How can I separate my personal directories from system files in Linux?
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TechSavvy3D
I have a setup with multiple drives: a 1TB NVMe SSD for my Linux system files, a 1TB HDD for general use, a 500GB SSD for gaming, and a 4TB NAS HDD for bulk storage. I used to have a simple structure on Windows where the system files were on one drive and my personal directories like Documents and Downloads were on another drive. I want to replicate that flexibility in Linux. The main concern is how to handle my Home directory. I want to keep dotfiles on the SSD for faster access, but I'd prefer to move directories like Documents and Downloads to the HDD to avoid excessive writing on the SSD. I'm wary of breaking anything since I'm not a Linux expert and want to protect my data during the process. What's the best way to achieve this separation without complications?
Answers
If you're planning on using multiple Linux distros in the future, you might want to manage your home directory carefully. By creating symlinks to your Documents, Downloads, etc., on your HDD, you can easily link them into any distro's home directory, keeping your setup flexible.
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You can definitely move your entire home directory if you prefer that approach! Check out guides online to help you through it. But just a heads up, that might put your dotfiles on the slower HDD, which could affect load times in the long run—especially with bigger setups like Emacs. If you want to keep it efficient, consider using symlinks for specific folders instead of a full move.
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I've set up my system where I have an external M.2 SSD for personal data and use an internal SSD for the operating system. I simply created symlinks in my home directory pointing to the folders on the external drive. It keeps everything organized and fast.
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To achieve what you want, just create folders on your HDD and use mount points to link them to the corresponding directories in /home. This method is super common and lets you manage data storage efficiently between the SSD and HDD.
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Linux is really flexible with how you set up your storage! You can separate things in /home by creating different mount points as needed. As you're still learning, I’d suggest keeping it simple initially—this way, if something goes wrong, recovery is easier. And if you're worried about experimenting, you could also try this setup in a virtual machine first.
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