Re: [gentoo-user] Mounting Question...

[Mick]

On Thursday 20 December 2007, Neil Bothwick wrote:
> On Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:12:17 +0100, Dirk Heinrichs wrote:
> > Then, create a volume group spawning [hs]da3 with name vg00 (you can
> > choose the name freely) and create logical volumes inside:
>
> I'd use a less generic name, otherwise you'll have problems if the
> computer fails and you try to connect the disk to another computer that
> has a vg00 volume group. I generally use a name related to the computer's
> hostname, which avoids conflicts.

I can already see that this thread is going to run, and run, and ...  :)

These days most people do not have a separate /boot partition as has already 
been mentioned.  Depending on the size of your disk and your need for a swap 
partition you may want to have it at the beginning of a partition, or for 
larger disks in the middle.  At the beginning you get faster read/write and 
in the middle you get faster access (I'm splitting hairs here, but it's fun 
anyway).  Certain partitions (if you decide to go for multi-partition scheme) 
like /var/tmp, /tmp, /usr will benefit being at the beginning of the disk. 
Others (e.g. /root, /mnt, /sbin less so).

Unlike commonly perceived wisdom I don't think that LVM is a panacea for all 
ills, or a necessity as such.  It is however bloody convenient, especially on 
a growing fs.  A server that is not expected to change much in size, probably 
does not need it.  On the other hand some servers (file, mail, news servers) 
are bound to continue to accumulate data and their fs will increase in time.  
I would argue that the former type of server can happily live in a few primary 
partitions + 1 extended with a number of logical partitions, if you are going 
for a multi-partitioned scheme, while the latter type of server will greatly 
benefit from LVM.  Of course, if hard drive redundancy is necessary, then I 
can't see how you could live without LVM + RAID.

With regards to your 47G /usr/portage partition I think that it is a waste of 
space.  It won't harm you other than the fact that the 3.8G OS partition is 
in all likelihood too small.  This is what I would do: tar the contents 
of /usr/portage elsewhere (even in the 3.8G partition - it should fit if you 
clear any cruft and, or use bzip).  Delete the 47G partition and use gparted 
to enlarge the 3.8G partition to say, 8-10G.  Then create a new partition say 
another 8-10G for /usr/portage.  Then create anymore separate partitions you 
may need (for /home and what have you). mkfs as required, modify 
your /etc/fstab and move your data in your respective new partitions.  If you 
think your fs is/are going to grow use LVM instead, otherwise primaries and 
if you need more than 4 then (extended + logical).

Just my 2c's.
-- 
Regards,
Mick