Low Disk Space Remaining on Newly Installed Linux Partition.

[VinX]

During install of Linux Mint 21.1, I created a 20GB root partition for the OS, a 2GB Swap partition and a 60GB /home partition for User data, following an installation guide. in the guide, it mentioned that the \ partition need not be over 20GB to install Linux. This same advice is reiterated all over the Internet by avid Linux experienced users. While it is certainly true that a 20GB partition is more than sufficient for Linux, it has now quickly become an immediate problem upon installing software packages and I now have only about 500MB of free space remaining. Meanwhile, my \home directory on a separate partition is relatively void of any data. As a beginner Linux enthusiast, but a long-time Windows power-user, I accepted the prevailing suggestions of creating multiple partitions for the installation of the OS, including creating such a small root partition.

At any rate, I would appreciate any advice for options to rectify this. I assume my best course of action is to remove Mint and start over with a clean install, creating properly sized partitions for my needs. I don't need a considerable amount of storage for program package installs, but certainly more than the 20GB installation partition left me. As I stated, I created a separate 60GB \home\%user% partition, as advised. Being the sole user of this laptop, and foresee no other user accounts ever being added to Windows, much less any Linux installation, are separate partitions even necessary? Even a Swap partition I see as unnecessary, already having 24GB of onboard memory.

I would prefer to not need a reconfigured clean install solution and am open to any and all advice. Thank you.

[Pjotr]

During install of Linux Mint 21.1, I created a 20GB root partition for the OS, a 2GB Swap partition and a 60GB /home partition for User data, following an installation guide. in the guide, it mentioned that the \ partition need not be over 20GB to install Linux. This same advice is reiterated all over the Internet by avid Linux experienced users.

By a bunch of incompetents, IMO.... A root partition of 20 GB is far too small for practical purposes. And swap is by default a file nowadays, like it is in Windows, so you don't need a separate partition for that either.

Furthermore, personally I think having a separate home partition (what you call user data), is just an unnecessary complication leading to a suboptimal division of disk space. But this is a matter of debate within the Linux community.

My take on this in more detail:
https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.c ... 2.html#ID2
(item 2)

I would prefer to not need a reconfigured clean install solution

Still, that's what I advise. A clean slate.

[RIH]

You don't really need a separate swap partition any more. Mint will create a swap file instead. (That said, the swap file occupies space in the / root partition, which will decrease your available space there again).
Personally I believe that with a small amount of disk space available that creating a separate partition for root & home is NOT a sensible plan.
If you scrimp on space in root then you run into the issue you have. If you give excessive space for root then you are restricting the amount of space available for personal data.
Will 100GB of available space I would certainly go with just a single partition. That way you will have no wasted space.

As to how much is enough space for root... That depends on what you do with your system after install.
If you intend to run programs that require Flatpaks or equivalent then 20GB won't get you very far.
If you are only going to run non-Flatpak programs from the Mint repositories then you would probably get by.

As to resolving your issue then, personally, I would re-install on a single partition.

If you have invested heavily in adding programs & customising your system then you can make use of the Backup Tool which will enable you to make a copy of your Applications & Home directory & then add them back in after a fresh install..

[Cosmo.]

The obviously needed information is: How big is the drive / are the drives? Are 128 GB available or 1 or more TB?

BTW: Linux never uses \, but always /. The backslash gets used by Windows.

[billyswong]

Whenever you read a "guide" of Linux, the first thing to check is, how old is that "guide"? Linux ecosystem changes over time, and "guides" can become outdated and give you bad advices. One don't read a "guide" of how to do stuff on WinXP / Win7 then apply to their Win11 machine. Same for Linux.

It is hard to find a modern up-to-date guide on how to install Linux now. Because the best way to install Linux nowadays for beginners is just follow the graphical instructions and select the default choices when in doubt. No point to write a guide.

[Petermint]

My current machine uses 20GB after a clean boot. By the time I start applications and run heavy work, I need more than 40 GB for the system. I had a machine with a 60 GB system disk and never filled it. I run timeshift snapshots to a USB disk, not the system disk.

The main use for a separate home directory is a desktop where you can use multiple disks and replace the home disk without changing anything else. If you have only one disk slot, there is no use for separate partitions.

[Koentje]

Install gparted and rezise your home partition down to 40gb, then resize the root partition up to 40gb. (or whatever size you prefer)
Better yet, boot from a live stick and gparted is already installed.