Re: lvm and multiboot

2009-04-03 Thread Zhengquan Zhang
On Fri, Apr 03, 2009 at 04:20:43PM +0300, Tapani Tarvainen wrote:
> On Thu, Apr 02, 2009 at 11:36:27PM -0500, zhang zhengquan 
> (zhang.zhengq...@gmail.com) wrote:
> 
> > If I use lvm for the rest of the drive except /boot, can I possibly
> > reduce the size of the lvm volume group and get some free space
> > unformatted not controlled by lvm?
> 
> You can, but that'll be a lot easier if you create multiple
> partitions to begin with: freeing an entire partition from
> lvm is easier than reducing the size of one, and it doesn't
> really cost anything.
> 
> So, for maximum flexibility create a small (200MB or so)
> partition for /boot and a suitable selection of partitions
> with different sizes so that you can later combine them
> in various ways.
This is exactly what I am thinking of before the installation.

Anyway, I have already have the 250G disk for the server partitioned in
to a /boot of 200M and others for lvm with only one logical volume / .
In the future I would like to split / in to /var, /usr, /srv /home,
etc...

Thanks,

Zhang


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Re: lvm and multiboot

2009-04-03 Thread Stefan Monnier
> So if I understand it correctly it is not multiboot situation.

Indeed.  For multiboot, you can use the same setup if all your
alternative boots understand LVM (e.g. various versions of GNU/Linux),
or if your other OSes are run from within GNU/Linux (e.g. with
VirtualBox).  That's usually the preferable solution.  If you really
insist on booting directly into some other OS (rather than via
a virtual machine), then you'll need to restrict LVM to a smaller
partition and create addition partitions for the other OSes.


Stefan


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Re: lvm and multiboot

2009-04-03 Thread Tapani Tarvainen
On Thu, Apr 02, 2009 at 11:36:27PM -0500, zhang zhengquan 
(zhang.zhengq...@gmail.com) wrote:

> If I use lvm for the rest of the drive except /boot, can I possibly
> reduce the size of the lvm volume group and get some free space
> unformatted not controlled by lvm?

You can, but that'll be a lot easier if you create multiple
partitions to begin with: freeing an entire partition from
lvm is easier than reducing the size of one, and it doesn't
really cost anything.

So, for maximum flexibility create a small (200MB or so)
partition for /boot and a suitable selection of partitions
with different sizes so that you can later combine them
in various ways.

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Re: lvm and multiboot

2009-04-03 Thread Stefan Monnier
>>> I read something that it is not good for /boot and / to reside on lvm
>>> partitions.
>> 
>> Only /boot needs to be on a non-LVM volume.  I always partition my root
>> drives with a 100-200MB /boot partition and the rest as a single
>> partition devoted to LVM.  Actually, I also do that for
>> secondary&external drives, where the small "boot" partition is simply
>> left unused (but can come in handy if I ever need to switch drives
>> around).
> why is the boot partition left unused, it is supposed to contain kernel
> images, right?

Not in secondary and external drives, from which I do not boot.

> Besides, if you use the rest as a single partition, is
> that possible to create separate partitions for /var /usr etc?

Yes, of course: the partition dedicated to LVM is then carved into
a bunch of "logical volumes".  In my case I usually have one for swap,
one for / and one for /home.


