How big do I make the swap partition?


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Hello!

How big do I make the swap partition?

And is ext3 the right format to format the drive into?

BTW, I have 4GB of RAM.

Please reply,

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

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I went for a 256mb Swap partition but then again I dont use X-Windowing system and have 4GB of RAM.

You can always create the swap later or change it by following my steps here:

Use fdisk to create a partition then set/change its type to 82 (Linux Swap)

then use Mkswap -C /dev/hdXX or /dev/sdXX depending on your device.

Then type /dev/hdXX or /dev/sdXX depending on your drive/swap partition

To ensure your swap is always available after reboots/shutdowns, make sure /etc/fstab contains an entry for the swap space:

i.e. - /dev/hdXX swap swap defaults 0 0

Note:

/dev/hda1 would be first hard drive, partition 1

/dev/sda1 would be first serial hard drive, partition 1

Make sure you get the correct one.

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Well, in the past people have recommended that your swap should be double your RAM. However with the crazy amounts of RAM people use today, I'd say equaling your RAM is sufficient, if not overkill. I think to have hibernate work properly though, your swap must be at least equal to your ram. And no it should not be formatted as ext3, it should be formatted as swap like hfj288 described above.

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^Thanks for the info, but I'll just use Acronis (since I've got it and it's installed...)

Hmm... from what you've read, I think 512MB would be best for me. Thanks

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To activate it all you need to follow is:

swapon /dev/hdXX or /dev/sdXX

then

To ensure your swap is always available after reboots/shutdowns, make sure /etc/fstab contains an entry for the swap space:

i.e. - /dev/hdXX or /dev/sdXX swap swap defaults 0 0

replacing XX with drive and partition.

You need to use fdisk in linux, 98 fdisk wont have the options.

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^Thanks, that makes more sense. I didn't think 98 fdisk was that good!

Um, if I right clicked the partition and changed it to active.... would that be the same?

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No - Active toggles the bootable flag...

Like I say you have to activate it using Swapon and add it to your /etc/fstab for it to be activated on every reboot.

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Panarchy, I give up on helping you.

I've told you about partitioning (use automatic, don't manually set these up yourself), and you disregard me.

Have fun with your hackintosh, and don't bother with Linux.

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I went for a 256mb Swap partition but then again I dont use X-Windowing system and have 4GB of RAM.

You can always create the swap later or change it by following my steps here:

Use fdisk to create a partition then set/change its type to 82 (Linux Swap)

then use Mkswap -C /dev/hdXX or /dev/sdXX depending on your device.

Then type /dev/hdXX or /dev/sdXX depending on your drive/swap partition

To ensure your swap is always available after reboots/shutdowns, make sure /etc/fstab contains an entry for the swap space:

i.e. - /dev/hdXX swap swap defaults 0 0

Note:

/dev/hda1 would be first hard drive, partition 1

/dev/sda1 would be first serial hard drive, partition 1

Make sure you get the correct one.

To activate it all you need to follow is:

swapon /dev/hdXX or /dev/sdXX

then

To ensure your swap is always available after reboots/shutdowns, make sure /etc/fstab contains an entry for the swap space:

i.e. - /dev/hdXX or /dev/sdXX swap swap defaults 0 0

replacing XX with drive and partition.

You need to use fdisk in linux, 98 fdisk wont have the options.

No - Active toggles the bootable flag...

Like I say you have to activate it using Swapon and add it to your /etc/fstab for it to be activated on every reboot.

Thanks for all of your help!

Just one last question!

How do I get to fdisk from a linux livecd? (shift)

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Honestly, dude, you do not need a swap partition at all. I have 1 gig of ram with a 512 MB swap and never have I had any problems with memory. Linux doesn't work like windows in that if you have enough ram, it doesn't even bother swapping until it seems like you need to. My linux runs on about 500 MB of ram, so I have no idea how you plan to fill up 4 gigs of ram and 500 MB of swap. Anyway, there is no need to do the things you're talking about. The partitioner in the linux installer is fantastic and has never given me any problems. It is also guaranteed to set up your linux partitions in a way that will work. I really just think you're making this too complicated for yourself.

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Isn't that what I freaking told him when he first posted about his woes?!?!?

:argh:

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I have 4gb RAM, I manually set up a swap partition of 2GB. I've never seen it being used at all.

markjensen, doesn't the automatic partitioning only work using all the free unallocated space? Sometimes people don't want that

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...

markjensen, doesn't the automatic partitioning only work using all the free unallocated space? Sometimes people don't want that

Ubuntu has a graphical slider you can move to shrink an existing partition to make only the space you want available to use for Linux. You want only 4GB, you got it. You want 34.7GB, you got it.

Panarchy has asked for, and received, help on May 3rd, on May 4th, on May 6th and again on May 8th (though the last one was closed because he mentioned his warezed hackintosh install). These are just threads where he was the starter, he may have posted in other threads (I didn't check). And in these cases, he was given correct answers and explanations by myself and other Neowin members.

He just doesn't listen well, and his continued posting about his warezed OSX gets on my nerves. Especially as a former staff member, I know that other members had immediate 3-5 day suspensions applied for admitting to warezing. I guess that rule is relaxed a bit now.

He's had the answers given to him, several times. I think that maybe he should stick to his OSX.

EDIT: Oops, forgot the </rant> tag. :whistle:

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mm it has a slider? I didnt check, my bad.

What I wanted was to create 3 partitions. one for /, another for /home, and another for swamp. That hard drive had two partitions of 50gb, and the rest was unnallocated (the disc was a 500 gb one, lol). I didnt want ubuntu to use all the unallocated space because I was hoping to make a fat32 or something to share between windows and linux.

Anyway my computer is an operating system mess xD

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Panarchy, I give up on helping you.

I've told you about partitioning (use automatic, don't manually set these up yourself), and you disregard me.

Have fun with your hackintosh, and don't bother with Linux.

Panarchy has asked for, and received, help on May 3rd, on May 4th, on May 6th and again on May 8th (though the last one was closed because he mentioned his warezed hackintosh install). These are just threads where he was the starter, he may have posted in other threads (I didn't check). And in these cases, he was given correct answers and explanations by myself and other Neowin members.

He just doesn't listen well, and his continued posting about his warezed OSX gets on my nerves. Especially as a former staff member, I know that other members had immediate 3-5 day suspensions applied for admitting to warezing. I guess that rule is relaxed a bit now.

He's had the answers given to him, several times. I think that maybe he should stick to his OSX.

EDIT: Oops, forgot the </rant> tag. :whistle:

Finally, someone who thinks the same way I do. It ****es me off whenever he posts because it takes two or more pages for him to actually do what has been suggested to him. Also, the posts he signs off with "Please Reply" or "Please Help Me" are annoying - if he just took the time to read up a couple posts he'd have his answer.

As for his Hackintosh, when I mentioned in a thread that the Mac people were helping him with was not "legal" people told me to basically shut up. One person said "You don't see Windows people getting mad at people who pirate Windows." What kind of excuse is that? It's still illegal.

Anyway, this wasn't meant to be a personal attack on the OP, I just wanted to point out things that I have noticed, and like Mark, am surprised that certain rules aren't being put into effect.

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I usually moderate this section, and I have been way to busy at work this week. However, if I see hacking discussed (in any forum for that matter) I will indeed take appropriate action. And I encourage anyone to use the "Report" button if you see it.

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