Linux and SSD + HDD

Mangovnik · June 8, 2022

Setup: me (gamer and IT student), 250GB SSD, 3TB HDD

I have used PopOS on my notebook for quite some time now and I am thinking about installing it on my desktop too. Except some compatibility issues with my Corsair keyboard and mouse, that I think I have iron out already, I am little puzzled how to correctly set up the installation on my SDD+HDD. Unsurprisingly, I use SSD for system, priority programs/games and HDD for data and second class programs/games.

As I understand currently:

There is no "select install path". All programs install into default locations, unless I do some advanced set up (which I won't). Which means they all will go into SSD.
I can mount my HDD onto /home so it seamlessly acts as data storage. With Steam or Lutris I should be able install second class games in my home directory.

But how do I approach SSD for priority games? I am thinking about making two partitions on it. One 50GB for system and other 200GB for games. The later partition I would mount onto /home/fastStorage (or something like that) and as with the HDD, I would use Steam or Lutris to install games into this directory.

Is this reasonable solution? Or should I approach it in a different way?

Electronics Wizardy · June 8, 2022

You can set the install location in steam, set 2 locations, and pick which one during install. Id keep one partitin on the ssd, I don't see a point of having a second partition when you can just use a folder on the main partition.

Ralphred · June 8, 2022

4 minutes ago, Mangovnik said:

I can mount my HDD onto /home

Yes, but considering how much config and cache data get stored there, but it's better to create symlinks to a "slow storage area" for things like Documents, Downloads etc.

6 minutes ago, Mangovnik said:

But how do I approach SSD for priority games?

Assuming you are using steam, you just create a "slow storage" steamlibrary location, and install stuff to there. Steam will, by default, install in your home folder; I keep my "high priority" games here, and move them to other storage areas when I get short of space, or move onto a new game.

By just mounting your storage drive as /mnt/storage1 and using symlinks to it, if you have to expand and move some stuff around, you can just update the symlinks instead of mount --bind ing stuff.