Linux Mint setup on my laptop

[JohnJ]

Yes. You will need to set a couple of "flags" against the fat32 partition, to have it show as boot, esp

My SSD setup shown has my cursor pointing to it

Yours would only have one additional partition to start with, either /dev/sdX1 or /dev/sdX2 , where X is determined by he drive you have placed it on.

My picture is from GParted, the GNOME Partition Editor, which you would either have to install first, or it is on the USB stick or other medium you used to install Linux Mint.

Or you can use the GNOME Disks facility, aka Disks, already installed on your Mintie, and available through your Start Menu.

Ah Ha. Yes, this clears up one of my previous posts asking whether you need separate partitions for each distro or you just stuff them onto a ssd. This basic fact is good to know. I have checked out GParted on my boot disk and just for fun I partitioned my external and separate SSD that contains Minty and is connected to the Windows laptop. Actually not just for fun. I wanted a separate partition to park my Timeshift outputs. This will change once I ditch Windows, replace my old SSD that has Windows on it with a new SSD and install Minty onto the new SSD. I will keep the old SSD with Windows in my bottom drawer just incase there is a Linux zombie appocalipse and I need to go back (shudder) to Windows.
I did the same when I replaced the mechanical distributor contact points in my old Holden when new fangled electronic pickups that I didn't trust replaced the mechanical points. I carefully wrapped a new set of mechanical points in clean rags and they sat in the boot of my car for the next 10 years quietly rusting away. The damn electronic pickups worked flawlessly and have never needed replacing. Just saying...

 

[wizardfromoz]

just incase there is a Linux zombie appocalipse and I need to go back (shudder) to Windows.

That should happen the day after you nuke Windows. Lol.

Actually not just for fun.

Good, forward or proactive thinking.

When you get a chance, give us the version and desktop environment (DE) of your Mintie.

If you are not sure, you can get it from the bottom right corner of the popup welcome screen when you reach the desktop.

eg Linux Mint 21.3 Cinnamon 64-bit

Then when you are asking support questions, just incude eg

Linux Mint 21.3 Cinnamon

in either the title or in your first post for the thread.

 

[JohnJ]

That should happen the day after you nuke Windows. Lol.



Good, forward or proactive thinking.

When you get a chance, give us the version and desktop environment (DE) of your Mintie.

If you are not sure, you can get it from the bottom right corner of the popup welcome screen when you reach the desktop.

eg Linux Mint 21.3 Cinnamon 64-bit

Then when you are asking support questions, just incude eg

Linux Mint 21.3 Cinnamon

in either the title or in your first post for the thread.

Got it. Cheers

 

[JohnJ]

Yes. You will need to set a couple of "flags" against the fat32 partition, to have it show as boot, esp

My SSD setup shown has my cursor pointing to it

Yours would only have one additional partition to start with, either /dev/sdX1 or /dev/sdX2 , where X is determined by he drive you have placed it on.

My picture is from GParted, the GNOME Partition Editor, which you would either have to install first, or it is on the USB stick or other medium you used to install Linux Mint.

Or you can use the GNOME Disks facility, aka Disks, already installed on your Mintie, and available through your Start Menu.

G'Day Wiz (and maybe others).
Firstly some bragging then a question. I am past the crawling stage and into the baby step stage. I have installed a new internal 500GB SSD into my laptop and replaced the one that had Windows on it. Have partitioned the new SSD with a EFI System Partition and installed Linux Mint into what remained of my new onboard SSD. All is working well. I have Thunderbird talking to my emails, I am using FreeFileSync, KeepassXC, Timeshift, Foxclone. I am moving files to and from from my onboard 1TB, data and other file backup from external SSD's. I am very happy with Linux (Mint in my case). It's fast, easy to use once I got my head around a different partitioning systems - Root, home, etc. Actually I think that I am quickly getting past the baby step stage and am almost a teenager. So I am about to completely dump Windows on my home computer and I am not scared!!
Here is my question. I see from your image that you have lots of distros (the number still blows my mind) and that you don't have seperate Home and Root partitions. I do not save any files that I work on in the Home area of my combo Home and Root partitions. I save all of my work onto the seperate, onboard 1TB SSD. After lots of research I note that some people insist that one should have seperate partions for these two, others are equally adamant that this is not necessesary. Both views have their champions and detractors. I suppose that it comes down to risk and backup methodology and where and how my working files are saved/kept. My approach is to make frequent backups using Timeshift and Foxclone. I am very particular doing this so I am unsure why there is a focus on having two partions to backup rather than one. Note again where and how I save my important working files.
Your views oh Guru would be appreciated. Cheers John

 

[wizardfromoz]

Gawd, he's reverted to a frickin' teenager, they can be difficult to handle.

Seriously, well done. I am pleased for you.

After lots of research I note that some people insist that one should have seperate partions for these two, others are equally adamant that this is not necessesary. Both views have their champions and detractors.

Quite so.

My codicil in these cases is to say

YOU are the driver behind the wheel to the vehicle that is your Computer. YOU make the decisions, and YOU bear some responsibility for the outcomes. I (and people here of like mind) may be the Driving Instructor, but I/we are not the Driving Examiner. We do not pass or fail you on a test, but we hope you find a favourable outcome.

As you have seen with my environment, other than the multitude of distros I run, I favour simplicity for how I set up each distro.

So I just have one partition (small r root) for each distro, they share the same EFI System Partition on that drive, and that is the state for all three of my drives.

You can experiment with the different methods, choose the one you like more, and stick with that for whatever time you like it until or unless you no longer like that.

Before you implement major changes, take a Timeshift snapshot, and then if things go pear-shaped, you can roll back.

There are also ways to move a Home folder to a separate Home partition, and vice versa.

Linux - all about free choice, and have some fun along the way.

Wiz

 

[JohnJ]

Gawd, he's reverted to a frickin' teenager, they can be difficult to handle.

Seriously, well done. I am pleased for you.



Quite so.

My codicil in these cases is to say

YOU are the driver behind the wheel to the vehicle that is your Computer. YOU make the decisions, and YOU bear some responsibility for the outcomes. I (and people here of like mind) may be the Driving Instructor, but I/we are not the Driving Examiner. We do not pass or fail you on a test, but we hope you find a favourable outcome.

As you have seen with my environment, other than the multitude of distros I run, I favour simplicity for how I set up each distro.

So I just have one partition (small r root) for each distro, they share the same EFI System Partition on that drive, and that is the state for all three of my drives.

You can experiment with the different methods, choose the one you like more, and stick with that for whatever time you like it until or unless you no longer like that.

Before you implement major changes, take a Timeshift snapshot, and then if things go pear-shaped, you can roll back.

There are also ways to move a Home folder to a separate Home partition, and vice versa.

Linux - all about free choice, and have some fun along the way.

Wiz

Good one, Wiz. Yep, as I thought. Cheers