Partitioning and Backup Plans

[Don Pullem]

I'm getting a new computer. It will have two SATA 250GB 7200RPM hard
drives. I also have an internal 80GB EIDE Ultra-ATA/100 7200RPM HD (3 yrs
old light use) I can add if it makes sense to do so.

I am also considering getting an external HD for additional storage and
backup.

I mostly use my computer for editing/processing photos (8-10MB each) in
Photoshop. I also use it for mail, word processing (Office 2003) banking,
taxes and internet browsing.

Following is my tentative partition/backup plan.
Disk One - C: WINXP, D: Programs, E: Backup Disk Two.
Disk Two - F: Photoshop scratch file, G: Documents/Photos, H: Backup Disk
One.

If I get an external HD I would also backup to it. Or I could add the 80GB
drive and use it for additional backup.

My goal is to make the backup process as easy and simple as possible. I
would appreciate any suggestions that would help me do this.

Thanks

Don

Oh..... I have Drive Image and Partition Magic software.

 

[Anna]

I'm getting a new computer. It will have two SATA 250GB 7200RPM hard
drives. I also have an internal 80GB EIDE Ultra-ATA/100 7200RPM HD (3 yrs
old light use) I can add if it makes sense to do so.

I am also considering getting an external HD for additional storage and
backup.

I mostly use my computer for editing/processing photos (8-10MB each) in
Photoshop. I also use it for mail, word processing (Office 2003) banking,
taxes and internet browsing.

Following is my tentative partition/backup plan.
Disk One - C: WINXP, D: Programs, E: Backup Disk Two.
Disk Two - F: Photoshop scratch file, G: Documents/Photos, H: Backup Disk
One.

If I get an external HD I would also backup to it. Or I could add the 80GB
drive and use it for additional backup.

My goal is to make the backup process as easy and simple as possible. I
would appreciate any suggestions that would help me do this.

Oh..... I have Drive Image and Partition Magic software. Thanks

Don

Don:
Let's explore some alternatives, the practicality of which will be dependent
upon the volume of data to be backed up...

Assuming you would use that 80 GB disk in a USB external hard drive
enclosure, would that ordinarily be sufficient to hold *all* your backups so
that you could use your present backup partitions E: & H: for other uses?
There's an additional level of security in having your backups on a device
that can be disconnected from the computer when the device is not in use.

Assuming the 80 GB capacity would be insufficient, would there be any value
in installing that drive as your second physical drive (again, without the
need for the backup partition) and use the 250 GB drive as a USB EHD solely
for backup purposes? I would guess that if that's a practical alternative,
you could then employ a disk imaging program, e.g., Symantec's Norton Ghost,
Acronis True Image, to clone the *entire* contents of your two internal
drives (operating system, programs, all data files - everything) to the USB
EHD. (I haven't worked with Drive Image in a long time, so I'm not sure of
its disk cloning capability in this context). Of course, all this assumes
your 250 GB disk could hold the total contents of your two internal drives.

The value of maintaining a "clone" of your entire system on an external
device is an enormous advantage for safety & restoration purposes. It would
be worthwhile to see if you can manipulate your drives in such a way as to
achieve this objective.
Anna

 

[Don Pullem]

Anna

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I believe the best setup in my case
would be to use the 2nd 250GB as a USB EHD as you suggest. I'll use the
80GB as the 2nd physical HD. What are your thoughts regardijng putting
applications on a seperate partition?

Kind regards

Don

 

[Anna]

Anna

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I believe the best setup in my
case would be to use the 2nd 250GB as a USB EHD as you suggest. I'll use
the 80GB as the 2nd physical HD. What are your thoughts regardijng
putting applications on a seperate partition?

Kind regards

Don

Don:
Bluntly speaking, I'm not crazy about installing applications on a partition
separate from the partition on which resides the operating system. While it
can be done (at least in many cases), strange & unnerving conflicts arise
which frequently are the devil to sort out. At least that's the way it's
been in my experience. And I see no particular value in your situation
(either in terms of performance or security) in this kind of "separation".
Setting up your system along the lines you have described and using your USB
EHD as the recipient of a clone of your OS, your programs, your data files
is, in my view, a good configuration and an ideal arrangement for a
practical and safe & secure backup system.
Anna