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Jabulani Meki
Jabulani Meki

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I Just Did Manual Partitioning in Linux And It Wasn't Scary at All

#linux

I used to think manual partitioning in Linux was something only hardcore sysadmins or neckbeard wizards did. But today, inside a Kali Linux VM, I finally did it and it was way easier than I expected.

If you're learning Linux or feeling stuck at the partitioning screen, this post is for you.

What I Used

  • Distro: Kali Linux (latest)
  • Environment: VirtualBox
  • Disk size: ~27 GB

Why I Did It Manually

I didn’t want the installer to do everything for me like I was still on training wheels.

I wanted to understand:

  • What partitions Linux actually needs
  • Why we have things like /boot, /, swap, and sometimes /home
  • How to allocate space intentionally, not randomly

Step-by-Step Partitioning (Beginner-Friendly)

Here’s what I did, in plain English:

  1. Selected the main virtual disk (/dev/sda)
  2. Chose Manual partitioning
  3. Created a /boot partition:
    • Size: 512 MB
    • Format: ext4
  4. Created the / root partition:
    • Size: ~15 GB
    • Format: ext4
  5. Created a swap partition:
    • Size: 2 GB
  6. (Optional) Created a /home partition with the remaining space
  7. Wrote changes to disk and let Kali install

No scary terminal. No obscure jargon. Just making decisions with understanding.

What I Learned

  • Manual partitioning isn't hard you just need to know the basics
  • It gives you more control over how your system behaves
  • Knowing how Linux uses different mount points made everything click

Why This Matters (for Learners)

This was more than just clicking buttons it was a shift in mindset.

  • I now own my install, not just use it
  • I understand how to set up partitions for different use cases
  • I’m building real sysadmin confidence, one step at a time

What's Next?

Now that I’ve nailed manual partitioning, I want to:

  • Try LVM (Logical Volume Manager)
  • Experiment with encrypted root partitions
  • Eventually do this from the command line using fdisk or parted

Let’s Talk

Have you tried manual partitioning yet? What confused you the first time?

Let me know in the comments or feel free to share tips if you’re ahead of me. We’re all learning here

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