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Using many OSs with a single /home

Tags:
  • Partition
  • Fedora
  • Ubuntu
Last response: in Linux/Free BSD
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October 31, 2013 5:36:28 AM

Assume you're having 4 different OSs:

  1. Ubuntu 10.04
  2. Ubuntu 13.10
  3. Fedora 19
  4. Gentoo

  • and you have only a single /home partition.

    Each OS:

    • is installed in a different partition
    • is using that single /home partition

  • Would it be error-free?
    Would the different OSs conflict with each other?

    I'm just interested in using all kinds of distributions, so I want to have a quad-boot setup.
  • More about : oss single home

    October 31, 2013 5:47:25 AM

    consider VM's vmware player is free and would allow a fully non conflicting system
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    Best solution

    October 31, 2013 6:08:48 AM

    The home directory uses hidden files to store session information, desktop settings, etc., so there is quite a potential for conflicts here. As far as normal user data is concerned there is no problem with a shared home directory. To be really safe I would set up separate home directories for each OS. If you want to share files you could have a separate directory that was used by each of the OSs mapped into the separate home directories via a link.
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    October 31, 2013 6:28:55 AM

    You could also consider installing your different versions in an extended volume in different partitions with one partition as a data partition. You can use vmware like suggested above and link to a shared folder on the main system as well.

    Personally I'd go with 13thmonkey on this. Then you can have dozens of versions to test with no hassles.
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    October 31, 2013 6:57:32 AM

    Sharing /home can potentially create problems. I wouldn't even attempt sharing anything other than a swap between OSs.
    Also, if you're a beginner, I would stay away from Gentoo at all costs. Trust me when I say that everything breaks if you don't update it daily(maybe not daily but very often nonetheless). Installing Gentoo is a great learning experience, but using it can be a pain.
    You won't be missing out on much by using only one distro.
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    October 31, 2013 8:22:02 AM

    OK thank you guys.

    I guess eventually I'll be having many OSs on different partitions (as initially intended), but each will have their own /home directory.
    Then, I'll add a directory (in "/home" of each OS) that will link to a 'data' partition.

    Spac3nerd: thx for the warning ;) 

    Personally I don't like any type of virtual machine, it just annoys me :s
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    November 5, 2013 6:05:22 AM

    The shortest and the simplest solution would have been using different usernames for the distros!!!! :) 
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    November 5, 2013 10:19:57 AM

    Well I guess the whole point of the question is that the OP wants to share files between different installations. This "simplest" solution wouldn't achieve that.
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    November 5, 2013 9:24:15 PM

    11869228,0,180794 said:
    Well I guess the whole point of the question is that the OP wants to share files between different installations. This "simplest" solution wouldn't achieve that.[/
    quotemsg]

    Hi,

    He did not want to 'share files'. He wants to keep only one /home directory and share it among each install. Inside the home there will be different directories for users like /home/user1 and /home/user2 and so on... and yes each folder is accessible from other user...


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    November 5, 2013 11:20:50 PM

    The choice of "Best solution" would appear to indicate that your assumption is incorrect. It would make little sense.
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    November 6, 2013 12:16:47 AM

    Ijack said:
    The choice of "Best solution" would appear to indicate that your assumption is incorrect. It would make little sense.

    Indeed :)  I wanted to share my data files among OSs distributions (which are installed on different partitions)
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    November 6, 2013 12:20:45 AM

    dor_13 said:
    Ijack said:
    The choice of "Best solution" would appear to indicate that your assumption is incorrect. It would make little sense.

    Indeed :)  I wanted to share my data files among OSs distributions (which are installed on different partitions)


    If that is all you want to do then simply create a data partition in NTFS. It will show up and be read by any system you should install, Windows, Mac or Linux.

    I thought you had wanted to share config files as well.
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    November 6, 2013 12:23:11 AM

    Its not an assumption for my solution also I do this myself. When u access the othwr home folder from ur current os u surely can read the files. I admit u dont have the write access but u can surely read access. To ur current current os its just a directory its not associated to any of the user that it currently known to it.
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    November 6, 2013 12:55:15 AM

    talktoarnab said:
    Its not an assumption for my solution also I do this myself.

    Of course it's an assumption, just as my answer made an assumption. You cannot possibly know exactly what the OP's requirement was. As it happens, from the solution selected, it looks like your assumption was wrong and mine was correct.

    No point in continuing to flog a dead horse.
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    November 6, 2013 3:19:35 AM

    Ijack said:
    talktoarnab said:
    Its not an assumption for my solution also I do this myself.

    Of course it's an assumption, just as my answer made an assumption. You cannot possibly know exactly what the OP's requirement was. As it happens, from the solution selected, it looks like your assumption was wrong and mine was correct.

    No point in continuing to flog a dead horse.


    Ok fine bro calm down ... I was just suggesting something. These threads are read by other users and visitors also and not only the person who is asking.. no hard feelings..
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    November 6, 2013 3:21:18 AM

    Ijack said:
    talktoarnab said:
    Its not an assumption for my solution also I do this myself.

    Of course it's an assumption, just as my answer made an assumption. You cannot possibly know exactly what the OP's requirement was. As it happens, from the solution selected, it looks like your assumption was wrong and mine was correct.

    No point in continuing to flog a dead horse.


    Ok fine bro calm down ... I was just suggesting something. These threads are read by other users and visitors also and not only the person who is asking.. no hard feelings..
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    November 6, 2013 4:21:26 AM

    I'm perfectly calm.

    You have, of course, taken account of the fact that permissions are stored as UIDs and GIDs rather than usernames? The suggestion that you suggest is totally insecure and depends upon the UIDs assigned to different users by the different OSs.

    By all means answer questions that other posters may ask, but I think it is less confusing to answer the question asked by the OP.
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    !