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Legacy Mode Installation Using GPT Partitions

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Re: Legacy Mode Installation Using GPT Partitions
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2014, 05:52:38 PM »
 

Wirezfree

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Really excellent How To...

Good time for a question/clarification.?

I have read, but not tried it...
If you multi boot, and you don't need to Hibernate(to swap)
You can just use the same swap partition across the installs.?
(may save a little disk space/config time)

Dave
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Re: Legacy Mode Installation Using GPT Partitions
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2014, 12:51:22 PM »
 

Jerry

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Another amazing contribution, thank you gold_finger :)
 

Legacy Mode Installation Using GPT Partitions
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2014, 12:19:58 PM »
 

gold_finger

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GPT Partitioning for Legacy/CSM mode Linux Installations

Why use GPT partitions?
• Ability to properly access drives with capacities greater than 2TiB in size.
• Ability to make up to 128 primary partitions without needing extended and logical partitions.

WARNING:  If Windows is currently installed on your computer and you plan to set-up a dual-boot with Linux, please do not use this tutorial.  Doing such an install may not be possible due to Windows-specific restrictions as to UEFI vs. Legacy mode installations and the partition types that must be used by the respective install modes.  Please, post a help request on the Linux Lite forums before any such attempt, or you risk inadvertently wiping out your Windows installation.

In a nutshell, this tutorial is only geared toward those wishing to install Linux to the drive by itself and are converting a drive from MBR to GPT partitions.  One can also use this for setting up a multi-boot system with more than one Linux distribution.  In that case, make space on the drive for your new installation instead of deleting all current partitions in the steps below.

EDIT (added after original posting):
Just to clear up any potential confusion -- GPT partitions are not "required" for multiple OS booting.  That can be done easily with a traditional MBR partitioned drive as well.  In fact, using GPT partitions is much less common, though it's usage has increased in recent years.  This tutorial is for informational purposes in case someone wants to use GPT partitions.



OTHER NOTES:
Most newer computer (from around 2011-2012 on) use UEFI firmware instead of the older BIOS firmware to handle the initial boot process of the computer after pressing the power button -- referred to as POST (Power On Self Test).  BIOS-based computers only boot in what we're calling "Legacy mode" here.  Most UEFI-based computers can boot in either "UEFI mode", or Legacy/CSM/BIOS mode.  (CSM = Compatibility Support Module.)

Older BIOS-based computers typically have drives using MBR partition tables to store information on the drive's partitions.  MBR partitioned drives have two main drawbacks:  they are limited to using only 4 "primary" partitions and they can only handle addressing disks up to 2TiB in size.  One can get around the 4 partition limit by making one of the primary partitions into an "extended" partition, inside of which several "logical" partitions can be created.

GPT partitioned disks do not need extended and logical partitions because they can handle up to 128 primary partitions.  Also, addressable disk space is significantly larger (up to 8ZiB), so the larger hard drives available today can be easily accomodated.



INSTRUCTIONS:

• Boot live Linux DVD/USB
• Open GParted (found in Menu under System -> Partition Drives).
• Delete any existing partitions on the drive (eg. from prior OS installations that were on the drive).
  • If a Swap partition exists, right-click (rt-clk) it and choose "Swapoff" first, then you can delete it.
  • Rt-clk each remaining partition and choose "Delete".
  • Click "Apply" button along top of interface, or choose Edit -> Apply All Operations to finalize deletions.
  • Make GPT partition table by going to Device -> Create Partition Table -> gpt -> Apply.
• Make your new partitions.
• For each one, rt-clk the free space and choose "New" to bring up the new partition dialog box.
• Following is an example showing necessary partitions along with an optional partition for Home.  If you do not want a separate Home partition, then make the Root partition bigger.
• Descriptions in parenthesis tell you what the partitions will be used for when you run the installer and need to set the mount points.  You won't be setting mount points right now while in GParted.
  • Size=1-16MB;  leave it unformatted; flagged as "bios_grub".  (Note:  set the flag after hitting "Apply" to create all of your partitions.  Right-click this partition, choose "Manage flags" and pick "bios_grub".)
  • Size=10-30GB;  format Ext4  (Root partition)
  • Size=1-2 times RAM; format "linux-swap"  (Swap partition)
  • Size=rest of disk space;  format Ext4  (Home partition)
  • Click "Apply" button along top of interface, or choose Edit -> Apply All Operations to finalize creations.
  • Go back to small, unformatted partition and set the "bios_grub" flag.
• To install, run installer program and choose "Something else" installation option.
• On following partitioning page, one-by-one select your pre-made partitions, click "Change" button and fill-in with appropriate information.  (Note:  since you already formatted the partitions with GParted, it doesn't matter whether or not you check the box to format the partitions.)
  • bios_grub partition -- no need to do anything with this.  Installer will automatically see and use it.  Just leave it as-is.
  • Root partition -- keep size as is -- Use as = Ext4 file system -- Mount point = "/"
  • Swap partition -- keep size as is -- Use as = linux-swap -- no mount point needed
  • Home partition -- keep size as is -- Use as = Ext 4 file system -- Mount point = "/home"
  • Device for boot loader installation = /dev/sdX (Substitute correct drive letter that you're installing to in place of "X" without any partition number after it.  Eg. "/dev/sda", not "/dev/sda1".)
• When done creating partitions, click "Finish" installation.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2016, 04:35:53 AM by gold_finger »
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