New XP - should I still partition?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stevie1308808305
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Stevie1308808305

When I first bought my new computer around 5 years ago with Windows
98, I read that it was a good idea to partition the drive into 3 so I
had for example, Windows 98 on drive c, applications and programs on
drive d, and downloaded files, files that would be deleted and changed
a lot etc into drive e. This way the windows 98 files and applications
files would not get muddled up together resulting in better
performance.

I have now just ordered a new PC with windows XP and I'm assuming that
it will come with just the one partition, drive c. Would anyone
recommend that I do the same with my new computer, or with the speed
of things vastly greater than they ever used to be is there little
point? I am reluctant to do it simply because I don't want to possibly
mess it all up if it arrives working perfectly!

Thanks for any advice
 
Windows XP performs best when install on one single partition.
Under Windows XP, large partitions are better managed than in previous
versions of Windows. Forcing installed software into several partitions
on the disk necessitates longer seeks when running the system and software.

Benchmarking on Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/sysperf/benchmark.mspx

NTFS Preinstallation and Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/winpreinst/ntfs-preinstall.mspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| When I first bought my new computer around 5 years ago with Windows
| 98, I read that it was a good idea to partition the drive into 3 so I
| had for example, Windows 98 on drive c, applications and programs on
| drive d, and downloaded files, files that would be deleted and changed
| a lot etc into drive e. This way the windows 98 files and applications
| files would not get muddled up together resulting in better
| performance.
|
| I have now just ordered a new PC with windows XP and I'm assuming that
| it will come with just the one partition, drive c. Would anyone
| recommend that I do the same with my new computer, or with the speed
| of things vastly greater than they ever used to be is there little
| point? I am reluctant to do it simply because I don't want to possibly
| mess it all up if it arrives working perfectly!
|
| Thanks for any advice
 
Partitioning a hard disk actually does not make your computer run any faster
or more reliably under Windows XP or Windows 98. There is no issue with
files and applications becoming "muddled up" under either operating system.

The only time a hard disk needs to be partitioned is when you wish to
install more than one operating system on the disk. Otherwise, partitioning
is and always has been a matter of convenience. For example, some users like
to keep their data files on a separate partition to aid in backing up. It's
a matter of opinion.

If you have a second hard disk, you can gain some performance advantage
under the right circumstances, theoretically at least, by moving the page
file to the seond hard disk. You would be unlikely to notice the difference,
however, unless you are performing particularly disk-intensive tasks, like
editing a video.

If you decide to repartition your hard disk, you'll need to erase your hard
disk and re-do the installation - which would not be a good use of your
time - or purchase third party software. Partition Magic is a popular and
reliable choice.
 
In my opinion, speed issues are not the major one for partitionning.
I do partition for following reasons :
- keeping system separate :
allows easy system only backup / imaging :
- smaller image ( that I can burn on DVD ( I burn 2 - 3
images on one rewritable DVD)
- if I restore system I do not risk ANY data loss ( not even
my favorites, start menu-program folder, sendto folder,
Outlook express datas ( newsgroups, address book)
- when I restore image of my system partition all software
is stiil there. Some will need reinstall, others not ( smaller / simpler
ones).
- same idea for data partition : it is easy to do incremental data backups
of this whole partition. Changing system doesn't change my data,
even if I had ever ( for whatever reasons) to format my C: partition
I have moved my favorites, OE adress book and newsgroups / mail data, all my
data, the start menu-programs folder, sendTo folder, desktop to the data
partition as well ( very easy with TweakUI ) : I will never loose them if I
restore an old image of my system ( and finding back usefull favorites is
not easy), and thinking of putting them in a secure place when a disaster
happens is often overlooked.

Thus I use :
C: partition for my system, and only it ( except those programs that think
they need to put something on C: and do not give any option to avoid it (
but then I try to avoid them as far as possible)

D:swap file only ( where it's presence will never affect placement of big
files on my hard drives, thus will limit fragmentation)

E:software and not data ( small exception for some programs that use
temporary data and don't allow to choose working path)

F:temporary files ( internet, windows) that I regularly delete in Windows
( I delete the whole except the two temp files used by my firewall)

G: - H: and I: are data files partitions ( holding different types of data
G: are images of my system, H: professional data, I: entertainment data)

Creating the partitions is easy ( most if done just after or before windows
install - best being before !).
I hold a log-book in which I note all modfications I do to my system (
adding new programs, removing them, system settings mods etc) : it's done
fast ( shortcut in Quicklaunch bar) and allows me to very rapidly restoring
my system to it's previous state should something happen and eventually
trace down why it doesn't work as it should ( I restore latest working
image, then only have to apply modifications done since then, and that isn't
much, since I do images before each major install, and periodically ( once a
month at least).

It cost me daily almost no effort anymore. It has more than once saved my
live earlier. I do not think it is Windows version dependent, and applies to
any Windows version ( existing and probably coming).

Of course that's my opinion and working attitude, but I know it works with
little effort ( implementing the wholething takes less than 1/2 hour work if
you are well prepared and know what you are wanting to achieve)

Pivert
 
In my opinion, speed issues are not the major one for partitionning.
I do partition for following reasons :
- keeping system separate :
allows easy system only backup / imaging :
- smaller image ( that I can burn on DVD ( I burn 2 - 3
images on one rewritable DVD)
- if I restore system I do not risk ANY data loss ( not even
my favorites, start menu-program folder, sendto folder,
Outlook express datas ( newsgroups, address book)
- when I restore image of my system partition all software
is stiil there. Some will need reinstall, others not ( smaller / simpler
ones).
- same idea for data partition : it is easy to do incremental data backups
of this whole partition. Changing system doesn't change my data,
even if I had ever ( for whatever reasons) to format my C: partition
I have moved my favorites, OE adress book and newsgroups / mail data, all my
data, the start menu-programs folder, sendTo folder, desktop to the data
partition as well ( very easy with TweakUI ) : I will never loose them if I
restore an old image of my system ( and finding back usefull favorites is
not easy), and thinking of putting them in a secure place when a disaster
happens is often overlooked.

Thus I use :
C: partition for my system, and only it ( except those programs that think
they need to put something on C: and do not give any option to avoid it (
but then I try to avoid them as far as possible)

D:swap file only ( where it's presence will never affect placement of big
files on my hard drives, thus will limit fragmentation)

E:software and not data ( small exception for some programs that use
temporary data and don't allow to choose working path)

F:temporary files ( internet, windows) that I regularly delete in Windows
( I delete the whole except the two temp files used by my firewall)

G: - H: and I: are data files partitions ( holding different types of data
G: are images of my system, H: professional data, I: entertainment data)

Creating the partitions is easy ( most if done just after or before windows
install - best being before !).
I hold a log-book in which I note all modfications I do to my system (
adding new programs, removing them, system settings mods etc) : it's done
fast ( shortcut in Quicklaunch bar) and allows me to very rapidly restoring
my system to it's previous state should something happen and eventually
trace down why it doesn't work as it should ( I restore latest working
image, then only have to apply modifications done since then, and that isn't
much, since I do images before each major install, and periodically ( once a
month at least).

It cost me daily almost no effort anymore. It has more than once saved my
live earlier. I do not think it is Windows version dependent, and applies to
any Windows version ( existing and probably coming).

Of course that's my opinion and working attitude, but I know it works with
little effort ( implementing the wholething takes less than 1/2 hour work if
you are well prepared and know what you are wanting to achieve)

Pivert
 
Sorry for double posting ! Didn't mean to insist, but after first post I saw
a message stating that my answer wasn't available anymore ... !
So did repost! Now see it is there twice !

Pivert
 
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