Storage partition: mount point during installation or later?

Question

I recently installed Ubuntu on my laptop.

I decided to create a logical partition to store my big files (music, videos, pictures...) somewhere else than the home folder, so I created this partition during the new Ubuntu installation process in ext4 format, using the mount-point /data. I'll later try to redirect my Pictures, Videos and Documents from /home in this /data folder, using symbolic links.

However, I just read an article that explains how to create a storage partition after Ubuntu installation, using GParted to mount the unused space on a /mnt/storage folder (for example).

What's the difference between these two methods, and what do you think is the best to follow?

This is not an answer, but just a recommendation that you might want to use binds rather that symbolic links. — chesedo, Oct 23 '13 at 05:01

Sitron_NO · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-23T06:26:32.207

1

Could you link to the article, so we can see exactly what is explained?

Anyway, I would recommend to set up all the partitons during the install, then everything is taken care of with gparted and /etc/fstab is correct - you do not have to edit it manually afterwards. Other than that, creating a partition is the same, no technical difference between doing it during or after installing the OS.

Edit: After reading the article, it does not change anything, really. When you create your partition does not matter, but doing it after the installation will create extra manual work (which you can mess up :-))

And as a comment above noted: Instead of using symbolic links, you may want to mount the partitions with bind.

edited Oct 23 '13 at 06:26

answered Oct 22 '13 at 13:19

Sitron_NO

136

I updated my question adding the article link :) – Kurt Bourbaki Oct 22 '13 at 13:34
And I updated the answer! – Sitron_NO Oct 23 '13 at 06:26

Storage partition: mount point during installation or later?

1 Answers1