Hello everyone,
I do 3D modeling and numerical analysis, and I am thinking about switching to Linux since there are lots of good and free application software to download online now.

The followings are what I am concerning about so far--

1) I plan to add 1GB RAMs prior to install Linux so theoretically I should give 2GB for the swap when I do the hard drive partition? Is 2GB swap too big?

2) I like to have the 2nd hard drive installed, so the 1st hard drive will be solely for OS and application, and the 2nd hard drive is only used to store all the files (MP3, my work files and etc.) Should I put /home in the 2nd drive? and what partition strategies will be good for my case? i.e.

dev/hda 50MB for /boot
2GB for /swap
128MB for /tmp
the remainding of 40GB for /

dev/hdb all 120GB for /home

Please correct me or give me some suggestions

Thank you

Looks like you have the right idea. Although 2GB swap may be a bit excessive. I only run 512mb ram with 1 gig of swap, and I RARELY use more than a meg or 2 of my swap space. I just started a thread about swap size yesterday and got some good feedback.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=242453
Also, separate partitions for /boot and /tmp are more or less a matter of preference from what I've read. I always partition my drive half and half between / and /home (it's only a 17 gig drive), and then use the rest as swap. Although next time I may decrease the / partiton slightly--I've never had it more than half full. I only use it for the OS and programs that must be globally installed, and everything else goes in my directory on the /home partition.