Partitioning for Performance

[John]

Hello Everyone,

I have 3 hard disks and I am putting together a new computer.
The first hard disk is brand new SATA 300GB 16meg cache and NCQ.
The other two are 250 MB 8meg cache IDE's.

Would it be best to keep my system files on the new SATA drive
and only have the primary partition? Or should I make 2
partitions on that new SATA drive? One 8GB (for system files)
and the rest for storage/games?

Also, Should the games folder be on separate drives then the
system drive to potentially increase perfomance? Please Advise!


Thank You!
John

 

[Leythos]

Hello Everyone,

I have 3 hard disks and I am putting together a new computer.
The first hard disk is brand new SATA 300GB 16meg cache and NCQ.
The other two are 250 MB 8meg cache IDE's.

Would it be best to keep my system files on the new SATA drive
and only have the primary partition? Or should I make 2
partitions on that new SATA drive? One 8GB (for system files)
and the rest for storage/games?

Also, Should the games folder be on separate drives then the
system drive to potentially increase perfomance? Please Advise!

I like to keep the OS on it's own drive/partition and my applications
and data on a different partition/drive. This means I can wipe the OS
without any data loss.

My current system is setup as follows:

Drive 0, 60GB, single partition "C"
Drive 1, 250GB, single partition "D"
Drive 2, 250GB, single partition "E"

 

[Jack Handey]

I do that also but go one step further. I have a 90gb partition just for
music files. That way if i do certain utilities on my programs partition
like defrag, virus or anti-spyware scans they don't have to waste time
working through the 12,000 music files.

 

[Guest]

Partitioning the drive(s) isnt really where performance will be
noticed.Setting
youre page file to the other disks will,also mounting the other hd in C: and
creating a WUTemp drive creates another volume(you can add as many as
you want,these are fault tolerant.To add,run,type:diskmgmt.msc Click on
a slave drive,action,all,change file path,mt in C:,create new folder.You can
read more from microsoft,type:307886 and/or307889

 

[Kerry Brown]

Hello Everyone,

I have 3 hard disks and I am putting together a new computer.
The first hard disk is brand new SATA 300GB 16meg cache and NCQ.
The other two are 250 MB 8meg cache IDE's.

Would it be best to keep my system files on the new SATA drive
and only have the primary partition? Or should I make 2
partitions on that new SATA drive? One 8GB (for system files)
and the rest for storage/games?

Also, Should the games folder be on separate drives then the
system drive to potentially increase perfomance? Please Advise!

It comes down to personal preference. Whatever you do 8 GB while technically
OK in reality is not large enough for the OS.

Kerry

 

[Jack Handey]

Sure it is, i've had mine set at 6gb since day one and i've still got a gig
free. EVERYTHING that is intalled gets installed over to d: drive. I even go
in and change all the folder settings for office over to there so my email
isn't even on c:.

Besides if you ever need more space that's what partition magic pro is for.

 

[John]

Thanks... I suppose so. I have 4 Gigs of memory so I don't hope to
be doing too much page filing. So I guess it is more
organizatinal? I heard somewhere that by puting the windows system
in its own partition will help it not get defragmented as much.
Just wondering what people think about the best way to set up a
computer with 3 hard disks. Right now I am just using each hard
disk as its own partition.

John

 

[Kerry Brown]

Sure it is, i've had mine set at 6gb since day one and i've still got a
gig free. EVERYTHING that is intalled gets installed over to d: drive. I
even go in and change all the folder settings for office over to there so
my email isn't even on c:.

And the advantage of doing this is?

 

[Jim Macklin]

If you want to defrag you need at least 15% free space, so
your 6 GB is basically full.

I have 4 partitions on my drive, each about 20 GB. Each has
about 50% free space. I have moved My Documents (and all
other such files) to other partitions even though that will
cause some performance penalty because it increases the
safety for email, data and downloaded files. I archive
downloads so that I can re-create or rollback to prior
versions.



