Chapter 7 . Installing Linux 255 is c,
Chapter 7 . Installing Linux 255 is c, and so on). The partition number for that disk (1, 2, 3, and so on) follows that. For example, /dev/hda1 represents the first partition on the first IDE hard drive on the computer. . Mount Point/Raid/Volume The directory where the partition is connected into the Linux file system (if it is). You must assign the root partition (/) to a native Linux partition before you can proceed. If you are using RAID or LVM, the name of the RAID device or LVM volume appears here. . Type The type of file system that is installed on the disk partition. In many cases, the file system will be Linux (ext3), Win VFAT (vfat), or Linux swap. However, you can also use the previous Linux file system (ext2), physical volume (LVM), or software RAID. . Format Indicates whether (check mark) or not (no check mark) the installation process should format the hard disk partition. Partitions marked with a check are erased! So, on a multiboot system, be sure your Windows partitions, as well as other partitions containing data are not checked! . Size (MB) The amount of disk space allocated for the partition. If you selected to let the partition grow to fill the existing space, this number may be much larger than the requested amount. . Start/End Represents the partition s starting and ending cylinders on the hard disk. In the top section, you can see each of the hard disks connected to your computer. The drive name is shown first. The Geometry section (Geom) shows the numbers of cylinders, heads, and sectors, respectively, on the disk. That s followed by the model name of the disk. The total amount of disk space, the amount used, and the amount free are shown in megabytes. Reasons for Partitioning There are different opinions about how to divide up a hard disk. Here are some issues: . Do you want to install another operating system? If you want Windows on your computer along with Linux, you will need at least one Windows (Win95 FAT16, VFAT, or NTFS type), one Linux (Linux ext3), and one Linux swap partition. . Is it a multiuser system? If you are using the system yourself, you probably don t need many partitions. One reason for partitioning an operating system is to keep the entire system from running out of disk space at once. That also serves to put boundaries on what an individual can use up in his or her home directory (although disk quotas are good for that as well). . Do you have multiple hard disks? You need at least one partition per hard disk. If your system has two hard disks, you may assign one to / and one to /home (if you have lots of users) or /var (if the computer is a server sharing lots of data).
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