These comments apply to the Ubuntu as well as the Xubuntu installer. I recently built a new workstation and was prepared to install Xubuntu 24.04.3, identical to my existing machine. I had a pair of new 4TB SSDs on which I intended to create dual EFI partitions plus mirrored root and user partitions. Despite having done a lot of advanced research, when it came time to partition the SSDs using the installer, there was no mirroring option available -- something that critically must be done for the root partition prior to installing the OS! It turns out that every example I had seen was for a server installation, even though this was not specifically mentioned in the articles.
I eventually had to download and perform a server install and then later add in the bits and pieces needed to run xfce4. However, this entailed its own problems. My understanding is that the server partitioning and mirroring code is actually hidden on the Ubuntu desktop installation ISO and is what actually does the actual partitioning. I strongly recommend that the standard installer offer a true "Advanced" option to the user which would take them to the server-level option in order to partition and mirror the drives, while continuing to shield the average user from these technical details when not relevant. I haven't done a raw install in a number of years, but back when I last did it, the desktop Xubuntu installer did allow for mirroring the partitions, something that has been removed somewhere along the way. Please consider including this change in the upcoming 26.04 LTS Ubuntu/Xubuntu release. Regards, -- Jeffery Small Michael Lueck <[email protected]> writes: >Greetings Xubuntu team, >Feedback on the Xubuntu 24.04 LTS installer... >The updates made to the installer have made it somewhat more easy to >arrive at my desired partition scheme for client / node machines. My >current scheme is as follows: >/dev/sda1 on /boot/efi type vfat 500 MB size sda2 on / type xfs All the >/dev/rest >The added / completed dependencies to have GParted working happily on the >LiveDVD is a very nice accommodation. Thank you. >Between GParted and the Xubuntu installer, I need to remember to update >the partition flags of the EFI partition, else the Xubuntu installer will >refuse to accept it as the mandatory EFI partition. >Just a couple of weeks ago I was able to bless our retired auto mechanic >(he was our mechanic for probably 30 years) with a hardware refresh. He >surprised me by implying that any machine he ended up with, he wanted >me to "do the Linux fix to". So he now has two brand new laptops with >Xubuntu 24.04. One of them I ended up with FAT16 for the first partition, >the other FAT32. Otherwise they are identical. And the one that ended >up with EFI as FAT32, that one still has on the Grub menu some extra >item for "Windows Boot Menu Options" or something along those lines. >(sssiiiggghhh.... the one blemish on the refreshed hardware). >For my consulting, for the foreseeable future, I am standardized on using >xfs file system. That has been my standard for the past 21 years.... and I >do not see my preference being shifted anytime soon. >And with the new fangled BIOS's that insist on requiring EFI partition to >be able to boot... that means I cannot make just a root partition for the >entire drive any longer. >Improvement ideas: >1) On the automatic partitioning workflow.... accommodate choice of filesystem >for the Linux partition, include xfs as one of the available options. >2) Accommodate the Xubuntu installer will flip the partition flags to more >easily take over a first partition for its needed EFI needs. This way I would >still launch GParted first, partition and >format the drive, just NOT have to remember to update the partition flags of >the EFI partition so that the Xubuntu installer would be willing to recognize >my intent. For this idea, I envision some >concept of the Xubuntu installer flagging one of the partitions for its >required EFI use. So I would first set the assignment of the first partition >that I want the Xubuntu installer to use that >partition for its EFI needs. That should indicate to the Xubuntu installer it >needs to make sure the partition flags are set the way they need to be in >order for EFI use of that partition to be >successful. Also with this workflow, GParted allows me to set labels on the >partitions. So I set "efi" and "root" as labels. I seem to recall a long time >ago the Ubuntu or Xubuntu installer >partitioner would allow assignment of partition labels while configuring / >mapping the partitions. I seem to recall one useful benefit of setting >partition labels is when you boot off the Live DVD to >perform maintenance to the system, then the Live DVD knows the names of the >drive partitions from those labels. >Also, feedback on another aspect of the 24.04 installer.... it is >more understanding of a completely disconnected from any network >installation. The first installation I performed as a proof of concept >was before the USB Ethernet adapter had arrived. The installer did not >stall for a LLLLOOOONNNNGGGGG time searching for the Internet. Prior >LTS releases have had such a stall when the machine was not Internet >reachable. >I am thankful, >-- >Michael Lueck >Lueck Data Systems >http://www.lueckdatasystems.com/ -- xubuntu-devel mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/xubuntu-devel
