Linux/Ubuntu laptop setup/install -- Steps for complete? installation needed

bruce badouglas at gmail.com
Fri Nov 22 11:37:31 UTC 2024


Hi Robert. (and MRZ and anyone else from the list)!

This combines some of what you had mentioned.

Here's a start on what I'm thinking are steps/processes to use to
setup/install Ubuntu on a laptop (no built-in wifi/lan)

I go even further, as a sort of "dump" of issues that will need to be
dealt with to really get the laptop I'm envisioning. A number of these
issues can be handled later, and incorporated into a "Auto Setup
Process".

Feel free to add/comment as you see fit!!
 (I'm more than willing to modify to get to a reasonable working set of steps.)

*****************************
ubuntu setup live usb
 insert test usb->multi usb adapter/dongle
 insert test usb/wifi in the multi usb dongle
   -usb-wifi should (hopefully) be supported
     out of box by liveusb
    -this assumes the test "laotop" doesnt
      have builtin lan/eth port, or
      built-in supported wifi

 turn ubuntu liveusb
 turn on box
 boot up ubuntu

https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-install-Ubuntu-on-an-SSD-with-a-home-directory-on-HDD

*system has SDD/HDD drive
 does ubuntu have lvm/vol creation/set up prcoess

setup SSD
 -start the setup to make the SSD the "primary/main"
 -so OS boots from the SSD
 -how to configure LVM/partition
 -fstab??
 -mount points??
 -any symlinks?
 -assume the test laptop is default/empty to begin
  with -- but it will copy/rsync a bunch of dirs/files
  from the old "laptop"


 =========================
 steps
 "Install Ubuntu" from the GRUB menu
 select "Install Ubuntu."
   choose "Something else" to manually partition the drives.
     Select your SSD from the list of devices.
     - Create the following partitions:

     Root Partition (: Allocate space for the root filesystem.
        Recommended size is at least 20 GB.
        Type: ext4
        Mount point: /

     Swap Partition (optional): If you want swap space, you can create
a swap partition.
      Size can vary based on your needs (usually 1-2 times your RAM).
      what are/should be attributes/parameters??

     "home" Partition (: Allocate space for the home
        Recommended size is at least xx GB.
        Type: ext4
        Mount point: /home

      does "home" go on SSD or HDD



setup HDD
 fstab??
 mount??
 LVM/partition?
 /home ??
 --data

 the usecase might be
  for a dev, map/match dirs on HDD to github proj/dirs

  (posssible dirs on HDD)
    should these have "mount points/fstab entries?
     or just simply "mkdir"
     -who would be owner?
     -what users would be created for the system?
       root -- sys functions
       userA (me) -- for the "/home" dir -- any other dirs?
       userTest -- (for possibly other users..)
  proj1
   docs/readme stuf
   Code
   devOS (for the proj1)
   testDir
   projMgmt stuff
   -other dirs

  (of course some of this will map/tgt cloud processes, but have the local
   massaging/dev/etc on the local laptop)


  once system ubuntu/SDD/HDD -- boot order is set, and works...

  setup process to be able to "auto/script" update/restore duplicate
the laptop setup...
   -- to be able to generate the system proesses/functions/ports/security etc...

  -should the process use selinux?
    what's required, how, etc...

  -identify the local dev services...
    https
    mysqld
    nginx
    etc..

  -turn off/disable funcs/services not needed
  -monitoring func -- for ports/processes/update services/code

   what else????

Feel free to comment/add opinions/examples/links/etc.

The goal again, to have a set of "steps/processes" to go from
installing Ubuntu to clean "laptop" and to get to the point to be able
to replicate/update system across multiple setups. A more
formal/tested process gets me there.

thanks
-bruce



On Wed, Nov 20, 2024 at 2:40 PM Robert Heller <heller at deepsoft.com> wrote:
>
> What *I* do is:
>
> Create a small (maybe 5gig) /boot partition and the rest of the disk as LVM,
> then create a 32-gig volume for root (/), and then maybe a 50 gig partition
> for /home, and maybe another 50 gig partition for /scratch.  Initially leave
> the rest alone to start with.  I may create additional volumes for other
> things, depending on what I need.
>
> Note: this is very much particular to what I do (and I am sure there are going
> to be those who will find the above strange and even absurd, esp. with 256G
> SSDs or 2TB disks. I generally symlink ~/Downloads to /scratch -- I figure
> anything I download once I can always download again, so anything on /scratch
> is expendable and can be deleted at whim. I like to put a limit on my /home
> file system as a way to curb my tendency towards packratitous.
>
> With LVM, I can grow (or shrink) volumes without having to reboot or resort to
> single user mode. Or create whole new volumes, usually for special projects.
> On my desktop machine I create VMs with LVM volumes for the VMs' disks.  I
> don't know if Ubuntu's installers use LVM by default, but I am pretty sure it
> is an option, one I highly recommend.
>
> Ultimately, there really aren't any real rules about how to partition a disk
> for Linux . In the "old" days, the rule of thumb was partitions for /, /usr,
> and /home. Modern Linux is not going to like / and /usr on separate file
> systems, so don't even think about that. Having /home separate makes things
> easier for backups. One option for simplifying backups is not really bother to
> backup / at all, since just about everything there is regeneratable  from a
> fresh install (well stuff under /etc and selected directories under /var and
> possible stuff under /usr/local and /opt might not be, so making occasional
> backups of those directories is sensible).
>
> At Wed, 20 Nov 2024 13:53:45 -0500 "Ubuntu user technical support,? not for general discussions" <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:
>
> >
> > Hi Karl,
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > But regarding the setting up of the partitions/vols etc.. I'd like to
> > get input from the list, instead of "just giving it a go"!!
> >
> > I'm looking to have a process/setup that would be more along the lines
> > of what a dev dept would have for a software operation, or dev shop.
> >
> > Long ago, used to do this mess with the sysAdmin/devops guys, but i've
> > been out of the process for too long.
> >
> > thanks
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Nov 20, 2024 at 1:42 PM Karl Auer <kauer at biplane.com.au> wrote:
> > >
> > > On Wed, 2024-11-20 at 13:15 -0500, bruce wrote:
> > > > Basically, I'm looking to create a series of steps to install Ubuntu
> > >
> > > If this is your first time, and it seems it is, just get a liveusb and
> > > give it a go. The installer software guides you through disk
> > > partitioning etc. If you are lucky, it will all go without a hitch and
> > > you will have a working system and (provided you took notes) a
> > > procedure to follow.
> > >
> > > If you are unlucky, you will have to figure out how to make a few
> > > things work, and maybe we can help more then.
> > >
> > > > on a "windows" laptop
> > >
> > > Does this mean you want to preserve the windows installation and add
> > > Ubuntu to make a dual-boot system?
> > >
> > > Regards, K.
> > >
> > > --
> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > > Karl Auer (kauer at biplane.com.au, he/him)
> > > http://www.biplane.com.au/kauer
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > ubuntu-users mailing list
> > > ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> > > Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
> >
>
> --
> Robert Heller             -- Cell: 413-658-7953 GV: 978-633-5364
> Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
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>
>
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