Linux Mint 17.1 (Rebecca) Installation Options [SOLVED]

[trope]

I was going to do a clean install of Rebecca MATE on top of Nadia Cinnamon (data backed up on an external drive to transfer back after Rebecca installed), was following the instructions http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/2, but there are several options that are not discussed there and I am not sure what to make of it. I looked at the release files and it is also not explained.

When I boot from a DVD, I first get the option to do a legacy boot vs. UEFI. I have never heard of UEFI before and my laptop is a couple years old. Googling also does not reveal much. Is it okay to do a UEFI boot?

When installing I get the option of using LVM. I googled this point and came across a tutorial where the writer advocated NOT using it due to greater difficulties if recovery becomes necessary in the future. Should I use LVM or are there good reasons for me not to use it? I am a basic user and plan to just have Rebecca on my system (will install virtualbox and run windows 7. I would like to increase the space allocated to windows 7 but don't know that there is a simple way to do this and don't think it has anything to do with partitions).

There is an option for encryption right at the beginning. When I installed nadia I recall having the option of encrypting the entire computer vs. the home directory. This option doesn't explain what it is doing, is it for the whole computer? Will I later need to make a second password for my user profile and does that not have anything to do with encryption? I will be the only person using this system.

Thanks for any input.

[trope]

Found some information on LVM in case others have the same question:

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=108442
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/LVM

In my case I don't see a benefit because I have a single hard drive on a laptop and cannot add new drives to the same partition, which is what LVM can do. I think it is beneficial for ppl with multiple HDs or who can add multiple HDs. Also if the HD is deleted by mistake it seems to be harder to recover data with LVM. I think I will avoid it for this installation. Don't really understand UEFI/secure boot but think I will go with it and use the encryption option that I see.

[gold_finger]

UEFI vs. Legacy/CSM/BIOS boot and install:

You can install either way -- just make sure you boot the live install disk in the mode you want to install in. Also, if you choose a UEFI install, you should run GParted from the live disk and change the partition table of the drive to "GPT" if it is currently "MBR"/"msdos" before you run the installer. (Open GParted, go to Device -> Create Partition Table -> "gpt" -> OK.) If you just want a standard Root and Swap partition, then just use the installer option that says it will erase and use the whole disk. If you want a separate Home partition, or other setup, follow directions on this tutorial to do a "Something else" option setup -- but ignore all of the Windows (dual-boot) info.

If you decide not to use UEFI mode, then easiest (most familiar to you) thing would be to keep the drive using an MBR/msdos partition table (which is what it is likely using now). You can confirm what partition table type the drive is now by running this command in a terminal from your live Mint DVD/USB:

Code: Select all

sudo parted -l

(Command ends in a lowercase letter "L".)

You'll see one line that says "Partition table" and it will show as either "msdos" (MBR), or "gpt".

To install in Legacy mode to the "msdos" disk you must boot the live disk in that mode. Then for a standard (Root and Swap partition) installation using whole disk, just choose that option from the installer. For non-standard partition set-up, follow this tutorial as you run the "Something else" install option.

There is an option for encryption right at the beginning. When I installed nadia I recall having the option of encrypting the entire computer vs. the home directory. This option doesn't explain what it is doing, is it for the whole computer?

Have a read through this thread: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=185875.

[trope]

Thank you.

I read your post and found more information on partitions here:
http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2011/09/18/gu ... -in-linux/

But I haven't seen any explanation of how do I decide whether to use UEFI or legacy boot? From your post there seems to be a 1:1 relationship between UEFI and GPT and with legacy boot and MBR. So do I decide if I want GPT or MBR and then decide on the boot? Or is there a different way to determine it? I have a single 250 GB hard drive, I don't know that it's possible to add an additional HD to my laptop (dell latitude e6410), although I suppose I could replace this one with a larger one at some point in the future. I am installing Rebecca over my existing system and will not duel boot another OS. I'm not sure what root and swap is and where I should put my home directory, if I have to decide these also how do I do it? thanks.

