Automatic installation - is there an advantage?

[Nils Kassube]

Phil wrote:
> I installed Linux yesterday using the automatic option which puts the
> installation alongside Windows as follows:
> 
> phil at phil-desktop:~$ df -h
> Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
> /dev/sda5       1.3T  4.5G  1.2T   1% /

> I've used this option several times to install Linux on older laptops,
> where Linux is the only OS, without a problem. When a new version
> comes along, restoring the home directory is an easy task because the
> backup only contains a few files, if any at all.
> 
> The following is an example of where I've installed Linux using the
> manual option. The /boot directory is 300MB and the swap is 4GB, the
> same as the ram size.

What would be the advantage of a separate /boot partition? Usually it 
fills up over time with old kernels and then you will eventually run out 
of space. Looking at my /boot, I would expect 300MB to be sufficient 
space for about 8 kernels. Granted, you could easily remove old kernels 
but you would have to remember to do so from time to time.

> phil at Asus:~/Python$ df -h
> Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
> /dev/sda6        18G   12G  4.6G  72% /
> /dev/sda7        18G  4.8G   12G  30% /usr/local
> /dev/sda8        26G   24G  935M  97% /home
> /dev/sda5        74G   48G   27G  64% /media/phil/495B-6D38

> I've always used this option on my own computers so that I can protect
> my home directory and the usr/local directory during installation.

There is no need to use separate partitions to protect /home or 
/usr/local during installation. You can select manual partitioning and 
use the current file system for the / partition. Make sure not to format 
the / partiton - then /home and /usr/local would be left untouched 
during the installation.

> So my question is. Should I revert back to the manual option with
> partitions along the lines of those listed above and reinstall again
> or is there some advantage to leaving the system as it is? If there
> is an advantage what is the recommended location for my /usr/local/
> files?

I think you should ask yourself if and why you really need a setup which 
is more complicated than the default. OTOH, I think there is no 
advantage if you reinstall the system. After all you seem to be 
satisfied with your current setup.


Nils