1

I'm installing Ubuntu on a Windows 10 laptop but I want to completely remove Windows and use all the 500+32 GB for Ubuntu. How should I partition both HDD and SSD?

I think I have to choose "erase disk and install Ubuntu" when asked and to install Ubuntu on the SSD but I'm not sure where, when and how to put /home and /swap (and something else if needed).

Thanks.

user638349
  • 11
  • ...duplicate: http://askubuntu.com/questions/461394/how-to-partition-ssdhdd?rq=1 – mikewhatever Jan 04 '17 at 21:33
  • @mikewhatever I think that other question a bit too much of a special case. The person on the other question is asking how to set things up in a particular way rather than asking what way is best. – Chai T. Rex Jan 04 '17 at 21:42
  • What you should do depends entirely on what you want to achieve. Could you please specify some criteria of the resulting partitioning scheme, e. g. how you want to use your computer and store your data, things you want to avoid. As it stands it's entirely based on opinion. – David Foerster Jan 05 '17 at 09:55
  • I have to warn you, even that entire 32GB drive isn't really enough for Windows. I have a 55GB partition for Windows 10, and all my programs, documents, images, etc installed to my data drive, but I've still used almost all 55GB. – TheWanderer Jan 06 '17 at 01:26

1 Answers1

3

Recommendation

  • SSD;
    1. Make one partition taking up the entire SSD for /.
  • HDD:
    1. Make one partition taking up the amount of RAM you have for swap.
    2. Make one partition taking up the remaining space for /home.

Benefits

  • Fairly easy-to-understand.
  • Really fast speeds for loading the operating system and programs.
  • Lots of space for your personal files in your home directory.
  • Swap gets stored on the HDD instead of the SSD to avoid swapping causing excess wear on the SSD.
  • Since /home is on its own partition, a clean reinstall of the OS or a clean install of a different OS while keeping your personal files is much easier (though you have to be careful not to accidentally format the /home partition).

Setting it up

  1. When the installer asks for the installation type, choose Something else.
  2. For each device (the lines that start with /dev/), click on the device and click the New Partition Table... button and click Continue to clear away any existing partitions on that device.
  3. On the disk with about 32 GB of free space, click on the free space line and click the + button.
  4. Change Mount point to / and click OK.
  5. On the disk with about 500 GB of free space, click on the free space line, and click the + button.
  6. Change Size to the amount of RAM you have, change Use as to swap area, and click OK.
  7. Click on free space again and click the + button.
  8. Change Mount point to /home and click OK.
  9. Click Install Now, then click Continue.
  10. Continue with the regular installation questions.

If the above steps give a warning about the need for an EFI boot partition

  1. Go back to the partitioning screen
  2. For each device (the lines that start with /dev/), click on the device and click the New Partition Table... button and click Continue to clear away any existing partitions on that device.
  3. On the disk with about 32 GB free space, click on the free space line and click the + button.
  4. Change Size to 500, change Use as to EFI System Partition, and click OK.
  5. On the disk with about 32 GB of free space, click on the lower of the two free space lines for that disk and click the + button.
  6. Change Mount point to / and click OK.
  7. On the disk with about 500 GB of free space, click on the free space line, and click the + button.
  8. Change Size to the amount of RAM you have, change Use as to swap area, and click OK.
  9. Click on free space again and click the + button.
  10. Change Mount point to /home and click OK.
  11. Click Install Now, then click Continue.
  12. Continue with the regular installation questions.
  13. Ignore the warning about existing operating systems using BIOS compatibility mode.
Chai T. Rex
  • 5,193
  • In addition, you can create storage on the HDD, and symlink the directories as needed. For example, you could create /mnt/Videos and then ln -s /mnt/Videos /home/myuser/ – earthmeLon Jan 04 '17 at 21:54
  • When using the partitioning tool during the installation i'm asked a mount point and I have to choose between: /, /boot, / home, /tmp, /usr, /var, /srv, /opt and /usr/local. Do I need any of them? Also there is no swap. – user638349 Jan 04 '17 at 21:58
  • OK, I've added instructions. Let me know if any are confusing. – Chai T. Rex Jan 04 '17 at 22:04
  • It's very clear, thanks. Unfortunately when I click install now I get a message that says. "The partition table format in use on your disks normally requires you to create a separate partition for boot loader code. This partition should be marked for use as an "EFI boot partition" and should be ate least 35MB in size. Note that this is not the same as a partition mounted on /boot. If you do not go back to the partitioning menu and correct this error, boot loader installation may fail later, although it may still be possible to install the boot loader to a partition." What should I do? Thanks. – user638349 Jan 04 '17 at 22:15
  • OK, I've tried installing on an EFI system, and I've added instructions for that in the last section. – Chai T. Rex Jan 04 '17 at 22:39