From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Aug 25 21:49:02 2007 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 95E8216A468 for ; Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:49:02 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bv@bilver.wjv.com) Received: from wjv.com (fl-65-40-24-38.sta.embarqhsd.net [65.40.24.38]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2452C13C465 for ; Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:49:01 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bv@bilver.wjv.com) Received: from bilver.wjv.com (localhost.wjv.com [127.0.0.1]) by wjv.com (8.14.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id l7PLmuoB055141 for ; Sat, 25 Aug 2007 17:48:56 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from bv@bilver.wjv.com) Received: (from bv@localhost) by bilver.wjv.com (8.14.1/8.13.1/Submit) id l7PLmp9r055140 for freebsd-questions@freebsd.org; Sat, 25 Aug 2007 17:48:51 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from bv) Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2007 17:48:51 -0400 From: Bill Vermillion To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Message-ID: <20070825214851.GA52476@wjv.com> References: <20070825043449.DACBE16A4CA@hub.freebsd.org> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20070825043449.DACBE16A4CA@hub.freebsd.org> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.2i Organization: W.J.Vermillion / Orlando - Winter Park ReplyTo: bv@wjv.com Subject: Re: /var or /usr for data? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: bv@wjv.com List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:49:02 -0000 When asked his whereabouts on Sat, Aug 25, 2007 at 04:34 , freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org took the fifth, drank it, and then slurred: > Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 14:35:27 -0400 > From: Jerry McAllister > Subject: Re: /var or /usr for data? > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > On Fri, Aug 24, 2007 at 08:19:43AM +0200, Wojciech Puchar wrote: > > >It would appear that the "proper" allocation of filesystems > > >on FreeBSD is to put all data in /usr. I'm used to this and > > >have been doing it for years. > > my favourite "proper" allocation is to make ONE partition > > m(/) and nothing ore. and forget all problems about how to > > mpartition your drive right... > That works for some situations. But, there are protections, > conveniences and backup efficiencies that thoughtful > partitioning provide that all-in-one doesn't. I've been running Unix systems for a long time. I've noted that if a filesystem fails - it almost invariably is /. If you totally trash it then you have to reload ALL the data and programs you have on the system. And with FBSD if you make root a reasonable size. I am running about 250MB for / - in a server only environment. 500MB would be safe however. Then if something happens you can just rebuild / - or totally reinstall the /, while NOT making new file systems on the remaining partitions you have. I will say that drives are more reliable than ever, but having spent hours recovering systems [commercial ones in the past] for someone who thought the best was to put 'all your eggs in one basket - eg /' was the right way, I've avoided strenuously. And applications such as MySQL give you options as to where to store the data. If you didn't do that during install it's quite easy to make symlinks to point the data to an approved place on your HD. And >IF< you have a program run amock and start filling things up, having everything on / will make recovery much harder. However cleaning up after one of those messes will teach you a lot. A friend of mine has a motto of "learn by destroying". Having a system with only / may be one step along that path :-) Bill -- Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com