Directory located on a distinct storage device...
Directory located on a distinct storage device...
To get straight to the point... I've been attempting to configure Kubuntu (version 21.04) with the /home folder on a different storage device. My goal is to keep files on the larger WD Enterprise drives instead of the smaller 120GB SSD that came with the OS and a few programs. The process is proving more complicated than on Windows, and I've faced several challenges along the way. After installing Kubuntu normally, I tried entering specific command lines in the console and modifying fstab, as shown in a video: unfortunately, the system only starts in emergency mode. When I reattempted from a clean install, the same issue persisted. Then I attempted to create the separate /home directory via the installer (I hadn't done this before, as it wasn't listed), following instructions from that video. However, Linux fails to load after logging in. I've tested with both an older ATI Radeon 5770 and a spare RX 580, hoping the graphics problem was the cause. With the 5770, the screen freezes immediately after pressing Enter after entering the password. The 580 either turns black or shows only the cursor. I suspect this stems from missing drivers on the manual installation path used in the video, so I'm unlikely to revisit it. Anyone have suggestions? I'm new to Linux, so any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Adjusting fstab files is generally the best approach for this task. It can be performed during installation or manually, as you attempted. The second guide you followed seems to have helped you get past the login barrier. If drivers are absent (common in older models like the 5770), you can switch to a terminal by pressing ctrl+alt+f2 and install them.
During installation, choose an alternative for the disk partitioning area. Wipe the disk and set up a new GPT partition table. Set up a 250MB partition with the mount point at /boot. Configure an 8196MB partition and enable swapping. Divide the rest into two halves, assigning each a mount point (/ for the first half, /home for the second). Save the changes and proceed with the installation.
Sauron already explained the proper way to handle this. Now I’ll share my take—this is quite a challenge in practice. Any app that ignores $HOME and relies on something like /home/$USER will act oddly. Ideally, developers should respect environment variables, but real-world issues make it frustrating. To work around it, I set up symlinks for important directories such as ~/Documents, ~/Dropbox, etc., so they point to the actual storage on my main drive. This requires a small initial setup but keeps things working smoothly afterward.
Note: For Dropbox or similar sync tools, the application should understand the real path (e.g., /mnt/internal/bighdd/Dropbox). Symlinks inside them can behave unpredictably. It’s best to link folders outside of them and avoid linking data inside. Updated September 29, 2021 by maplepants Added key details for Dropbox/file sync apps
You need to follow the exact steps provided. If you're unsure about any part, let me know so I can clarify. The issue you mentioned involves missing WiFi drivers, which may require checking your device settings or reinstalling them.
Open a terminal, log in as root or use sudo, run lspci -v to view device information. Capture the output and send it here.
I begin with version 580, as it receives official support from the default Ubuntu drivers. Verify whether nomodeset is active by opening /etc/default/grub, editing it with nano, and removing any line that starts with GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="some flags" if it includes "nomodeset" within quotes. Save the changes and restart the system.