# ubuntu installation



## clmlbx (Aug 14, 2015)

well I am finally trying to install ubuntu on my hard-drive(no virtual machine). So I need help ok let me share first what I have and what I want in end.

I have 2 hard disk 500GB and 1TB say new one just made one partition for now of 150GB out of 1 TB so it still has unallocated/free space

500Gb has 4 partitions in windows 7 is installed in one of partition.
Now I want to triple boot (win 7, win 10, and linux for now ubuntu but it will change to others like cent os but for now ubuntu)

I have installed ubuntu couple of times before on virtual machine but not natively (actual hard drive)

Now First thing I am confused about is How many partition to make 1 or 3 as I am reading (3 for root home and swap)

I will be installing ubuntu-14.04.2-desktop-amd64. (I have Intel specs  )

If 3 then how much storage space will need. 

anythings I need to know before I go for it..

I have very Important data in my 500GB Hard disk can not at all risk that for anything

hope you all have necessary information to answer my query, Looking forward for your replies

My purpose to install linux is to learn it.. I have no other use for it.. for working purpose I need windows...


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## Faun (Aug 14, 2015)

500 MB for boot
about 40GB for root /
home is dependent on you but keep 20GB for /home so that you don't run out of space
swap is about 1.5 times your RAM


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## clmlbx (Aug 14, 2015)

I asked for 3 now you mentioned 4.

Is boot partition needed and can you explain use of it (I know name is self explanatory but why complete another partition).

I am installing it to just catch some Linux commands for now. so won't 40+20 Gb will be lot to invest 

I was much more thinking of

10GB root
10GB home
2GB swap (Do I even need it as am gonna use it for basic task I guess and I do have 8GB DDR3 ram running 1600)
500 MB Boot as you say

what I understand Is 

root is for Ubuntu files
Home for user files
Swap for ram swapping
boot for GRUB I guess

coorect ? what do I need to take care of to do it triple boot. Now have installed windows 10 too just Ubuntu left


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## Faun (Aug 14, 2015)

It's safer when anything goes wrong with boot you can isolate it and reinstall boot files.
partitioning - is it better to have a separate partition for /boot? - Ask Ubuntu

Normally, 3 partitions are boot, root, and swap.

You can separate /home from root to save your personal files and preferences when you attempt to install another linux distribution.

There is never enough space for operating systems. Sooner or later you will stretch partition size. Why take hassle then, when you can just allocate space now. 60GB is not too much for a 1 TB HDD. 

10GB for both looks ok too. You can disable swap after installing too. swap is not needed if you have 8GB RAM. But always good to keep some for worst case.


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## Naveen.S (Aug 14, 2015)

If you have more than 2GB RAM then there is no need to create SWAP partition at all. My Debian sever has 8GB RAM and I have created 2GB SWAP to be on safer side. Server has never used a single MB even in high load. There is no need to create boot partition too unless its a some kind of production machine. If you are installing to learn Linux, stick with three partitions, / (root), /home and small SWAP (1GB).


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## clmlbx (Aug 16, 2015)

Thanks Naveen but I will create boot partition as I guess I might need it, anyway just one more question, to install any os, partition need to be primary so out of those 4 partitions which partition needs to be primary and which will work with logical..

I guess

Boot and root but need definite answer so am here. 

Thank you guys for all your suggestions..


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## Faun (Aug 16, 2015)

/boot  as primary (and optionally / as primary)

rest can be logical

linux - primary or logical partition - Super User


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## Naveen.S (Aug 16, 2015)

Primary partition restrictions are with Windows OSes only. Linux doesn't care about partition type.
You are planning to triple boot in two hard disks system. For the first time users, it could be a little bit complicated to manage all partitions. Linux installers are really good these days and most of installers detect all partitions, installed OSes correctly. But even then you should consider 2-3 partitions for single Linux OS. 

If you are planning for distro hopping then forget /boot. Just create / and /home partitions for each distro. Otherwise, you will end up with lots of partitions and plenty of unused/wasted disk space.
Just my two cents !


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## clmlbx (Aug 17, 2015)

well I Finally did it yesterday, But one thing I noticed ubuntu Installation makes all its partition as Primary, Now that created lot of problem as I had to create lot more partition in it.

Now I have 6 partition + Ubuntu 4 partitions in my 1 TB Hard Dirve.

Until yesterday I had not installed ubuntu Natively, by End of Day I installed Ubuntu 5-7 times. from Novice to Advanced user I will say in a Day 

- - - Updated - - -

Thank you [MENTION=20614]Faun[/MENTION] For all our help


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## Faun (Aug 17, 2015)

DId you do the manual partitioning ? You could have selected logical partitions through that.

Glad that this thread helped. 

I used to install linux too at the bleeding edge, like so many times. It was fun. But now I keep Ubuntu (LTS) in Virtual Box. Do my dev work there. And rarely do the operating system re installation. It's just that the priorities have shifted now.


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## Vyom (Aug 17, 2015)

Looks like I am late to the party. But good to know that OP didn't mess up while Ubuntu installation. 

I once had my 1 TB hdd formatted in an attempt to install Ubuntu and spend considerable amount of days to recover everything. Details here: *www.digit.in/forum/chit-chat/191079-how-ubuntu-screwed-me-over-why-i-still-love.html

Though I use SuperX distro now. Do checkout links in my signature clmlbx which contains articles on Ubuntu. (shameless self promotion). But seriously I want people who can suggest if articles I wrote are even worthy to help others.


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## clmlbx (Aug 21, 2015)

Yes, I did Manual Partitioning, I also tried selecting Logical Partitions but no matter what I do , Ubuntu used to convert it into Primary .

Well For future I might to go for just virtual os but for now I thought I should at least install one friendly linux to use it an experiment on it .  And as mostly because I can afford that space after buying 1TB Hard Drive.

well I still will be using Virtual Os on windows for another distros starting with cent os

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks [MENTION=77264]Vyom[/MENTION] will have a look at it, well to be true Few years ago I had tried installing Linux on HDD and I lost one whole partition and after that I never attempted Dare Devil stunt until Now  .


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## ankushv (Aug 21, 2015)

I always install ubuntu on a seperate physical drive with it's own bootloader and grub .
So every time i want to start ubuntu , i go to the bios and select the Ubuntu disk to boot from . 
Rest of the time win7 boots directly from its own separate physical disk and with Windows only boot loader minus grub .


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