Practical questions about disk partitioning, moving the /home directory and shrinking the / system directory.

[Bas G. Roufs]

Hey dear Nils and others.

Here below, I go through your two latest messages.

Op wo 17 jul 2024 om 09:24 schreef Nils Kassube <kassube at gmx.net>:
(Snip ...)

> > Attached to this message, you gonna find a textfile that includes two
> > /etc/fstab files.
>
> Sorry, there is no attachment. Did you forget it, or maybe kubuntu-users
> doesn't allow attachments? Can you send it (again) but this time inline or
> via private mail?
>

I simply forgot it yesterday. I see you already found the attachment I
found today. I already stored the rewritten fstab file in the right place
where I can find it back.


> Oh dear! You used fstab to mount both the new and old disk? Then this may
> have caused the boot problem because from cloning partitions you get
> duplicate UUIDs.
>

Be reassured. I was already aware about this problem. From the old SSD, I
have made an image file at the external HD I am using - via Foxclone. From
that file, I made the clone. Like this, I have avoided the simultaneous
presence of two disks with the same UUID.

After finishing this job, I'll reformat the old 256 GB SSD, which is now
out of the laptop - I'll use it for the time being for Timeshift system
backups. When using it, I attach it to the laptop via a SATA to USB cable.

There is still place for an additional 512 GB mSata SSD in the laptop. In
September or October, I'll buy such a thing and get it inserted; before
doing so, I'll backup the latest user data. After mounting the new mSata
SSD into the laptop, I'll split it in two partitions of 256 GB each. One
half will have the exact size of sda1, sda2, sda3 and sda4 together.  The
other half will equal the old 256 GB SSD. Then I'll clone everything from
sda1, sda2, sda3 and sda4 to one half of the mSata - including the / system
partition at sda3. The Timeshift system - backup at the old 256 GB SD, I'll
put at the other half of the new mSata SSD. After that, I'll reformat the
whole 1 TB SSD - from that moment onwards,  the whole 1 TB SSD will be one
single partition for /bas/home. After that, I'll restore recent user data
from the most recent Backintime backup.


>
> To find out the UUIDs of the partitions you can use the command
>
> ls -l /dev/disk/by-uuid/
>

I have used this and other commands to  get together the UUID info you have
seen in the attachment I sent this morning.

(Snip)

> > Anyway, what do you mean when you write navigate to sda3 and sda5? Do
> you
> > > use a live system?



> > No, I use mc for that! Inside Kubuntu24.04 LTS!
> >
> > Install it again within your terminal and try it out - you'll see what I
> > mean.
> >
> > sudo apt install mc
> > Camino-casa, at the right pane.
>
> Well, I tried that, but I couldn't navigate to partitions. Therefore I
> suppose you have mounted the partitions somewhere and navigate to those
> mount points.
>

Exactly.


> > > After renaming (sda3)/home to home-ori you should also make a new
> (empty)
> > > folder (sda3)/home because that one is needed as the mount point.
> > >
> >
> > I know what you mean.
> > One question. Do I need to do this in the same session when I also will
> > rewrite etc/fstab?
>
> Yes.
>

Clear. I act like this.



>
> > > > Step 2. «home-new» > «home» @ sda5.
> > > > ================================
> > > >
> > > > At this stage, I stay in Midnight Commander. I want to deal with
> > > > Camino-casa, sda5 - more then 3 quarter of the 1 TB disk. There, I
> want
> > > to
> > > > rename «home-new» into «home». Like this, «home» will get at the «top
> > > > folder position» of sda5.
> > >
> > > I thought you wanted to go with my first option?
> >
> >
> > Sure!
> >
> > > Then you should not rename that (sda5)/home-new but move the contents
> from
> > > (sda5)/home to (sda5)/ So e.g. (sda5)/home-new/bas should be moved
> upwards
> > > to become (sda5)/bas
>

Gonna do this too.


> >
> >
> > Like this, the folder «home-new» at sda5 will become an empty directory?
> > For the rest, I understand what you write here.
>
> Yes, the home-new should be empty after moving the contents upwards. Of
> course you can remove it then.
>

I get it.


> > Check in this context the different UUID's I got via some test - look for
> > this in the same text file.
>
> I will do so, when you resend it :)
>

:-)

You have done so this morning.

Yours.

Bas.
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