Lvm
 

I have read about the LVM support in Linux, and to me it seems to be the best news since peanutbutter...

I have a few questions though, that I can't figure out.

Usually I make three partitions when I install Linux (/,/home and /usr), shall I make these partitions even if I will add LVM to the system? It doesn't seems like I can install Linux if I create the partitions with "type 8E" from start. If I make three partitions, what will happen with the data on them when I convert them?
Can I run the /-partition with "type 8E"?

You can go ahead and make those partitions...

However, you'll end up migrating the data off /home /usr. This isn't such a bad thing, but if you only have the one disk, can be substantially painful.

If you're planning on going LVM right away, I wouldn't bother making the partitions, no.

When you 'convert' the data, you're essentially going to make an LVM volume (/home) and copy the data from the physical partition to the logical (lvm) volume. You can then safely remove the physical partition and mount your logical in it's place.

You can't install Linux using LVM as it's base filetype no.
You *can* convert your root (/) to LVM, but.. there are issues with it. Any upgrades you might do to LVM can potentially hose your root directory.

here is a nice link which has pretty red danger signs on it :)

http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/upgraderoottolvm.html

My suggestion, and what I typically do myself is to have a small disk dedicated to the OS. That is /, /boot, /dev

These things don't generally change in size. Leave those alone. You can then create volumes for /var, /usr, /home and others (/opt if you go that way) using a second/third/fourth hard drive and LVM.

If you only have the one hard drive I'd heartily recommend installing to / only, parted the drive at a convenient point just above the amount of disk used, create your LVM volume groups using the rest of the space, migrate stuff off the /var /usr /home, parted the original space down to whatever's left (plus a bit), re-assign the now unused space to your LVM and then sit and enjoy the show.

:)

Slick.

I don't know if you can install Linux on LVM partitions from the start (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Possibly the /usr and /home, but I don't think root.

The last time I installed Linux, I created a minimal partition and installed everything on it. I then created my lvm partitions and split out /usr, /home, /var and then the / partition.

It takes a little more work to move /. The machine I setup at work, I never moved the root to the LVM. I did it at home and I don't think it was worth it. The / partition rarly gets bigger.

I take it you found the documentation at: http://www.sistina.com/products_lvm.htm

The howto is very good.

I like the LVM a lot. It's greate for holding back disk space until you need it. It does become a bit more difficult when you need to moved disks around though.

Gary

Thanks for your answers guys, they helped straiting things out a bit.