I am relatively new to Solid state drives. I also am having a lot of issues figuring out the optimal partition setup for my computer configuration. I have a 120GB solid state drive and a 1TB Hard Drive. With windows I would just install the OS on the SSD and then most the things that gave me options on install went to the HDD . Along with all my documents and personal data.
I do see from my searches that I can partition the system. Install the OS. Then link one folder to use a different partition.
I still don't fully understand the partitioning system scheme that linux uses. I do know I want to make it really easy to not lose my personal data when I do a new install. Which I will probably do once in awhile for "entertainment"'s sake. I have repeatedly lost data from my previous reinstalls. Do to one mistake or another.
How should I partition the system? Should I remove the SSD, and find another use for it? Possible use the SSD for only my documents?
I use a lot of room for programs, data I want to keep around. Those are actually the two things I need lots of room for.
Any help, or guidance would be appreciated.
Should probably add that the Computer is my main form of entertainment. I see it as a extremely useful giant toy. I also have a raspberry pi that I recently bought. Still trying to figure out what I will ultimately use that for. Does give me access to a browser when my main Computer is down though.
Might also be mentioning that I am rather smart. I can learn and understand new concepts easier then most the people around me. I am also rather stupid mostly do to a lack of education, learning, and exercising the gray matter. I have succefully installed OSs on my Computer numerous time. I have a very small amount of training in computer repair that is years out of date. This computer was originally a Wal-Mart special (e-machine). I don't think a single original part is left in it.
I suppose it depends, but I really don't see the use in partitions unless you wanna do multi-boot with like linux and windows on one drive. Otherwise, I would just suggest keep the OS and such on the SSD, and long term storage on the HDD. It really doesn't make a difference for you data to split it into partitions on the drive, because if the drive goes, you're at risk to lose whatever partitions are on it, no matter how they're split up. FYI linux will keep even a dying drive in a working read state better than any windows system can.
My main purpose was to attempt to help Linux run better. I probably could have just gotten away with a boot, root,a and Swap*2 partitions. I might have went overboard though. Pretty much split the drives into a whole bunch of different major partitions. I am fairly certain now it will just create issues down the road with partitions running out of room. This time I think I will go the opposite direction with it and use as few partitions as possible.
I think I will try something like that. Just one partition on each drive. Setting up links to the folders that I actually want the data to go into. Didn't know about that feature earlier.
Probably won't get it right the first time. I am going to give it a shot though.
I have ran into another issue. I decided to install mint to try it. It is nice and easy to use. I found though that I was getting kind of fond of Debian(might have just been the kde desktop, not for sure)/ I re-installed Debian. re-creating both swap partitions, and the root partition on the SSD. Now though I can't access the hard drive. I searched and expiremented with what I found and had noted from previous installs. I think I have managed to mess up the current Debian install a bit. Will probably need to re-install.
Thiking of doing that anyway. Was wondering if their is a way to setup a partition so I don't need to reclaim it all the time? What is the right way to reclaim a parttion and mount it properly at boot?
I tried searching all this information. Came up with a lot of unrelated and useless stuff. What little I tried failed horribly.
Edit: Thing I figured out the problem and posible solution for future reinstalls. I decided to try a re-install this time when I manually reset all the partitions , the one I left unerased I gave a mounting poiint. Now I seem to be able to use it without issue.
Edit: Still have figured out the permissions to set on that partition and its folders to have full access to my files after every re-install. Going to stop making sym-links to it for now though. For some reason ln -s kept creating a link in the given directory instead of liking one directory to the other. ended up with links all over the place and not even knowing what other damage I did. decided to do another re-install and format, and to tinker with it less.
have been trying different things every time I re-install Linux. Trying to get every thing up and running to my satisfaction is pretty tough with not know enough about he OS and it being so easy to break. Managed to even bring down one of the installs to where it wouldn't let me back in. I think the biggest issue (other then my pickiness, and inefficient way of doing things) is tryign to get Steam to a running and working state. Even following the instructions on the official debian site probed to be tough. As there were multiple installion paths and not all were listed at the begining of the path but at odd points. Like after all the wrong paths. Took me following through three links and carefully re-reading each one to get insalling the ati drivers installed properly. got steam up and running though. That time.
Now installing KDE. trying a few different options this time when I install it. Tried about four different desktops so far. Installed in differnt combonations. Going to see hwo this one works. Other then not having a usable computer the only thing that bothers me is the effect this might be haivng on the SSD.
Re-installing might not be the best way to go about things. has been a big learning experience though. Might have to try live installs next. I have about three USBs that I can purpose to this. Maybe more if I erased some others. Not for sure of the best setup to play demanding games while runing the OS off of a USB stick. Not really sure about using Live CDs(USB) for testing a install. I am not sure it would fully (damn word just compoletely flew out of my mind and now I am drawing blanks.) ?represet? the regular instalation.
Decided to mark this as solved. I am not really worried about loosing information from the re-installs anymore. Their is only one file left on the computer that isn't properly backed up on a external drive. Would be more of a worry if I kept the OSs for more then a few hours.
Should remark that some of my posts are from my Raspberry Pi. Corrently running weasel with a pluging to convince sites I am accessing them through a android phone. Makes watching videos on youtube so much easier. Though their are a few issues, and this thing is slow beyond belief. I could have been certain my 300mhz pc ran faster then this. Though the requirements of sites were that hight back then either. I still remember downloading mythos beta installers through a 56k modem would take a long time. The Hellgate london beta files took a day or so. Now it would probably be less then a hour at my current speed.
Well time to get back to installing. Kinda starting to ramble anyways.