--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm



message | | > Sure it is, i've had mine set at 6gb since day one and
i've still got a
| > gig free. EVERYTHING that is intalled gets installed
over to d: drive. I
| > even go in and change all the folder settings for office
over to there so
| > my email isn't even on c:.
| >
|
| And the advantage of doing this is?
|
|
| > Besides if you ever need more space that's what
partition magic pro is
| > for.
| >
message
| > | >>
| >>> Hello Everyone,
| >>>
| >>> I have 3 hard disks and I am putting together a new
computer.
| >>> The first hard disk is brand new SATA 300GB 16meg
cache and NCQ.
| >>> The other two are 250 MB 8meg cache IDE's.
| >>>
| >>> Would it be best to keep my system files on the new
SATA drive
| >>> and only have the primary partition? Or should I make
2
| >>> partitions on that new SATA drive? One 8GB (for
system files)
| >>> and the rest for storage/games?
| >>>
| >>> Also, Should the games folder be on separate drives
then the
| >>> system drive to potentially increase perfomance?
Please Advise!
| >>>
| >>>
| >>
| >> It comes down to personal preference. Whatever you do 8
GB while
| >> technically OK in reality is not large enough for the
OS.
| >>
| >> Kerry
| >>
| >>
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Sharon F]

Thanks... I suppose so. I have 4 Gigs of memory so I don't hope to
be doing too much page filing. So I guess it is more
organizatinal? I heard somewhere that by puting the windows system
in its own partition will help it not get defragmented as much.
Just wondering what people think about the best way to set up a
computer with 3 hard disks. Right now I am just using each hard
disk as its own partition.

John

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John, with your hard drive specs and RAM quantity - you would be
partitioning (if you opted to do so) for organizational purposes only.

On one drive, I keep XP and main apps on a 20GB partition. Other apps,
documents other data on a second partition. A second drive has a large
partition for archiving drive images and other backup sets (which are also
stored on an external drive and every so often on DVD). And a second
partition for whatever - currently it's devoted to a testing scenario.

That's arrangement works for my computing needs and my backup strategies.
You might come up with something else that's a tailor fit for your own
preferences and work patterns. If you use any Adobe image programs, they
like to have their own scratch disk so might consider allotting a partition
for that purpose. Or maybe you like to create web sites and a partition
devoted to the local copies of the websites you author would be useful to
you.

In other words, consider your usage and your backup strategies. Then decide
if multiple partitions could make (computing) life easier for you or not
and go from there.

 

[Jack Handey]

I don't use the defrag utility in winxp. I have a program called O&O Defrag
which only needs 5% free space.

 

[Kerry Brown]

I don't use the defrag utility in winxp. I have a program called O&O Defrag
which only needs 5% free space.

I still don't see any advantage to setting up your partitions this way. It's
just as easy to organise things with folders. There is really no great
performance advantage that makes all the housework needed to do things this
way necessary. In older versions of Windows and with smaller drives and
slower systems it may have been needed. Now it's simply user preference.
Unless you are storing data on physically seperate drives there is no big
advantage regarding data corruption either. The most common cause of data
corruption is a bad hard drive.

Kerry

 

[Jim Macklin]

Folders do not protect data, using partitions allows you to
reformat and reinstall the OS and applications with the data
secure on the other partitions. Not as secure as having two
or more hard drives, but less expensive and adequate for
many people.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm



message | | >I don't use the defrag utility in winxp. I have a program
called O&O Defrag
| >which only needs 5% free space.
| >
|
| I still don't see any advantage to setting up your
partitions this way. It's
| just as easy to organise things with folders. There is
really no great
| performance advantage that makes all the housework needed
to do things this
| way necessary. In older versions of Windows and with
smaller drives and
| slower systems it may have been needed. Now it's simply
user preference.
| Unless you are storing data on physically seperate drives
there is no big
| advantage regarding data corruption either. The most
common cause of data
| corruption is a bad hard drive.
|
| Kerry
|
| >
| > "Jim Macklin" <p51mustang[threeX12]@xxxhotmail.calm>
wrote in message
| > | >> If you want to defrag you need at least 15% free space,
so
| >> your 6 GB is basically full.
| >>
| >> I have 4 partitions on my drive, each about 20 GB.
Each has
| >> about 50% free space. I have moved My Documents (and
all
| >> other such files) to other partitions even though that
will
| >> cause some performance penalty because it increases the
| >> safety for email, data and downloaded files. I archive
| >> downloads so that I can re-create or rollback to prior
| >> versions.
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >> --
| >> The people think the Constitution protects their
rights;
| >> But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
| >> some support
| >> http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >> message message
| >> | | >> | > Sure it is, i've had mine set at 6gb since day one
and
| >> i've still got a
| >> | > gig free. EVERYTHING that is intalled gets
installed
| >> over to d: drive. I
| >> | > even go in and change all the folder settings for
office
| >> over to there so
| >> | > my email isn't even on c:.
| >> | >
| >> |
| >> | And the advantage of doing this is?
| >> |
| >> |
| >> | > Besides if you ever need more space that's what
| >> partition magic pro is
| >> | > for.
| >> | >
in
| >> message
| >> | > | >> | >>
| >>
| >> | >>> Hello Everyone,
| >> | >>>
| >> | >>> I have 3 hard disks and I am putting together a
new
| >> computer.
| >> | >>> The first hard disk is brand new SATA 300GB 16meg
| >> cache and NCQ.
| >> | >>> The other two are 250 MB 8meg cache IDE's.
| >> | >>>
| >> | >>> Would it be best to keep my system files on the
new
| >> SATA drive
| >> | >>> and only have the primary partition? Or should I
make
| >> 2
| >> | >>> partitions on that new SATA drive? One 8GB (for
| >> system files)
| >> | >>> and the rest for storage/games?
| >> | >>>
| >> | >>> Also, Should the games folder be on separate
drives
| >> then the
| >> | >>> system drive to potentially increase perfomance?
| >> Please Advise!
| >> | >>>
| >> | >>>
| >> | >>
| >> | >> It comes down to personal preference. Whatever you
do 8
| >> GB while
| >> | >> technically OK in reality is not large enough for
the
| >> OS.
| >> | >>
| >> | >> Kerry
| >> | >>
| >> | >>
| >> | >
| >> | >
| >> |
| >> |
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Kerry Brown]

