[keithpeter]

OK, I'll have another go with the installer's 'default' partitioning scheme this time around as I intend to use the mtier binary upgrade packages. Last time I tried the compilation I had something like 75Kb free after the compile completed. It worked though.

Your first reference mentions the idea of leaving a part of the hard drive unformatted to allow for making new versions of partitions if necessary - I might try that as I keep little user data on this machine.

[glass-]

The problem in that thread was caused by building ports, which will fill up /usr. If you're going to build ports, I'd recommend changing the working dirs[0] to a different partition (I use /home).

Because of how the auto-partitioner decides the sizes, a 120GB disk should get the same partition sizes as a 256GB disk (the 256GB will just get more /home space). My 256GB disk has 2G each for /usr /usr/obj and /usr/src, and with that I can build kernel, userland and xenocara with no problems (unless I've filled up /usr by building Firefox from ports).

[0] http://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq15.html#PortsConfig

[stsp]

If you want to build ports on a machine, you should add a large (several dozen GB at least) /usr/ports partition. Keep in mind that monsters like firefox and libreoffice have insane space requirements.

Diverting ports builds to /home is a hack that works around the wrong choice made during install (which will invariably happen when you first start out, that's ok -- be prepared to reinstall with better parameters once you learn more about what you need).

[keithpeter]

Definitely a learning experience.

I have built Iceape on gNewSense linux on an X60 and I can say that under linux you need at least 20Gb of space and 6 hours on the core-duo with 2Gb RAM.

I always plan on a throw-away install when first playing with an operating system and repeat the install when I know what the 'rules' are. I shall be encrypting my /home just for peace of mind if I leave the laptop on the bus, so that is another thing to research.