[gold_finger]

But I haven't seen any explanation of how do I decide whether to use UEFI or legacy boot?

It's really just a matter of personal preference. Since UEFI's use is relatively new to most people, installing in Legacy mode is easier -- just because that's what they're most familiar with. If it were me, I'd do UEFI mode because that's the new standard and I might as well get used to it sooner or later. But, ultimately it's your choice. The Mint OS will work the same no matter which mode you use to install it.

Here are links to info on UEFI if you'd like to read more about it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_E ... _Interface
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI
http://www.rodsbooks.com/linux-uefi/

From your post there seems to be a 1:1 relationship between UEFI and GPT and with legacy boot and MBR.

I was just trying to simplify things before. For MS Windows, that is correct -- GPT drives must be installed to in UEFI mode and MBR drives must be installed to in Legacy mode. Linux on the other hand can install to GPT drives in either mode; to MBR drives in only Legacy mode. Since you won't be using Windows, you can use GPT partitions no matter what mode you install in.

If you want to do a Legacy mode install to a GPT partitioned drive, here is a different tutorial covering that: Legacy Mode Installation Using GPT Partitions. (Note: for a UEFI mode install, use the tutorial I referenced before.)

I'm not sure what root and swap is and where I should put my home directory, if I have to decide these also how do I do it?

A "standard" installation, where the installer does everything automatically for you, results in you having two main partitions: Root and Swap. (On a GPT disk, there will also be either an "EFI System Partition", or a "bios_grub" partition depending on the mode of install.) The Root partition is your main system partition with all of the OS directories and files on it. The Swap partition is space that's used to store things temporarily if your system runs out of memory (RAM). It's also used to store contents of RAM if you hibernate the computer.

The Home directory is just one of the sub-directories under the "root" (/) of the file system. That is where all of your files will be saved and it's also home to configuration files that keep track of any customizations you've made to various programs and/or the layout of your desktop. In a standard install, it will be contained within the Root partition. Some people like to put the Home directory on a completely different partition. That makes upgrading to new versions of Mint, or re-installing the system easier. During the new installation, you can direct the installer to only wipe-out and reformat the Root partition while keeping and re-using the old Home partition. The result: all of your data files are immediately available to the new installation and most of the config files will take effect also. That saves you from having to copy data off and back on again; and from having to reconfigure everything from scratch.

The choice to use a separate Home is up to you. There are plenty of other variations on partitioning, but Root/Swap or Root/Swap/Home are the most commonly used. If you do choose to separate out Home, then you'll need to use the "Something else" install option so you can manually make your partitions. In that case, a reasonable set-up for partition sizes would be:

• Root partition: size = 15-25GB
• Swap partition: size = same as RAM amount
• Home partition: size = rest of space on the drive

One last thing. Don't be afraid to experiment with both types of installation (UEFI or Legacy). Installing will only take 15-30 minutes, so if something doesn't go right its not that big of a deal to wipe it all out and try again. You'll be surprised at how quickly you can learn and become comfortable with installing and partitioning after running through the process just a few times.

[trope]

That's a great suggestion to put the /home directory in a different place, I unfortunately already installed Rebecca, I guess I could re-install it given that I am not so far in the process of restoring everything. But I'm not sure if I get the option to encrypt the computer if I don't use LVM.

I was not able to boot after installing Rebecca, tried the install a couple more times with various settings and I think it is a problem with UEFI, I ended up having to create a partition as msdos and then doing a legacy boot/install. Also looked into whether I might have secure boot but verified that it was not active.

It turns out that LVM seems to be required to encrypt the whole computer. I wish it would have stated this somewhere as I would not have had to research LVM.

The second question to encrypt the /home directory threw me off. I wonder if ppl installing know that the home directory is already encrypted if the entire computer is encrypted. They should specify this in the instructions.