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[africanus <question76135@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Question #76135 on Ubuntu changed:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/76135

africanus posted a new comment:

Dear Tom
 G'day. When you said that I was a "power-user", I was reminded of when the Lone Ranger and Tonto were surrounded by Apaches and about to be killed. The Lone Ranger turned to Tonto and said: "This looks like the end, old friend" and Tonto replied: "What you mean we, white-man!" I guarantee you that I am not a power-user but I do make sure to do my research first.
 I think that I have the answer to my problem now and will mark it so. I have spent the morning reading your answer and researching what you were talking about and I have to say that you have chosen what I call an "elegant" solution. It is the neatest, most efficient drive structure that has an in-built fail-safe for possible OS failures and even OS replacement. I've read that other Linux "flavours" have started to put the /home folder on another partition which Ubuntu has not yet done. Thanks for making how it should look like so clear. I take it that in the installation, that Ubuntu will see the partition with the root mount point and drop the OS into it.
 In readiness for Ubuntu I have been defragging the computer every other day so that I do not have files sprayed all over the drive and I always back up new files nightly to a USB stick that have not yet been burnt to my backup DVD. Anyway, everybody knows that Murphy was an optimist! :) That 8 GB I wrote for the system files was merely what the system requirements suggested but I was thinking more along the lines of about 20 GB for your suggested Primary partition to allow for future programs and the like. The linux-swap would work out to be about 1024 MB as I have 512 MB of RAM (my computer is three years old now) and I would probably allocate another 30 GB for the home folder. Oh yeah, thanks for that heads-up on how the drive will be re-scanned - I would not have been expecting that though perhaps I should have.
 I have this weekend free so I will set up the dual-boot then so there will be no interruptions. This will also give me time to fully research a step by step checklist that I can follow based on your proposed drive structure. Yeah, I know that that's a bit anal it's what I am comfortable with. I have already been researching Google images to show me what this interface should look like when I see it. It will also give to time to see what I need to do to beef up security and see which programs I will need to install. I use a family tree program which apparently won't work so will but will use a Linux equivalent program called GRAMPS. 
 When all is done and finished, I intend to migrate those files that I want to have and keep the Windows XP side for any games that won't work, even under Wine in Ubuntu and just to keep in practice. Thanks once again for taking so much time and trouble with my question and I will email you to tell you what happens this weekend, either good, bad or indifferent. :)
best wishes,
Kev

> To: tresmane@xxxxxxxxxxx
> From: question76135@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [Question #76135]: side by side not offered
> Date: Sun, 5 Jul 2009 15:44:55 +0000
> 
> Your question #76135 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/76135
> 
>     Status: Open => Answered
> 
> Tom proposed the following answer:
> 8Gb is a bit optemistic, 10Gb was just about possible but really need
> closer to 15Gb to feel comfortable & more seems excessive when data can
> be reasonably safe on Windows.
> 
> Before starting on any of this it is well worth going into Windows and
> doing a defrag and also it's worth copying all the data you care about
> to an external hard-drive temporarily or onto dvd for more permanent
> back-up :)  Of course Murphys (or someone else's(?) ) Law dictates that
> you'll only need the back-up if you don't make one ;) lol
> 
> Ok, it sounds like you are a power-user easily able to deal with Expert
> mode, it gives the options you are looking for and you'll be surprised
> at how simple it is.  Ubuntu is made for really non-techie noobs and
> you're far more advanced than that :) Which is lucky really i suppose.
> Choose the "Manual Partitioning" option and although it looks really
> worrying for several moments while it re-scans the drives it will
> finally give the kind of display and control that you are looking for.
> 
> In Expert mode you'll find that the colour coding is quite different
> from GPartEd <sighs deeply>, <shrugs>  Unusually your drive has been
> setup right by Windows with 2 primary partitions.  Drives can only have
> 4 "Primary" partitions or 3 "Primary" and 1 "Extended" Partition with
> numerous "Logical" ones inside the "extended" one.  So this final option
> is the one we need to go for in order to keep your system flexible
> enough to fully explore linux later.
> 
> I propose that you resize the main Xp down by 35Gb(ish).  Then add a new
> "Primary" partition of only 15Gb, make it's file-system "ext3" and set
> it's "Mount Point" to "/" or "Root".  Now make a new partition filling
> the rest of the drive and make this an "Extended" partition.  We can use
> the space for some neat performance & stability tricks that are not
> available in Windows.  First of all inside this extended partition make
> a "logical" partition equal to or slightly larger than the size of your
> ram, anywhere up to 2xRam is good, over that is wasteful of drive space.
> Make this one's 'file-system' "linux-swap", it doesn't need a mount
> point.  Really finally now make another "logical" partition filling the
> rest of the space, again make it's "file-system" "ext3" but set this
> one's "Mount Point" to "/home".  So to list all that i'm suggesting
> 
> sda1 as is, ntfs(?) 6Gb.  Not to be formatted!
> sda2 smaller by 35Gb.  Not to be formatted!
> Probably 8Mb wasted space due to Windows paranoia and 'need' of a buffer zone
> sda3 15Gb. Primary "ext3".  Mount Point /.  Tick in the "Format?" column
> sda4 20Gb. Extended.  I don't think this needs formatting, just go with what it says
>  sda5 Ram<?<2xRam.  Linux-swap.  No mount point.  Needs to be formatted
>  sda6 perhaps over 10Gb.  Logical "ext3".  Mount Point "/home".  To be formatted
> 
> The /home folder is where ubuntu keeps your "Data&Settings", keeping it
> separate from the main part of ubuntu programs means that you can
> happily reinstall Ubuntu without having to worry about losing data.  It
> also allows you to install a completely different linux in the space
> where Ubuntu is and that will be able to read & use the data and
> settings easily.  It also allows you to install another linux in
> addition to Ubuntu and have both able to use the same data&settings!  A
> huge increase in stability for your data and something that Windows
> really can't offer.  The separate partition for swap gives a performance
> advantage that again Windows can't offer :)  Linux-swap is also vital in
> case you ever use hibernate/sleep/suspend type modes - the contents of
> ram would then be copied onto the linux-swap so that it could be
> reinstated easily once the machine is woken.  This is why it needs to be
> over however large your ram is.
> 
> Blimey, i'm sure there are plenty of other ways of laying this out and
> we may well hear from people demanding that their idea is a much better
> way but ultimately there is only one right-way and that's your own way,
> which ever you choose.  For me tho it's usually my neighbours way is the
> best until i try that and then realise my 1st way was better after-all
> ;) heheheh
> 
> Anyway, there we go
> Good luck and please let us know if you want to try something different just in case there's an oddity you might not yet be aware of. I think you'll be fine though.  the trick is to use Expert mode as you are good enough to find your way through that on your own anyway.  Just don't worry in the first few moments as it re-scans your drives ;)
> 
> Regards from
> Tom :)
> 
> -- 
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
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> 
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