Need Advice on HDD partioning in dual-boot

[Steelshivan]

I would much appreciate opinions on how to partition and setup a dual boot system with Linux (Ubuntu) and Vista 32-bit.

I plan on using Ubuntu for the everyday normal things, as well as a halfway media center with MythTV. Will be storing the vast majority of video files under Linux. Vista will be used really only for gaming, and not too much of that. I would say I could allocate 50GB to Vista, while the rest could all be for Linux.

I have 2 Sata 3.0 drives(internal), one being 250GB, the other 500GB. Like I mentioned above, I would like opinions on how to partition and setup the two drives, so Vista has ~50GB and Ubuntu the rest. Since a lot of the space on my Ubuntu "overall partition" will be used for video files (media center), how would you partition my two drives for speed and ease of use? Thanks.

 

[porterjw]

If it helps, this is my Partition layout:

80 GB: Windows XP OS, Windows Software, my personal files (the space for the OS and Software partitions total 25GB, the rest is reserved for my stuff)
80 GB: 2 GB Swap, Ubuntu Root, Ubuntu Home, Kubuntu Root, Kubuntu Home, backup of my personal files (Swap, both Homes and both Roots have a total of 27 GB allocated, again the rest is reserved for me)

It's all a matter of personal preference really. Do you want both OS's on one HDD and use the other purely for storage? Do you want one OS on each drive along with all your personal files and the second HDD used as a Backup? Etc, etc.

 

[Steelshivan]

imsati-

First off, I plan on using DVDs as my main source of backup, not too worried about that really.

Here's kind of what I was thinking in terms of partition space and drive usage:

250GB - 1 partition for Vista OS (~15GB), 1 partition for Vista programs/games AND storage (~60GB), 1 partition for Ubuntu swap (~2GB), partitions for Ubuntu root and home (~40GB), 1 partition for Ubuntu storage (~133GB)

500GB - 1 partition for Ubuntu storage (~500GB)

At any rate, the list of partitions and rough sizes I want are as follows:

-15GB Vista OS partition
-2GB (or whatever) Ubuntu swap
-40GB Ubuntu root and home partitions
-60GB Vista partition (minus OS)
the rest as Ubuntu storage

I have a fairly decent computer build:

Athlon X2 6400+
Biostar AM2/AM2+ mobo
4GB memory
DVD/DVD Burner drives

Of the above total partition list, would the above proposed setup be a decent way to do it, main thing being speed/performance. You seem to think it doesn't really matter how I partition, and if no one thinks performance is going to take a hit regardless of my partition setup between the 2 hdd in dual-boot, I guess that's all I really need to know. Thanks for your response and will see what others have to say.

 

[Steelshivan]

Ok, here is my new proposed partition setup for dual-booting Vista and Linux. Basically Vista is for any gaming I would do, Ubuntu would be my "main" OS and would also be for my media center. Most likely the bulk of my movies, shows would be on the 456GB partition on my 500GB HDD. I am fairly new to Linux, so I want to confirm that I can indeed make more than one /home partition, and across different hard drives.

I would just make my 250GB Vista and 500GB Linux, but I simply don't need/want 250GB completely dedicated to Vista when I won't even come close to using it all. I also want as much space as possible open to media for my media center under Ubuntu.

Also, is my /root partition big enough? Thanks.

HDD1 (250GB)

15GB Vista OS
30GB Vista Software
60GB Vista Personal
145GB Ubuntu /home1

HDD2 (500GB)

4GB Ubuntu /swap
40GB Ubuntu /root
456GB Ubuntu /home2

Note: I realize the above partitions won't be the exact numbers, they are rough estimates.

 

[porterjw]

Re: your last Post;

4 GB Swap is complete overkill; 2 GB at most plus physical RAM will more than suffice. Also, you'd be surprised at how little you need to run most versions of Linux on, Ubuntu included. A 40 GB Root is basically ludicris unless you plan on installing every single Package. I'm a fairly heavy Ubuntu user and am more than fine with only a 10 GB partition. Bear in mind that Home is basically an 'installed Ubuntu application' folder; most things you can opt to install elsewhere if you choose. You may find it much easier to manage by having a generic 'My Stuff' partition.

For your particular case, I'd go with this (bear in mind I have OCD when it comes to this kind of stuff, but I'll try to see past it for this Post):

250 GB: +/-20GB Vista OS, +/-10GB (depending on if you're a gamer or not) Vista Software, 'My (Your) Stuff' all the rest
500 GB: 2GB Swap (regardless of physical RAM), 10GB /Root 10GB /Home, <all the rest from the 250GB>'My Stuff' backup, and anything left over for whatever.