[CLUE-Tech] Cleaning /var when it gets too full

[Ed Hill]

On Mon, 2002-09-16 at 08:27, bof wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> How does one go about cleaning their /var partition when it gets full?


The following will give you a better idea of the usage:

  cd /var
  du -sm *

but I'd like to point out that by giving yourself a separate and *small*
/var partition, you're painting yourself into a corner.  Why so small? 
And why give /var its own partition?

Here are some suggestions:

  1) If you have limited disk space, then don't go splitting it 
     into lots of tiny partitions.  It makes the little space 
     that you do have even less usable.  For most folks (that is
     desktops and development boxes, not servers) I recommend the
     following simple setup:

       /       ==>  3+ Gb
       /home   ==>  as much as you need
       swap    ==>  2X RAM
     
     that both makes efficient use of the disk(s) and allows one 
     to easily upgrade (or completely re-install) the OS without
     over-writing the user data in the /home partition.


  2) If you must use multiple partitions, then try to get a 
     handle on their space needs ahead of time.  Really, the 
     many-partitions approach is only justified for servers.


  3) If its too late and you can't easily re-partition, then 
     use soft links ("ln -s" and "man ln") to move directories 
     to other partitions.


good luck,
Ed

-- 
Edward H. Hill III, PhD 
Post-Doctoral Researcher   |  Email:  ed at eh3.com,  ehill at mines.edu
Division of ESE            |  URLs:   http://www.eh3.com
Colorado School of Mines   |    http://cesep.mines.edu/people/edhill.php
Golden, CO  80401          |  Phone:  303-273-3483    Fax: 303-273-3311
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