Partition layout: primary or extended for root parition?

[Dynamo]

Hi,



For a fresh installation using manual partitioning, one single disk (IDE). If I selected:



/boot: 100 MB, primary, ext2



For the root partition, I would like to use ext4, 10GB, but by default, the partition type 'extended' is suggested. Would there be any difference (advantages, inconveniences) if I selected the primary partition instead?



Thanks in advance for any advice.

[smallchange]

You can only have 4 primary partitions, so if you want more than 4 partitions now or in the future make the 2nd, 3rd or 4th into an extended partition which can contain logical partitions.

[Dynamo]

Hi,

The first primary partition is /boot, so there are still 3 primary partitions I can still use. The second partition I am going to create after /boot is the root partition. At this point I have the choice to use primary or extended for this root partition. I would like to know if there is any difference between these two types of partition types. Because in my mind, a root partition is system related, looks pretty serious, so would it be better being a primary partition?

For other partitions down the road (like /home) I am confident I can use extended partition. I am just wondering about the good practices to layout the root partition.

[nadir]

for me its that way:
first partition is primary, root of the first OS is on it.
second is extended and contains /home; swap and a second OS (all in one partition).

i am spare on space on partition one, and taking space from the extended and add it to the other partition ain't easy
(i was told it would be possible, but i finally gave up on it as it didn't work).

[ComputerBob]

Linux does not care whether it is running from a primary partition or an extended partition.

[StanTheMan]

I have run Debian on three Primary partitions ,
and also I have run Debian without ANY primary partitions - - Just an extended and three logicals.
But most available computers already have Microsoft installations on the Primaries , and it is safer to just Make an extended and all Logicals for your Linux.

[Rolling Stone]

i am spare on space on partition one, and taking space from the extended and add it to the other partition ain't easy
(i was told it would be possible, but i finally gave up on it as it didn't work).

Symlinks baby, symlinks!