I have been using openSUSE on three different desktops since version 9.1. I would like to test 15.3. The installer recommends a very complicated partitioning. In the past I have always provided space for a second distro which I use for testing or running software unavailable under openSUSE. I would like to continue that and I need suggestions. My equipment is older, slower, simpler. I do very little graphics work. I use ordinary hard drives, not SSD’s. This is a sample of my hard drive partitioning.
Device Boot Size Id Type
/dev/sda1 2G 83 Linux Swap
/dev/sda2 30G 83 Linux Other distro /
/dev/sda3 * 30G 83 Linux OpenSUSE /
/dev/sda4 869.5G 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 10G 83 Linux Other distro /home
/dev/sda6 10G 83 Linux OpenSUSE /home
/dev/sda7 849.5G 83 Linux Data for both distros
I know I have to switch to GPT, but would like to stay with ext4 formatting. Is that possible? Thanks in advance.
What do you want to do? Use those openSUSE /, /home and the Swap for your new installation? Then forget the "complicated partitioning offered to you and just tell the installer what to use for what and to make new ext4 file systems on what now will be new / and /home.
Apparently your system has some 10 years on its shoulders, likely still booting in legacy mode, no UEFI…
I still use a partitioning scheme similar to yours on a 2007 test laptop, all with EXT4 formatting.
At the partitioning prompt you have to select the “Expert Partitioner”, then choose “Start with Existing Partitions” and edit as needed the partitions you want to use as / (root), /home and swap.
Of course that way you are not going to test btrfs and related features, but the installed distro is going to work as expected (done that on a VM the other day…)
In fact above there is basically the same advice given at the same moment. But both assume that you want to leave the partitioning as it is.
When you want something different, like removing taht “other distro”, then you have more freedom and can do what you like. Keeping your goal more or less secret to us will not help in giving the best information.
Also, we assume that your information about the present partitioning is correct, even if you did not post computer system information.
The installer recommends a very complicated partitioning.
BTRFS is not a good idea for a / partition of only 30GB, which is probably why it recommended as it did. Also, it likes a newer (BTRFS) filesystem that facilitates snapshotting. I, like many, like KISS, so still use EXT4. You get to choose whichever suits you best by selecting the expert partitioner.
In the past I have always provided space for a second distro which I use for testing or running software unavailable under openSUSE. I would like to continue that and I need suggestions. My equipment is older, slower, simpler. I do very little graphics work. I use ordinary hard drives, not SSD’s.
I have over a dozen PC’s much like you describe, HDDs, 2 or fewer CPU cores, 4GB or less of RAM, more than a dozen partitions per HDD, floppy drives, CD and/or DVD drives.
This is a sample of my hard drive partitioning.
Device Boot Size Id Type
/dev/sda1 2G 83 Linux Swap
/dev/sda2 30G 83 Linux Other distro /
/dev/sda3 * 30G 83 Linux OpenSUSE /
/dev/sda4 869.5G 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 10G 83 Linux Other distro /home
/dev/sda6 10G 83 Linux OpenSUSE /home
/dev/sda7 849.5G 83 Linux Data for both distros
This is fine. Use the “expert” partitioner and select each of the existing “other” partitions for use by 15.3. Be sure to not format /dev/sda1. Otherwise, the existing installation will most likely error because of the changed UUID reformatting causes, correctable, but a nuisance.
I know I have to switch to GPT,
How do you know? You should need to make such switch only if your HDD is >2TB.
but would like to stay with ext4 formatting. Is that possible?
Certainly. If you do not select format for /dev/sda2, it will complain. Not formatting / is a bad idea, unless you are an expert not to freshly format for a new installation’s / partition, and not really a good idea even if an expert.
The partition table supported up to four primary partitions
With GPT you will get more than 4 primary partitions, have a copy of a GPT system data in the end of a drive, relaxed restrictions for partitions, etc.
GPT is better than MBR, but Windows requires MBR with BIOS non-UEFI boot.
