I'm switching from Windows 11 to Linux Mint and I've always had my SSD dedicated to the operating system while keeping all my external programs and files on a larger HDD. I've read a bit about the Linux File System Hierarchy and how things are typically organized, but I'm curious about how others manage their file systems. I have a 500 GB SSD and a huge 10 TB HDD for storage. Is the SSD going to be enough for all the Linux programs I'll want to install over the years? This was never an issue for me on Windows, so I'm looking for some advice on how to set this up properly for my new Linux environment.
4 Answers
I set up my 1TB drive with part of it for AI tasks and Linux swap space, while the rest stores accumulated data over time. I also have a couple of 2TB and 1TB external drives for backups. My SSD runs Windows alongside Ubuntu. It's all about managing where your data goes!
In Linux, files are organized into specific directories like /etc for system configurations, /boot for boot files, and /home for user data. Each mounted disk is part of the root filesystem hierarchy, which gives you flexibility in where you mount storage devices. If you're really curious about the structure, look into the Linux Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS) to grasp how it all connects.
The neat thing about Linux is that it doesn't strictly separate your OS from apps like Windows does. Everything is generally just packages. So yes, your 500 GB SSD should be plenty for all the software you install via the package manager. Habits might need to change around storage, but it’s manageable!
I usually go with a 1-2TB disk for my whole operating system setup without worrying too much. I keep all my essential files in cloud storage and a NAS with RAID 6 for redundancy. If my OS disk fails, I just replace it, reinstall, and get back to business. If you're into big media or software libraries, you can mount an additional disk for that purpose. By the way, lots of folks use ZFS for added redundancy, but it does have a learning curve. What specific applications are you planning to install? If it's for gaming, you could set up your Steam library on the external drive. But honestly, I've really begun to rely on SSDs for performance, so I use SSD for everything.
I share your approach! I only keep a minimal Windows setup on a small SSD and save everything important on cloud storage or NAS. For my MX Debian setup, I often recreate my environment using a live USB stick. I mostly use Windows just for updates on specific hardware, like my OBD2 device.
I think the cloud storage idea is smart. I use it for important documents, but it doesn't take up much space. I'm mostly gaming and exploring software for engineering, so I'll probably need to dive deeper into storage management.
That's great to hear! I was worried about space with APT packages, but I guess I just need to adjust my old ways of installing software.