only intended 2GB). The 22GB on the ssd is a /home partition (not sure why it's not flagged as such?). The bulk of the hdd then will hold the /data once I "link" or "bind" its folders to /home. As yet I am unsure of the best approach to that operation but will look again at the tutorials. After which, I intend to use GParted again to resize the "swap area" to what I originally thought I had specified ... (with 8GB of ram, I understand I don't really need 1.5 or 2x for swap). Finally, I'll likely format the ntfs partition now that I have everything securely backed up.
Am I right to understand I can only access GParted from a "live" usb session because both ssd and hdd are mounted when booting from disk? I don't see GParted in the admin menu.

[michael louwe]

@ MyM, .......

...

.
Keep in mind that if your Swap partition is 2GB, you will not be able to use Hibernate or Suspend-to-Disk.
....... The Swap partition is primarily used for supplementary virtual memory(ie when limited RAM memory cannot cope with the heavy workload) and secondarily for Hibernate. Hibernate mode will save whatever you are doing in RAM memory to the Swap partition. So, to use Hibernate, the Swap partition must be at least the same size as RAM. If you do not play games, do video-editing and need Hibernate, you can do away with the Swap partition.

Yes, if you want to edit the partitions in the 64GB SSD or 1TB HDD, you have to do it with the Live LM USB's GParted program.
....... You can install GParted on the 64GB SSD through Software Manager, which can then be used to partition/format removable external USB drives or just to have a look at the partitions in the internal hard-drives.

[MyM]

I've installed GParted and resized the swap partition (1.5x ram). That left an unallocated block of 8GB between /data and the swap area, so I moved the /data partition to the left, leaving the unallocated space at the end of the drive. The beauty of all this is just beginning to dawn on me; I can change or move all these partitions to suit as time goes by. There is an anomaly that I noted when looking at the /data partition prior to moving it: GParted indicated there was roughly 12GB used in that partition, and yet I've never written anything to it ... In any event, all went well and everything appears to be working fine.

I've now "symlinked" the /data folders to my /home partition and so looks like I'm set to go. Before I sign off with a big thank you to all for assistance, can anyone tell me how this folder called "lost+found" showed up in that /data partition (there's nothing in it)? And since I didn't create it, I'm left to wonder how it got there.

[austin.texas]

There is an anomaly that I noted when looking at the /data partition prior to moving it: GParted indicated there was roughly 12GB used in that partition, and yet I've never written anything to it ...

I believe you are referring to sda2 - and that would not be a "data" partition in linux terminology, rather, that is the "root" partition. The used portion is your operating system.

can anyone tell me how this folder called "lost+found" showed up in that /data partition (there's nothing in it)? And since I didn't create it, I'm left to wonder how it got there.

No problem. There is always a "lost+found" folder created on an empty ext partition, as part of the filesystem management.

Most fsck utilities provide options for either interactively repairing damaged file systems (the user must decide how to fix specific problems), automatically deciding how to fix specific problems (so the user does not have to answer any questions), or reviewing the problems that need to be resolved on a file system without actually fixing them. Partially recovered files where the original file name cannot be reconstructed are typically recovered to a "lost+found" directory that is stored at the root of the file system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fsck#Use

Sorry for the delay in answering your question. (I was out of town for a bit...)

[MyM]

Sorry for the delay in answering your question. (I was out of town for a bit...)

Not a problem Tex; I just now noted your response (it must have slipped under the radar when blowing through notification emails). Thanks for getting back btw. I found relevant info on the "lost+found" scenario that confirmed my suspicions as to how and why it showed up. With respect to the other matter, when I refer to the "data partition" I'm speaking of the sdb3 partition I created on the 1TB hdd. (see below)
When I shrunk the ntfs partition sdb1 and then wanted to "move" the newly created sdb3 to the front of the drive, I received a warning something to the effect of "a risk of data loss could occur", I assumed that the system saw some residual space (i.e. the 12 GB) as being occupied. Since everything of value was backed up, I didn't give it much thought.
In any event, I am thrilled with then new OS and looking forward to delving into some of the finer aspects of the Linux world ... like how to get m3u files edited so as to run under Linux with Gmusicbrowser. It's just a matter of time before I zero-in on a concise method of "search and replace" to make it all happen.

Once again, thanks to all for taking the time to help and advise.

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donner@donner-desktop ~ $ df -h --output=source,fstype,size,used,avail,pcent,target -x tmpfs -x devtmpfs
Filesystem     Type     Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda1      ext4      39G  7.0G   30G  20% /
/dev/sda2      ext4      21G  348M   19G   2% /home
/dev/sdb3      ext4     800G   65G  695G   9% /media/DATA
/dev/sdb1      fuseblk   99G  8.4G   91G   9% /media/donner/Caviar
donner@donner-desktop ~ $