Stefan


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Re: lvm and multiboot

2009-04-02 Thread zhang zhengquan
2009/4/2 Stefan Monnier :
>> I read something that it is not good for /boot and / to reside on lvm
>> partitions.
>
> Only /boot needs to be on a non-LVM volume.  I always partition my root
> drives with a 100-200MB /boot partition and the rest as a single
> partition devoted to LVM.  Actually, I also do that for
> secondary&external drives, where the small "boot" partition is simply
> left unused (but can come in handy if I ever need to switch drives
> around).
why is the boot partition left unused, it is supposed to contain kernel
images, right? Besides, if you use the rest as a single partition, is
that possible to create separate partitions for /var /usr etc?
>
>> So my question is that how to use debian installer to
>> partition the harddrive to suit my purpose? I am pretty familiar with
>> normal debian install process but I am new to lvm and am not aware of
>> any unexpeced results from lvm Considering I may need to do multi boot
>> later on.
>
> I remember it took me a bit of time to figure out how Debian install's
> partitioner handles LVM, but it wasn't too terrible and it was pretty
> safe (carefully warning you before doing something that might wipe out
> valuable data, and also careful to only wipe out that data that really
> needs to be wiped out).
Thanks for reminding, I need to be careful with that.
>
>
>        Stefan
>
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Re: lvm and multiboot

2009-04-02 Thread zhang zhengquan
2009/4/2 Celejar :
> On Thu, 2 Apr 2009 23:18:36 -0500
> zhang zhengquan  wrote:
>
>> 2009/4/2 Stefan Monnier :
>> >> I read something that it is not good for /boot and / to reside on lvm
>> >> partitions.
>> >
>> > Only /boot needs to be on a non-LVM volume.  I always partition my root
>> > drives with a 100-200MB /boot partition and the rest as a single
>> > partition devoted to LVM.  Actually, I also do that for
>> > secondary&external drives, where the small "boot" partition is simply
>> > left unused (but can come in handy if I ever need to switch drives
>> > around).
>> why is the boot partition left unused, it is supposed to contain kernel
>> images, right? Besides, if you use the rest as a single partition, is
>> that possible to create separate partitions for /var /usr etc?
>
> He means that the boot partitions of his secondary and external drives
> are unused, since /boot only exists on his root drive.  /var and /usr
> can be created as logical volumes on top of the single partition used
> by LVM
>
> Celejar
So if I understand it correctly it is not multiboot situation.
That is great idea and really gives me lots of flexibility resizing
partitions.

If I use lvm for the rest of the drive except /boot, can I possibly
reduce the size of the lvm volume group and get some free space
unformatted not controlled by lvm?

Thank you,
Zhengquan


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Re: lvm and multiboot

2009-04-02 Thread Celejar
On Thu, 2 Apr 2009 23:18:36 -0500
zhang zhengquan  wrote:

> 2009/4/2 Stefan Monnier :
> >> I read something that it is not good for /boot and / to reside on lvm
> >> partitions.
> >
> > Only /boot needs to be on a non-LVM volume.  I always partition my root
> > drives with a 100-200MB /boot partition and the rest as a single
> > partition devoted to LVM.  Actually, I also do that for
> > secondary&external drives, where the small "boot" partition is simply
> > left unused (but can come in handy if I ever need to switch drives
> > around).
> why is the boot partition left unused, it is supposed to contain kernel
> images, right? Besides, if you use the rest as a single partition, is
> that possible to create separate partitions for /var /usr etc?

He means that the boot partitions of his secondary and external drives
are unused, since /boot only exists on his root drive.  /var and /usr
can be created as logical volumes on top of the single partition used
by LVM

Celejar
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Re: lvm and multiboot

2009-04-02 Thread Stefan Monnier
> I read something that it is not good for /boot and / to reside on lvm
> partitions.

Only /boot needs to be on a non-LVM volume.  I always partition my root
drives with a 100-200MB /boot partition and the rest as a single
partition devoted to LVM.  Actually, I also do that for
secondary&external drives, where the small "boot" partition is simply
left unused (but can come in handy if I ever need to switch drives
around).

> So my question is that how to use debian installer to
> partition the harddrive to suit my purpose? I am pretty familiar with
> normal debian install process but I am new to lvm and am not aware of
> any unexpeced results from lvm Considering I may need to do multi boot
> later on.

I remember it took me a bit of time to figure out how Debian install's
partitioner handles LVM, but it wasn't too terrible and it was pretty
safe (carefully warning you before doing something that might wipe out
valuable data, and also careful to only wipe out that data that really
needs to be wiped out).


