[H-GEN] Need help during install, or just after ;)

[Robert Brockway]

On Thu, 11 Jun 1998, Martin Pool wrote:

> 1. A random failed block on a disk is proportionally more likely
> to be on a larger partition.
> 
> 2. .. but has the same probability of hitting a critical file or
> directory on root if root is large and empty rather than small
> and full.
> 
> 3. A larger partition will have more redundant superblocks (I think)
> and so be more likely to withstand damage to the default one.

Ah, but here is the flaw! :)  Unix act's differently with damage to the
root FS.  With everyhthing else it will just say ok, I'll restore from a
good copy of the superblock.  But in the case of the root FS it is much
more likely to get upset and enter admin (aka single user) mode - despite
the larger number of superblocks.
 
> 4. Files in a large partition will eventually be spread out more,
> and so damage to consecutive blocks is likely to affect less files.

But it is going into admin mode anyway, even if the damage is light.
Such is the nature of the root FS :)

> 7. I vaguely remember hearing some fsck's have trouble on 
> nearly-full disks.

It's ok as long as some blocks remain reserved afaik.  Leave it at 5% for
a small /.

Anyway, keep it small to squeeze optimal speed out of it :)
Cheers,
	-Robert
 
--Robert Brockway B.Sc.  Email: robert at zen.humbug.org.au, robert at icc.net.au
				r.brockway at uq.edu.au
                         WWW:   http://www.humbug.org.au/~robert
Immediate Past President of HUMBUG (http://www.humbug.org.au)


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