Is having the "System volume" and the "Boot Volume" on seperate partitions bad?

[postings_at_shovelchick]

I just re-installed XP on a new SATA RAID setup. I split the drive
into two partitions, both were formatted NTFS. when i re-installed the
OS, it setup the C: drive as "Boot", and the D: drive as "System".

I sort of understand what these two things are, but i don't know if
it's bad.

I keep all OS stuff, and most applications on C:

I keep games/data/etc on d:

I tend to retore from a disk image (Ghost) a few times a year. in the
past this has not been a big deal, since both my Boot and System
volumes were on C:. Ghost just blows it away, and my data (D is
untouched.

But with the Boot and System volumes on seperate partitions now, will
I be able to restore my C: drive from a Ghost image without destroying
D:?

More specifically, do the OS files on the System volume (D ever
change? or can i just keep blowing away C: without having to worry
about "ntldr", "boot.ini", etc?

or should i just bit the bullet and re-install and make it so both the
Boot and System volumes are on the same partition. or does it matter?

 

[Dave Patrick]

Be aware that Microsoft use the term boot partition for the partition where
the operating system is installed, while the system partition is the first
primary active partition (where the boot sector and files required to start
the operating system reside) The system and boot partition can be
one-and-the-same.

Having them separate is perfectly acceptable and sometimes desirable. In the
case of a dual boot for instance. I usually keep the system partition rather
small (say 200 to 500 mB) and don't put anything else on this partition.
Install the OS on another partition and data on yet another. There really
isn't any advantage to installing applications to other than the boot
partition unless it's undersized and you've run out of space.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|I just re-installed XP on a new SATA RAID setup. I split the drive
| into two partitions, both were formatted NTFS. when i re-installed the
| OS, it setup the C: drive as "Boot", and the D: drive as "System".
|
| I sort of understand what these two things are, but i don't know if
| it's bad.
|
| I keep all OS stuff, and most applications on C:
|
| I keep games/data/etc on d:
|
| I tend to retore from a disk image (Ghost) a few times a year. in the
| past this has not been a big deal, since both my Boot and System
| volumes were on C:. Ghost just blows it away, and my data (D is
| untouched.
|
| But with the Boot and System volumes on seperate partitions now, will
| I be able to restore my C: drive from a Ghost image without destroying
| D:?
|
| More specifically, do the OS files on the System volume (D ever
| change? or can i just keep blowing away C: without having to worry
| about "ntldr", "boot.ini", etc?
|
| or should i just bit the bullet and re-install and make it so both the
| Boot and System volumes are on the same partition. or does it matter?

 

[postings_at_shovelchick]

Thanks for the response, Dave.

Yeah, I know the "Boot" partition is where the operating "System" is,
and the "System" partition is where the "Boot" files are. strange.

I didn't tell Windows what to do when it setup my machine. I don't
dual boot. I think it was because i had two formatted partitions, and
it just decided to put the Boot and System volumes on different
partitions. not sure why.

my "Boot Volume", or drive C:, is 50GB. basically I only keep the OS
and various applications (i.e. Office, Winamp) installed there.

my "System Volume", or drive D:, is 260GB. this is where I store all
of my personal data, games, etc.

Is it a problem to keep that data, on such a huge partition, with the
System Volume files (ntldr, boot.ini, etc)? Do the system files ever
change?

What I am concerned about is if in three months I decide to blow away
my "Boot Volume", and then restore it with my Ghost image, that
Windows won't work, or something.

Or more specifically, do I need to Ghost the "System Volume" as well,
if I am doing a total system rebuild (blowing away both C: and D. or
will Windows re-create the System files on the Boot Volume if that is
the only partition available when re-imaging?

Thanks for any responses.

Be aware that Microsoft use the term boot partition for the partition where
the operating system is installed, while the system partition is the first
primary active partition (where the boot sector and files required to start
the operating system reside) The system and boot partition can be
one-and-the-same.

Having them separate is perfectly acceptable and sometimes desirable. In the
case of a dual boot for instance. I usually keep the system partition rather
small (say 200 to 500 mB) and don't put anything else on this partition.
Install the OS on another partition and data on yet another. There really
isn't any advantage to installing applications to other than the boot
partition unless it's undersized and you've run out of space.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|I just re-installed XP on a new SATA RAID setup. I split the drive
| into two partitions, both were formatted NTFS. when i re-installed the
| OS, it setup the C: drive as "Boot", and the D: drive as "System".
|
| I sort of understand what these two things are, but i don't know if
| it's bad.
|
| I keep all OS stuff, and most applications on C:
|
| I keep games/data/etc on d:
|
| I tend to retore from a disk image (Ghost) a few times a year. in the
| past this has not been a big deal, since both my Boot and System
| volumes were on C:. Ghost just blows it away, and my data (D is
| untouched.
|
| But with the Boot and System volumes on seperate partitions now, will
| I be able to restore my C: drive from a Ghost image without destroying
| D:?
|
| More specifically, do the OS files on the System volume (D ever
| change? or can i just keep blowing away C: without having to worry
| about "ntldr", "boot.ini", etc?
|
| or should i just bit the bullet and re-install and make it so both the
| Boot and System volumes are on the same partition. or does it matter?

 

[Dave Patrick]

:
| Thanks for the response, Dave.
|
| Yeah, I know the "Boot" partition is where the operating "System" is,
| and the "System" partition is where the "Boot" files are. strange.
|
| I didn't tell Windows what to do when it setup my machine. I don't
| dual boot. I think it was because i had two formatted partitions, and
| it just decided to put the Boot and System volumes on different
| partitions. not sure why.
* It was because you might have removed and then subsequently added the
"C:\" partition. The result of this was the "D:\" partition became the
active partition. Then you choose to install the OS to the new "C:\"
partition.


| my "Boot Volume", or drive C:, is 50GB. basically I only keep the OS
| and various applications (i.e. Office, Winamp) installed there.
|
| my "System Volume", or drive D:, is 260GB. this is where I store all
| of my personal data, games, etc.
|
| Is it a problem to keep that data, on such a huge partition, with the
| System Volume files (ntldr, boot.ini, etc)?
* Not normally no. This might be a possible concern.

Setup Does Not Check for INT-13 Extensions Before Creating System Partition
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];240672


Do the system files ever
| change?
* Not normally. Possibly by subsequent service packs though.


| What I am concerned about is if in three months I decide to blow away
| my "Boot Volume", and then restore it with my Ghost image, that
| Windows won't work, or something.
* Shouldn't be a problem as long as things end up the same
drive-letter-wise.


| Or more specifically, do I need to Ghost the "System Volume" as well,
| if I am doing a total system rebuild (blowing away both C: and D. or
| will Windows re-create the System files on the Boot Volume if that is
| the only partition available when re-imaging?
* Since the OS and any installed applications will be drive letter-sensitive
you'll want the image to be the same.


--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[postings_at_shovelchick]

Thanks again.

I assume that I don't need to worry about the INT-13 issue, since I
have been using my machine for a few days with this setup.

I'm going to continue with this setup and see how it works. I back my
data up on a regular basis, and knowing me in a year or so i'll be
starting from square one again anyway.

Thanks for your help.