[opensuse] Drives... how to work them .. Very basic NOOB question
Hi Guys This might seem like very basic questions to ask but I need to know. 1) When I installed Linux on my new 160 GB hard drive it created 2 partitions. One is a 20 GB "system" partition also referred to as the swap partition. The other 140 GB is used for the users on my System. Am I correct with this assumption? 2) I have a DVD drive but I can't figure out how to access it from the CLI. I know in Linux all devices is perceived as a file. So I assume accessing it would be something like cd /drives/dvdrom? 3) Ok I read a lot of things about mounting drives. Mounting a drive makes it part of the directory structure if I am right. So if I insert a DVD rom I need to mount it first before I can access it? If this is not the case what do I need the mounting bit for? 4) I am busy with a pet project. Basically I am converting all my CD, DVD and other personal content such as photos, legal documents to electronic format and using a LAMP setup to allow me to access this information anywhere in the world. My main problem is that my Music collection alone is about 75GB and from what I understand MySQL will create its data file somewhere on my system partition. How to I create MySQL data files under another directory as my swap partition wont be able to handle this data. 5) What is the equivalent of the M$ program files directory in Linux? Very basic questions I know but then I need to learn and asking is the only way. Kind regards Neil ----------------------------------------- Engen Petroleum Limited, disclaims liability for any loss, damage or expense however caused, arising from the sending, receipt, or use of this e-mail and on any reliance placed upon the information provided through this service and does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information. Please visit http://www.engen.co.za/home/server/common/disclaimer.asp to view the full disclaimer. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 12:24 AM, Cornelius Franken <Cornelius.Franken@engenoil.com> wrote:
Hi Guys
This might seem like very basic questions to ask but I need to know.
1) When I installed Linux on my new 160 GB hard drive it created 2 partitions. One is a 20 GB "system" partition also referred to as the swap partition. The other 140 GB is used for the users on my System. Am I correct with this assumption?
Hard to tell. You have to look at your partitions to see what is stored where. At a command prompt type cat /etc/fstab That will show you what is expected too be stored where. Without that info we can't really answer the question properly. Your files go in your personal directory under /home Don't deviate from that, at least not till you understand more about linux.
2) I have a DVD drive but I can't figure out how to access it from the CLI. I know in Linux all devices is perceived as a file. So I assume accessing it would be something like cd /drives/dvdrom?
From the command line, you might access it as /dev/cdrom or maybe /dev/dvd or some such. But first you have to mount it. Remember this phrase: Mount Something Somewhere. A useful directory for mounting cds/dvds it /mnt So the commend then becomes mount /dev/cdrom /mnt All of this is easier with kde installed. It mounts things automatically.
3) Ok I read a lot of things about mounting drives. Mounting a drive makes it part of the directory structure if I am right. So if I insert a DVD rom I need to mount it first before I can access it? If this is not the case what do I need the mounting bit for?
see above
4) I am busy with a pet project. Basically I am converting all my CD, DVD and other personal content such as photos, legal documents to electronic format and using a LAMP setup to allow me to access this information anywhere in the world. My main problem is that my Music collection alone is about 75GB and from what I understand MySQL will create its data file somewhere on my system partition. How to I create MySQL data files under another directory as my swap partition wont be able to handle this data.
see below...
5) What is the equivalent of the M$ program files directory in Linux?
Programs are stored in a variety of directories. Usually segregated by type of application, etc. Some directories are /bin /usr/bin /opt etc, etc. Do not mess with those, look but don't touch.
Very basic questions I know but then I need to learn and asking is the only way.
Neil, scurry down to the book store and get a beginners guide to Linux. And never run as root. You will kill your system once or twice if you insist on logging in as root for every day use. Now about that number 4 item... It may be a tad early to tackle that stuff just yet. Your first install is never your last install and it might be better just figuring out how linux is put together before you start building MySql databases to hold all your music. You can direct MySQL to use any disk you want for your music. MySQL not an ideal place to store actual music files. They are huge and they don't need to be in a database, just the information about them needs to be there. There are many music collection managers out there, Such amarok http://amarok.kde.org/ which will save you the trouble. (Not that I don't admire your eagerness, its just that you havent come here complaining of a sore foot yet, so I assume you haven't had the first Stubbed toe of the linux world. Why do that with your music collection. I'd recommend Installing KDE to get some usability out of your machine. But don't let that scare you away from the command line. And remember man pages. (such as man mount ). Linux is one of the best documented systems around. Great for explaining everything in bewildering detail. Expect to be confused for a while, but do come back and ask questions as you need answers. -- ----------JSA--------- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Cornelius Franken wrote:
Hi Guys
This might seem like very basic questions to ask but I need to know.
