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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

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Tips on running multiple distros together on my laptop? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hello all, sorry for such a newbish question, as I should probably know how to properly partition a hard drive, but I really don't know where to start. So what I'm looking to do is install a Debian distro, RHEL, and Arch. Want to go with Mint LMDE, Manjaro, and Fedora. I do not need very much storage, so I don't think space is an issue. I have like a 500+ something GB ssd and the few things that I do need to store are in a cloud. I pretty much use my laptop for browsing, researching, maybe streaming videos, and hopefully more programming and tinkering as I learn more; that's about all... no gaming or no data hoarding.

Do I basically just start off installing one distro on the full hard drive and then when I go to install the others, just choose the "run alongside" option? or would I have to manually partition things out? Any thing to worry about with conflicts between different types of distros, etc.? hoping you kind folks can offer me some simple advice on how to go about this without messing up my system. It SEEMS simple enough and it might be so, but I just don't personally know how to go about it lol. Thanks alot!!

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Thanks! still a tad confusing for me, but it's something to work with at least. so you only mount the one that you want to handle the bootloader? what about the storage drive? do I just mount all the partitions to that drive and they will all automatically save to that storage drive? I ought to look up diagrams and such just to see it visually I think. Also, someone mentioned creating the partition first. how would that work out if you're still running a distro? would rebooting wipe that out and keep the partition in tact and then you work from there? or do you just partition as you go along with each install?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think that this might help you, since you said that you mentioned diagrams:

The numbers after /dev/sda will change depending on how you partition your SSD, as well as their order, and I'm assuming that your username will be "macaroni" for simplicity, but look at the idea. (Also, you don't need to mount your personal files partition in /home/macaroni/storage. It could be mounted anywhere you want, even /randomjunk/catpix/dogpix/mypartition.)

If I recall correctly you don't need to mount the partition with grub (the bootloader), but do check it with other users as I'm not sure of that. Once you update grub in that distribution, it'll automatically detect "look! There are other systems here! I'll add them to the boot options!".

Also, someone mentioned creating the partition first. how would that work out if you’re still running a distro?

You should only create, delete or modify partitions of your SSD from a live USB. Never do it while the system installed in your SSD is running. Those partitions will stay even after you reboot.

I recommend creating the partitions first, then installing your distros. This way you'll have better control on how to organise your partitions. For example, if you decide to install Arch on the third partition, you can simply say it "hey, you shall be installed in /dev/sda3", no matter the order that you're installing Arch vs. other distros.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

this is very very helpful, thanks alot. I love lemmy over reddit. you guys are actually kind and helpful here. so I mentioned in other posts, I don't store a whole lot of things at all and anything important is stored in a cloud. So do I necessarilly need to create a storage partition? can't I just use storage within each distro partition for trivial stuff like downloads or whatever? I hope that makes sense

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You don't need to create a storage partition if you don't want to. You could theoretically reduce that partition table from the diagram to three partitions - one for each distro. It's up to you, really.

The problem that I see with that is organisation and security:

you'll likely use one distro more than the other two. That distro's partition will get full of personal files faster. Eventually you'll need to juggle files to the other two partitions.
you'll need to remember which system you were using in order to remember where your files are. And since you'll be juggling files back and forth, you'll reach a point where you need to search three directories to find a file.
if your personal files are spread across multiple partitions, you'll likely need to mount all of them in all your systems. This means that you'll need to mount Debian's and RHEL's partitions in Arch, Arch's and Debian's in RHEL, etc. It's generally not a good idea to mount partitions with system files unnecessarily.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Oh ok, so scratch that idea then lol see, this is the stuff I have no clue about! thank you