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I followed a guide to install ubuntu and put 20gb in '/' and the rest (150gb) in '/home'. I realized that everything I install goes to '/'. I am running out of space after installing Matlab, PyCharm, docker and still need to install many other stuffs. I don't know wtf '/home' is used for then. What are the dangers of allocating all my space to '/' ? Eg 200gb to '/' and 1 gb to '/home' for god knows what.

How can I make the Ubuntu installation / partition similar to Windows so I don't have to worry about partitions and shit EG: like a C drive for every effin thing ? I don't care if I lose everything if I do a re-install or upgrade Ubunutu.

Kong
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  • this is a different question. I am asking wtf '/home' is used for and if I can allocate every fucking space to '/' so I dont have to worry about partitionings and shit – Kong Sep 05 '17 at 08:52
  • Why are you swearing? Calm down, this question is an extention of your other one and IMO could of been a simple edit. Not a whole new question. – Mark Kirby Sep 05 '17 at 08:55
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    Instead of showing your excellence in using f* words, you can simply search for the answer on why it is good to have a separate home partition. You didn't ask about why to have home, nut about how much space you should dedicate. Home partition is good if you would need to reinstall your Gnu/Linux OS relatively frequently. So you settings and files remain safe. If you don't, you don't need separate home. Give all the spaces to /. – Mostafa Ahangarha Sep 05 '17 at 08:57
  • @MostafaAhangarha Home partition is good if you would need to reinstall your Gnu/Linux OS relatively frequently. So you settings and files remain safe. If you don't, you don't need separate home. Give all the spaces to /. Thank you Mostafa. That is all I needed to know. – Kong Sep 05 '17 at 09:02
  • Happy you got your answer. Please next time try to ask your real question that makes your mind busy. None of these two question about allocation of space to / and home, couldn't lead you to the answer you were looking for. Best of luck – Mostafa Ahangarha Sep 05 '17 at 09:05
  • With allocation of space from /home to / you will still have a separate /home. Important part is: you don't need separate home. This is more tricky. https://askubuntu.com/questions/117014/what-is-the-easiest-way-to-merge-and-home – pLumo Sep 05 '17 at 10:06

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/home is the place for the users' personal data e.g. Documents, Music and Movies as well as the programs configuration files.

Programs are installed in /usr/bin or /usr/local/bin (--> in the / partition).

20G for the system and programs in my opinion is just not enough. 30G should be enough, but it depends on how much and what type of programs you want to install.

You can change the size of the / partition only by booting from a live system. Use gparted to change the disk sizes.

I personally stopped using separate partitions (then /home will be part of /), but rather do a regular backup of my personal files in /home to an external drive.

pLumo
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  • Thanks. Isn't 30gb too little if you have a 200gb for ubuntu and you use a lot of programs ? It seems to me that '/home' should be the one carrying 20gb if all it does is hold documents, settings etc while '/' takes the remaining 180gb for softwares. – Kong Sep 05 '17 at 09:05
  • Do yourself a favor and do not use a separated /home. There, problem solved! Your reasoning about the space attributed to each is flawed in many ways: 1. Software does not require a lot of space, except games, of course, that all depends on the specific usage scenario, therefore for most users 30GB is indeed enough; 2. /home holds everything you say plus music and video files so, with only 20GB, you can fit there 2-3 HD MKV movies and obviously you can't even extract a BluRay. –  Sep 05 '17 at 13:07