On 5/16/25 15:56, Default User wrote:
Hi. Thanks for the replies!
Concerning the points raised:
1) sudo df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/nvme0n1p2 23G 8.7G 13G 41% /
/dev/nvme0n1p5 1.8G 140K 1.7G 1% /tmp
/dev/nvme0n1p6 199G 53G 136G 28% /home
/dev/nvme0n1p3 9.1G 2.9G 5.8G 34% /var
/dev/nvme0n1p1 511M 61M 451M 12% /boot/efi
(df does not show nvme0n1p4, which is the swap partition, 1Gb.)
/var, now at at 34% used, was just trimmed down from about 67%,
several days ago.
So, an "all on root" solution would be ~65 GB, and a "root and home"
solution would be ~12 GB and ~53 GB (respectively).
I should have asked previously -- what is filling up /var? Have you
fixed it? The following commands can remove obsolete Debian packages:
# apt-get autoremove
# apt-get autoclean
2) I could re-partition with Clonezilla and/or use rsync/Gparted from a
Debian Live usb stick. But I might have to move and re-size several
partitons, since if I just shrunk / to make more room for /var without
moving anything, I worry that it might make / too small.
I would put as little effort at possible into the Inspiron 3511 for now
(see below).
3) I have never used lvm, so there would have a learning curve. I
never used it because I worried that it might be more "fragile" than
fixed partitions.
In a past Debian file server, I used LVM to form three not-large-enough
HDD's into one large JBOD. It worked, until one of those HDD's started
failing. But, this was not the fault of LVM.
When I used LVM for OS instances and something broke, booting live media
for repairs meant I also had to remember LVM incantations and the
correct parameters for that specific OS instance. It was not easy.
Also, I never resized partitions or filesystems. So, LVM was not a good
fit for my use-case.
BTW, I have never used bind, and don't even know how
it works.
Bind mounts are useful when you need them, such as mounting a large
network filesystem in a generic location and then mounting user-specific
subdirectories in each user's home directory. Symbolic links work for
me, and do not require root privileges.
I would like to be able to do RAID setups,
My last Linux file server had an mdadm(8) mirror of two large HDD's. It
just worked. But, I wanted ZFS's killer features.
and have NAS.
Please tell us about your NAS.
But for me, "everything is a function of time and money".
4) Many years ago, when I started using Debian, I just did everything
in /,
I think that is the best approach for single-user computers. The only
reason I have a separate /boot is because root is on LUKS and /boot
requires an unencrypted filesystem.
and later just / and /home.
If my computers had multiple users, I would put /home on an SSD ZFS pool
with redundancy.
I got into doing multiple partitions
later, when I used OpenBSD for a short time. They really advocated
using multiple partitions. I think it was so that if one partition
fills up, it is less likely that the whole filesystem will get screwed
up.
Fun fact: I use rsync to do backups to and external usb hard drive. If
the external drive is not connected, rsync will, without any notice,
proceed to create a backup directory under /media, with the name of the
unconnected backup drive, and happily copy to it until / is completely
filled up. Annoying, but easily fixed. But with no separate /
partition, it seems to me that could be a real "train wreck". That
seems like one good reason to have a separate / partition.
That sounds like a good reason to write a shell script:
1. Verify that the USB drive is connected. If not, print an error
message and exit.
2. Run rsync(1) -- passing through command line arguments and options
-- and create the backup.
5) I have never used BTRFS or ZFS. Both would require a learning curve
(especially ZFS). I really think I would need much higher capacity
hardware to use ZFS. And I am used to using ext2/3/4. Be it ever so
humble, it "Just Works". (The older I get, the more I appreciate that.)
ZFS requirements tend to be overstated, but I do recognize the need for
ECC memory. ZFS will use as little or as much hardware as you give it.
Some commercial NAS products run ZFS on ARM and Celeron processors.
Your NAS may offer BTRFS and/or ZFS. My FreeBSD ZFS file server is
running on US$50 ~12 year old entry-level hardware -- Intel S1200V3RP
motherboard, Xeon E3-1225 v3 processor, and 2 @ 8 GB ECC memory. But,
it can easily fill its Gigabit connection.
6) My current computer, like almost all newer laptops, has no access
panels, and requires special tools (and a LOT of skills) to open up and
work on. That's deliberate, of course. Now, they try very hard to force
you to buy a new machine, rather than repair and upgrade. For many
years, I worked on and even built my own machines. But that's no longer
feasible for me. My current laptop does have internal space for an
additional SSD. But major surgery would be required.
Working on Dell laptops is not hard if you have the right information,
parts, and tools. Be patient and be careful.
iFixit sells tools, parts, and kits for working on computers. I bought
the "MacBook Pro 15" Retina Display Mid 2015 Battery Replacement" kit
and turned a fire hazard into a useful computer:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Retina+Display+Mid+2015+Battery+Replacement/89284
YouTube is another resource, but caveat emptor.
Post on this list if you need help.
7) For me, portability IS important. I have limited space, and the
smaller footprint of a laptop does come in handy. More importantly,
where I live, almost every year, I have to flee from at least one
hurricane.
Last year, it was twice within about 10 days! Not fun. Every time, I
can only load as much as I can fit into the car, and prepare myself for
the very real possibility that will be all I have in the world, once
the hurricane is over.
I assume you take your laptop, your backup drive(s), and your NAS with
you when you evacuate?
You might want to consider burning important data to BD, BD-DL or BD-XL
discs periodically and sending them to a friend or relative several
states away. (M-DISC is intriguing, but I have never used it.)
8) My laptop definitely does NOT support virtualization. FWIW, it is a
Dell Inspiron 3000, model 3511. The BIOS says it was manufactured in
2024-01. Unbelievable, since My previous laptop was an earlier
iteration of this model, made in 2014-08, which DID support
virtualization! As I said before, I really do believe that Dell is just
being cheap, cheap, cheap, and trying to punish poor people for being
poor. Isn't capitalism wonderful?
I suggest that you start looking for your next laptop right now. The
economy is down and there is a lot of good used computer equipment for
sale at low prices. You have the advantage that you can wait.
9) I imaged the original factory installed SSD Windows setup using
Clonezilla, then erased the SSD and installed Debian, so Windows was
never used, and no Micro$oft account created. As most maids would say,
"I don't do Windows"!)
10) I always read the release note when upgrading. But I did not know
that Testing has release notes. Thanks for the tip.
11) I could, and many times have, done a fresh installation of a new
release rather than upgrading. A fresh install does allow a fresh
start, and can "cover a multitude of sins". But I would have to spend
weeks or more customizing my setup to "get it right". Decisions,
decisions . . .
Well, that's my story. Again, thanks for the input!
I use a version control system to track all of the relevant details for
each of my systems. This makes backup-wipe-install-restore much easier.
David
