Small Form Factor Would an Intel stick be good for ->

Applications and updates installed via package managers (debs, rpms, etc) shouldn't occupy too much space as they use shared dependencies with other applications.
If you still want to do this though you can configure (either during installation or after moving your files) your second disk as a mount for /var for instance.

There's no real way to choose what goes where using the package managers, only if you install your software through binaries (having your second drive mounted on /opt and having your untarred binaries installed there, then either have these paths chrooted or symlinked).

Either way, anything beyond a separate mount for the home folders is going to be a hassle.

 

If only someone had told you not to bother compromising here and focusing your efforts elsewhere for power saving...

 

No. If memory serves updates are downloaded to /var/cache/apt/archives so you'd need to symlink that to say /path/to/external/blah...

https://askubuntu.com/questions/116575/where-are-apt-get-files-stored

Failing that, set something up to fire off 'apt-get clean' periodically [assuming ubuntu doesn't do this already].

as for downloaded programs... ??? all i remember is some non-repo stuff plonks itself in /opt [firefox parked itself there iirc],

 

Ooh, you and your constant boasting about fancy hardware!

 

OK I started the stick up and set the region etc. Then I tried to open Chromium and it crashed. It gave an error, but I never got that again it just refused to open. I went into the app store thing and deleted it from there, then found it again and reinstalled. No dice, it just did the same.

For Chrome I pulled it down through the terminal using commands on Google. It does the same as Chromium, just flat out refuses to load. For Firefox, IIRC, I found it in the app store. I installed it from there. It runs, but very, very slowly. What's weird is that watching video flies. I can watch HD MKVs the lot *scratches head*.

The storage is 8gb, but I think it is split up. I tried to install Windows 10 earlier and it would only find the onboard storage which seems to be split up a lot. I did apt-get clean it did nothing..

 

I second what Gareth said...

 

Might try resetting it tomorrow and seeing how it goes. But yeah, it definitely doesn't seem right.

 

I can't afford not to compromise. Unless you fancy buying something for me

 

Seems you were spot on Gareth. It's dead... I did as Intel instruct you to do and pressed F8 at boot to restore. I set Ubuntu to restore, pressed enter and then it just went into a boot loop. After about five minutes it started doing some super odd **** (like flashing the LEDs on my keyboard like a light show) and then it died completely. It now refuses to do anything. Back it shall go !

 

I can heartily recommend one of these.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gigabyte-Brix-BXBT-2807-Ultra-Compact/dp/B00KR0QHXW

You will need to add in a SO-DIMM 4GB or 8GB. And it'll need a hard drive, it can take a 2.5" drive or you can install onto a USB stick I guess.

They are older generation than a compute stick, but offer more flexibility for I/O etc. You can mount it onto a VESA bracket on the back of your screen.

 

TBH Zoon I think I am just going to get another.Before it died everything worked great apart from the browser. It even sounded half respectable tbh.

Edit. I tell you what else I noticed. The fan never worked at all. I heard a few complaints that it was annoying but mine didn't do anything from the off. Maybe that was broken and it fried itself? would make sense, given that the browser is pretty heavy on light hardware?

 

Go on then, I'll say it one last time, in the simplest terms I can think of, and then I'll shut up about it: You're spending more than you're saving.