On 5/15/25 14:30, Default User wrote:
Hi.
I currently run Debian 12 Stable, amd64.
Unexceptional single-user SOHO setup on a relatively current
(2023) low-end Dell laptop.
Intel Core i3 processor.
8Gb ram.
UEFI booting.
Internal nvme SSD, 256 Gb, for mass storage.
Partitions:
nvme0n1 259:0 0 238.5G 0 disk
├─nvme0n1p1 259:1 0 512M 0 part /boot/efi
├─nvme0n1p2 259:2 0 23.3G 0 part /
├─nvme0n1p3 259:3 0 9.3G 0 part /var
├─nvme0n1p4 259:4 0 977M 0 part [SWAP]
├─nvme0n1p5 259:5 0 1.9G 0 part /tmp
└─nvme0n1p6 259:6 0 202.6G 0 part /home
Note: 10 Gb for /var is barely adequate. I have to
periodically do surgery to cut out the built-up bloat there.
Since Debian 13 should soon be released, what should I be doing
ahead of time to prepare for the upgrade? For me, upgrading is
always a major hassle, so I try to make it as easy as possible.
OT rant (probably irrelevant):
The laptop does NOT support virtualization. The DOES, but the
BIOS does NOT!
Apparently the tightwads at Dell are punishing me for being poor.
"Hey dude, you've got a Dell!" Sorry to hear that . . .
(Grrr . . .)
Advice?
What does `# df` output?
I suggest that you begin by separating your OS from your data. The
starting point is a second internal drive. Next is multiple internal
drives in RAID. Putting the data drive(s) into a dedicated file server
or NAS is another consideration; as is remote access.
A related issue for file systems is data integrity. Search the WWW for
BTRFS and ZFS to learn more.
Is portability required, or just desired? I have run Debian on a Dell
Latitude 5400 laptop with an Intel Core i7-8665U processor and a Dell
Precision tower workstation with an Intel Xeon E-2174G processor (both
"8th generation", circa 2019). The workstation was faster, cheaper, and
quieter than the laptop. (That said, I prefer to build my own
workstations and servers.)
I suggest that you buy or build a laptop or workstation with the
features you need. Beware that Debian 12 may not support newer
hardware. I have found that higher-end hardware tends to be more
useful, and to last longer, than lower-end hardware. Search the WWW for
the specific model computer with respect to Debian 12, or post to this
list, before purchasing hardware.
Once your data storage and/or new computer are operational, I would use
the Setup utility on the old laptop to reset the settings to factory
defaults, wipe the NVMe drive, reinstall Windows over the Internet
(including Dell bloatware), and unlink the Windows license from any
Microsoft account. You could then repurpose the old laptop.
David
