Itching to (re-)install...

bjh · #1 28th September 2009, 06:15 PM

Hi all-

I've decided it's time to wipe my disk clean and re-install with a newer Fedora. I've been running Fedora 8 for some time and have been generally happy, but I'm now 3 releases behind, so yeah...it's time to update.

I am itching to get going (will be installing x86_64 w/ KDE on an HP Pavilion dv2715nr), and I was wondering if you kind folks have any input on whether I should go with 11 or wait a little longer for the stable release of 12....

What say you?

JN4OldSchool · #2 28th September 2009, 06:31 PM

Why not set up a dual boot? Use a separate /data partition that you can mount in any linux distro then install F11 now saving around 20GB free space. When F12 comes out install that in a dual boot. Use whichever one is best for you and when F13 comes out swap it out with F11.

bjh · #3 28th September 2009, 06:42 PM

Thanks, I'll give that a try...I've always just installed /home and / on the same partition (bad habit, I know), so is there anything *not* straightforward about setting up /home on a separate partition from inside the Fedora installer?

JN4OldSchool · #4 28th September 2009, 06:47 PM

No just use manual partitioning. But I would caution you about using the same /home. It can be done, and is fairly safe as long as you use the same user name and ID, but do you really "need" to save all those config files? It is safer to just do clean installs. This is why I suggest making a /data instead and keeping /home inside / on every distro.

Of course this is your choice. There is no difference either way, just do it in the Anaconda partitioner (Fedora installer), just make sure you do not format the partition when you install the next distro! You will select it and edit so you can mount it by writing in the label.

bjh · #5 28th September 2009, 06:55 PM

Ahhhh, I see what you mean about the config files and uid stuff. As it stands now, I have all my personal data still in /home, so I'll spend some time tonight extracting all that stuff into a new directory on an external disk which I will copy into a /data partition when I do the install...one question though: even if I pull out all my personal data, won't it all still have the old uid and associated permissions when I copy it into the new /data directory? Would I just do a chown/chgrp -R on /data or is their a better way?

JN4OldSchool · #6 28th September 2009, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjh

...one question though: even if I pull out all my personal data, won't it all still have the old uid and associated permissions when I copy it into the new /data directory? Would I just do a chown/chgrp -R on /data or is their a better way?

Yes. But if you stick with Fedora and with the first default user then it will not be a problem. AFAIK Fedora still starts UID at 500, debian/Ubuntu distros at 1000. This can become an issue but as you say, in this case just change owner (chown).

bjh · #7 28th September 2009, 07:03 PM

Sweet, thank you much!

#8 29th September 2009, 12:56 AM

easier to use Virtualbox than to dualboot as since F12 is still not a "supported " release yet i would not advise to dualboot F12 an windows at the moment

stoat · #9 29th September 2009, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjh

I've always just installed /home and / on the same partition (bad habit, I know)...

I don't think there's anything bad about that. I always install Linux systems in a single root partition, and it never harmed me in any way. It's not good or bad IMO. Just a another way to do business.