Stefan


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Re: Re : lvm and multiboot

2009-04-02 Thread zhang zhengquan
2009/4/2 Eloillaf Mhamed :
>
>
>
>
>
> - Message d'origine 
> De : zhang zhengquan 
> À : debian-user@lists.debian.org
> Envoyé le : Jeudi, 2 Avril 2009, 19h13mn 30s
> Objet : lvm and multiboot
>
> Hello, Debian community,
> I have got a 250G harddisk that I can use for a debian lenny
> installation. I have met with partition size problems before so this
> time I would use LVM. and since it will be a server so /var /srv etc
> will grow in size later on. at the same time I would like to have 50G
> left untouched possibly for another OS such as Mac, windows, other
> linux distro, etc..
>
> I read something that it is not good for  /boot and / to reside on lvm
> partitions. So my question is that how to use debian installer to
> partition the harddrive to suit my purpose? I am pretty familiar with
> normal debian install process but I am new to lvm and am not aware of
> any unexpeced results from lvm Considering I may need to do multi boot
> later on.
>
> So could any one offer me some insights into this?
>
> Thanks a million,
> Zhengquan
>
>
>
> Hi,
>
> In fact, if you want to use lvm you'v got to make sure that your volumes are 
> activated before loading the kernel. This needs many handy and precise 
> manipulations with grub. A better way is to create an ext3 or ext4 what ever 
> (classic) /boot partition (with 250Mo for example) to boot then use the 
> remaining disk space as lvm. This is than simply if using the lenny 
> installer. Once at the patitionning phase choose lvm then the wisard take 
> care of  everything. Or at this phase go back and launch a shell from the 
> menu of te installer, then do your partitionning using fdisk - don't forget 
> to change the type of you lvm partition (I think 8e) with the  commande (t ) 
> from fdisk menu. After the partitionning done you can use pvcreate, vgcreate 
> and lvcreate to construct your disk volume structure.
> This is a small picture but if you do googling you'll probably find more 
> details.
> Hope it helps.
> bye.
>
>
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Thanks Eloillaf,
At least I know it is now feasible, I will google the rest of the details,


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Re : lvm and multiboot

2009-04-02 Thread Eloillaf Mhamed





- Message d'origine 
De : zhang zhengquan 
À : debian-user@lists.debian.org
Envoyé le : Jeudi, 2 Avril 2009, 19h13mn 30s
Objet : lvm and multiboot

Hello, Debian community,
I have got a 250G harddisk that I can use for a debian lenny
installation. I have met with partition size problems before so this
time I would use LVM. and since it will be a server so /var /srv etc
will grow in size later on. at the same time I would like to have 50G
left untouched possibly for another OS such as Mac, windows, other
linux distro, etc..

I read something that it is not good for  /boot and / to reside on lvm
partitions. So my question is that how to use debian installer to
partition the harddrive to suit my purpose? I am pretty familiar with
normal debian install process but I am new to lvm and am not aware of
any unexpeced results from lvm Considering I may need to do multi boot
later on.

So could any one offer me some insights into this?

Thanks a million,
Zhengquan



Hi,

In fact, if you want to use lvm you'v got to make sure that your volumes are 
activated before loading the kernel. This needs many handy and precise 
manipulations with grub. A better way is to create an ext3 or ext4 what ever 
(classic) /boot partition (with 250Mo for example) to boot then use the 
remaining disk space as lvm. This is than simply if using the lenny installer. 
Once at the patitionning phase choose lvm then the wisard take care of  
everything. Or at this phase go back and launch a shell from the menu of te 
installer, then do your partitionning using fdisk - don't forget to change the 
type of you lvm partition (I think 8e) with the  commande (t ) from fdisk menu. 
After the partitionning done you can use pvcreate, vgcreate and lvcreate to 
construct your disk volume structure. 
This is a small picture but if you do googling you'll probably find more 
details.
Hope it helps.
bye.


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