1) When I installed Linux on my new 160 GB hard drive it created 2 partitions. One is a 20 GB "system" partition also referred to as the swap partition. The other 140 GB is used for the users on my System. Am I correct with this assumption?
Almost certainly not in detail (swap and system are different things), though you're likely broadly right.
2) I have a DVD drive but I can't figure out how to access it from the CLI. I know in Linux all devices is perceived as a file. So I assume accessing it would be something like cd /drives/dvdrom?
Perhaps, but that's not how it's done in opensuse. Look in /media
3) Ok I read a lot of things about mounting drives. Mounting a drive makes it part of the directory structure if I am right. So if I insert a DVD rom I need to mount it first before I can access it? If this is not the case what do I need the mounting bit for?
It's done automatically. You need to do mounting in some other circumstances.
4) I am busy with a pet project. Basically I am converting all my CD, DVD and other personal content such as photos, legal documents to electronic format and using a LAMP setup to allow me to access this information anywhere in the world. My main problem is that my Music collection alone is about 75GB and from what I understand MySQL will create its data file somewhere on my system partition. How to I create MySQL data files under another directory as my swap partition wont be able to handle this data.
5) What is the equivalent of the M$ program files directory in Linux?
Very basic questions I know but then I need to learn and asking is the only way.
Well, there's another way to learn that is often better - reading. It seems you've been reading some generic documentation but not the opensuse manuals that answer all these questions. The manuals, and other useful documentation, can be found here: <http://www.novell.com/documentation/opensuse103/> <http://en.opensuse.org/Documentation> Cheers, Dave -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Dave Howorth wrote:
Cornelius Franken wrote:
Hi Guys
This might seem like very basic questions to ask but I need to know.
1) When I installed Linux on my new 160 GB hard drive it created 2 partitions. One is a 20 GB "system" partition also referred to as the swap partition. The other 140 GB is used for the users on my System. Am I correct with this assumption?
Almost certainly not in detail (swap and system are different things), though you're likely broadly right.
2) I have a DVD drive but I can't figure out how to access it from the CLI. I know in Linux all devices is perceived as a file. So I assume accessing it would be something like cd /drives/dvdrom?
Perhaps, but that's not how it's done in opensuse. Look in /media
3) Ok I read a lot of things about mounting drives. Mounting a drive makes it part of the directory structure if I am right. So if I insert a DVD rom I need to mount it first before I can access it? If this is not the case what do I need the mounting bit for?
It's done automatically. You need to do mounting in some other circumstances.
4) I am busy with a pet project. Basically I am converting all my CD, DVD and other personal content such as photos, legal documents to electronic format and using a LAMP setup to allow me to access this information anywhere in the world. My main problem is that my Music collection alone is about 75GB and from what I understand MySQL will create its data file somewhere on my system partition. How to I create MySQL data files under another directory as my swap partition wont be able to handle this data.
5) What is the equivalent of the M$ program files directory in Linux?
Very basic questions I know but then I need to learn and asking is the only way.
Well, there's another way to learn that is often better - reading. It seems you've been reading some generic documentation but not the opensuse manuals that answer all these questions.
The manuals, and other useful documentation, can be found here:
<http://www.novell.com/documentation/opensuse103/> <http://en.opensuse.org/Documentation>
There is also more documentation stored here: /usr/share/doc/FHS << Filesystem Hierarchy Standard -- Tells where things are supposed to be located. /usr/share/doc/ /usr/share/doc/packages /usr/share/doc/howto /usr/share/doc/Books /usr/share/doc/selfhtml /usr/share/doc/selflinux /usr/share/doc/release-notes And go into yast-> software management. Then, in the upper left hand corner, click on the pull-down menu which is on Patterns and change it to Package Groups From there, Go to the section labeld Documentation, and install all of it. Then, search through all of the other sections, and for every application package that you see installed, select the corresponding "-doc" package, too. (Some packages have documentation as seperate packages, which allows documentation to be stored on one central machine, and the rest can access those documents through NFS -- Network Filesystem)
Cheers, Dave
-- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
participants (4)
-
Cornelius Franken -
Dave Howorth -
John Andersen -
Sam Clemens