Folders do not protect data, using partitions allows you to
reformat and reinstall the OS and applications with the data
secure on the other partitions. Not as secure as having two
or more hard drives, but less expensive and adequate for
many people.

It is really just personal preference. With XP and Win2K I have never had to
reformat and install. This is on pc's I use every day as well as test beds
for new software and hardware. In any case whatever works and the user is
comfortable with

Kerry

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm



message | | >I don't use the defrag utility in winxp. I have a program
called O&O Defrag
| >which only needs 5% free space.
| >
|
| I still don't see any advantage to setting up your
partitions this way. It's
| just as easy to organise things with folders. There is
really no great
| performance advantage that makes all the housework needed
to do things this
| way necessary. In older versions of Windows and with
smaller drives and
| slower systems it may have been needed. Now it's simply
user preference.
| Unless you are storing data on physically seperate drives
there is no big
| advantage regarding data corruption either. The most
common cause of data
| corruption is a bad hard drive.
|
| Kerry
|
| >
| > "Jim Macklin" <p51mustang[threeX12]@xxxhotmail.calm>
wrote in message
| > | >> If you want to defrag you need at least 15% free space,
so
| >> your 6 GB is basically full.
| >>
| >> I have 4 partitions on my drive, each about 20 GB.
Each has
| >> about 50% free space. I have moved My Documents (and
all
| >> other such files) to other partitions even though that
will
| >> cause some performance penalty because it increases the
| >> safety for email, data and downloaded files. I archive
| >> downloads so that I can re-create or rollback to prior
| >> versions.
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >> --
| >> The people think the Constitution protects their
rights;
| >> But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
| >> some support
| >> http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >> message message
| >> | | >> | > Sure it is, i've had mine set at 6gb since day one
and
| >> i've still got a
| >> | > gig free. EVERYTHING that is intalled gets
installed
| >> over to d: drive. I
| >> | > even go in and change all the folder settings for
office
| >> over to there so
| >> | > my email isn't even on c:.
| >> | >
| >> |
| >> | And the advantage of doing this is?
| >> |
| >> |
| >> | > Besides if you ever need more space that's what
| >> partition magic pro is
| >> | > for.
| >> | >
in
| >> message
| >> | > | >> | >>
| >>
| >> | >>> Hello Everyone,
| >> | >>>
| >> | >>> I have 3 hard disks and I am putting together a
new
| >> computer.
| >> | >>> The first hard disk is brand new SATA 300GB 16meg
| >> cache and NCQ.
| >> | >>> The other two are 250 MB 8meg cache IDE's.
| >> | >>>
| >> | >>> Would it be best to keep my system files on the
new
| >> SATA drive
| >> | >>> and only have the primary partition? Or should I
make
| >> 2
| >> | >>> partitions on that new SATA drive? One 8GB (for
| >> system files)
| >> | >>> and the rest for storage/games?
| >> | >>>
| >> | >>> Also, Should the games folder be on separate
drives
| >> then the
| >> | >>> system drive to potentially increase perfomance?
| >> Please Advise!
| >> | >>>
| >> | >>>
| >> | >>
| >> | >> It comes down to personal preference. Whatever you
do 8
| >> GB while
| >> | >> technically OK in reality is not large enough for
the
| >> OS.
| >> | >>
| >> | >> Kerry
| >> | >>
| >> | >>
| >> | >
| >> | >
| >> |
| >> |
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >
| >
|
|