I've been using Linux for a long time, both personally and professionally, but I'm trying to figure out the best way to organize my file storage as I move from Windows. I have five drives: 2 are 1TB and 3 are 4TB. In Windows, my drives are a chaotic mix of letters and files, all nearing full capacity, especially with games and various other files. I want to keep my drives separate and organized without using any fancy file systems like Btrfs.
How can I map these drives in Linux to maximize storage for random use while keeping everything somewhat organized? I've been searching but most advice seems too simplistic, like just mapping a drive to a specific folder. I often have files mixed across my drives and can't designate a full drive to just one type of file. Additionally, I need to understand how to keep track of larger projects that might be scattered across multiple drives. For example, my Unreal Engine projects are split between several drives due to space considerations, which makes it hard to just have one folder for 'projects'. Thanks for any tips!
2 Answers
It sounds like your best bet is to come up with a naming convention and stick to it. If you don't want to merge your drives into a single volume, then consider mounting each drive in its own dedicated folder under '/mnt/'. For instance, you could create '/mnt/DriveF/' for your old F: drive and '/mnt/DriveG/' for your G: drive. This way, even if files are mixed up across drives, you know exactly which drive you’re accessing. Another option is to use symbolic links for your projects, linking them to a central '/projects/' directory while keeping their original locations intact.
If your current system is working for you, there's nothing wrong with keeping it as is. You can always mount your drives under '/mnt/f/' and '/mnt/g/' so it reflects their original letters – it may make the transition easier. Just thinking out loud here, but if your projects are spread across multiple drives, maybe consider setting up a centralized 'Projects' folder where you can have symlinks to the actual files. It makes it feel consolidated but doesn’t change where things are physically stored.
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