Does a GUID Partition Table (GPT) need a different layout than MBR?

General · 03-19-2015, 06:58 PM

I usually setup my computers with MBR with this layout:

/boot (100 MB) ext2
/ (300 MB)
/tmp ext2
(extended)
- swap
- /usr
- /usr/share/
- /var/
- /home
- partitions for users

If I setup a computer with GPT, does this still allow this same layout?

replica9000 · 03-19-2015, 07:21 PM

Yes. With GPT, you won't need to make an extended partition. You will need an addition small partition for grub's stage_2 though.

jefro · 03-19-2015, 07:24 PM

I'd make /boot way larger, or not use it on a partition at all.

Of course a gpt will be much larger so / will be huge as well as no extended.

Might be worth it to look at no swap on some systems too.

General · 03-19-2015, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by replica9000

Yes. With GPT, you won't need to make an extended partition. You will need an addition small partition for grub's stage_2 though.

What size, mount point, and partition type do I need for this?

General · 03-19-2015, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefro

I'd make /boot way larger, or not use it on a partition at all.

Of course a gpt will be much larger so / will be huge as well as no extended.

Might be worth it to look at no swap on some systems too.

Why does /boot need to be larger? Currently on my other computers with MBR, it uses less than 10% of the partition, only 10 MB. Also, / uses less than 150 MB. Will these require more space on GPT?

What is the reason for no swap? I set swap to at least 20 GB on my system, as some software requires huge amounts of memory and will run out without this setting.

veerain · 03-20-2015, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by General

Why does /boot need to be larger? Currently on my other computers with MBR, it uses less than 10% of the partition, only 10 MB. Also, / uses less than 150 MB. Will these require more space on GPT?

What is the reason for no swap? I set swap to at least 20 GB on my system, as some software requires huge amounts of memory and will run out without this setting.

In UEFI/GPT a fat32 partition is used to hold boot loaders/kernel with EFI stub plus initrd/initramfs. Although you can just install only bootloader and keep kernel/initramfs files in separate boot partition. Size of boot partition depends on your requirement. Kernel images are 2-4MB, initrd 2MB size or more plus many updated kernels installed during the life of the system.

If you have large memory swap is optional. Usually it is created the same size as of ram (Useful for hibernation). Some programs use big amount of ram and if it's not available use a swap. For them using a swap with space as much required has to be created.

Head_on_a_Stick · 03-20-2015, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by General

What size, mount point, and partition type do I need for this?

Type "EF02" in gdisk; ~1MiB is plenty.

I use the "spare" sectors from 34-2047 (1,007KiB) left over when the other partitions are correctly aligned.

EDIT: It is called a "BIOS boot partition" in gparted

replica9000 · 03-20-2015, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by General

Why does /boot need to be larger? Currently on my other computers with MBR, it uses less than 10% of the partition, only 10 MB. Also, / uses less than 150 MB. Will these require more space on GPT?

What is the reason for no swap? I set swap to at least 20 GB on my system, as some software requires huge amounts of memory and will run out without this setting.

You don't really need a swap partition. You could do a swap file instead, and place it on any of the other filesystems, except btrfs filesystems.

jefro · 03-20-2015, 08:35 PM

"east 20 GB on my system, as some software requires huge amounts of memory and will run out without this setting."

Yes, knowing your system and how you use it determines how to use ram and swap. You may need it.

I've run out of /boot before. You have a huge drive, why limit a few is all I suggest.