installation doubt

[Liam Proven]

On 16 November 2011 14:24, Colin Law <clanlaw at googlemail.com> wrote:
> On 16 November 2011 13:53, Buggs Bunny <valambanam at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I am coming directly from Windows XP, though I was not a windows admin but I
>> have with my Ubuntu LTS 10.04 CD. Planing to install this in the hope that
>> it is becoming the most popular distro. Said that, please let me know if
>> during installation, what should I do:
>>
>> Create the separate partitions for each /, /home, /tmp, /usr etc....or not?
>> Though its just a newbie talk, but at least I know the installation but
>> don't know if should install separate each identities or not....?
>
> There used to be a good argument for having a separate partition for
> /home so that you could re-install a later version of Ubuntu and keep
> the home data partition.  This is no longer necessary as it is
> possible during installation to tell it not to overwrite /home by
> telling it not to format the partition.  I just use a single partition
> (plus swap).
>
> I have just seen Liam's point that if you want to try an alternative
> distribution then separate /home may be a good idea, which may well be
> valid if you were thinking of doing that.

This is true, I hear.

*But* there are multiple drawbacks:

* You can't install a different, non-Ubuntu distro that way.
* You can't share /home between different distros in a multiboot
arrangement that way. (E.g. it's very nice to be able to install the
*next* version of Ubuntu for a test-run before you commit to upgrading
your main install.)
* You can't put /home on a bigger drive that way.
* You can't put *just* / on a fast SSD or something.
* If a disaster corrupts your / partition, you lose all your data as
well. (E.g. if you tried to resize it and it went wrong.)
* It makes it more difficult to backup just your data.

And of course when reinstalling you have to trust that it will leave
your data alone. I don't like taking chances like that if I have a
ready alternative.

I thin k the arguments for splitting off /home are very strong, myself.

-- 
Liam Proven • Info & profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/lproven
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