partitions?..

[Guest]

Can i partition my OS,(XP), from my program and data files so i can
reformatt(if i need to) without losing my apps and data. And will my programs
still work?. thx.

 

[Michael C]

Can i partition my OS,(XP), from my program and data files so i can
reformatt(if i need to) without losing my apps and data. And will my
programs
still work?. thx.

Looks like this is a weekly question. The answer is yes you can. Personally
I think paritions are a pita and 1 is much simpler but many other's
disagree. I'd be more inclinded to use them if they autosized but think it
is too restrictive have fixed sizes. Once you're drive gets fullish you end
up copying files around 'temporarily' to make space. Also you might find
you've made you OS partition too small and have to start all over again, or
you might make it too big and end up with lots of wasted space. Directories
are just like autosizing partitions

Michael

 

[SlowJet]

Data yes, Programs NO.
The Programs are dependent on the Registery.
A repair to the OS will indeed be easier.
A re-install of the OS and even Programs on a 3rd partiton will not effect
you data partition.

Sizing the OS partition is very very easy and logical.
From many many example the OS with all programs, page file of 1.5 GB,
restore points of 1 GB and 2 GB of free space hardly ever exceeds 12 GB.
NTFS really like 16 GB and if you want to install every copy of Adobe
software ever made and 10 large games, and 50 regular programs with OFFICE
2003 PRO and 20 utilies, the space uesed will hard be 32 GB. So what's to
think about.
Pick a C: system /Boot partition size 16, 20, 24, 32, 37.5)
Then partiton the rest of the disk and / or a second disk any way you like
for you fav space management style.

SJ

 

[Terry]

On 11/8/2004 8:55 PM On a whim, RobLee pounded out on the keyboard

Can i partition my OS,(XP), from my program and data files so i can
reformatt(if i need to) without losing my apps and data. And will my programs
still work?. thx.

Partition Magic has worked well for me. You can
partition/resize/add/move/copy/delete/merge. Disk Management can't do
hardly any of that (really only add/delete and limited resizing).

If you want an even better suggestion, buy a 2nd hard drive and use it
for your data and keep a backup of it on the 1st hard drive. Then write
a script/batch to copy your data to the other drive on shutdown. Because
if your single hard drive fails, you'll still lose everything. At least
this way you'll have a redundant backup.

--
Terry

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[Michael C]

Sizing the OS partition is very very easy and logical.

But you could pick 32gig just to be safe and only ever use 5, so waste the
rest. or pick 16 and find one day you can't install an app and have to go
through *huge* trouble reformatting your hdd just to get the end result of
installing one app. It's just one extra thing to have to manage. On the
other hand if you use one partition and get into trouble you just reinstall
your OS and restore your data from backup (you do backup your data, right?


Michael

 

[Terry]

On 11/8/2004 10:03 PM On a whim, SlowJet pounded out on the keyboard

Data yes, Programs NO.
The Programs are dependent on the Registery.
A repair to the OS will indeed be easier.
A re-install of the OS and even Programs on a 3rd partiton will not effect
you data partition.

Sizing the OS partition is very very easy and logical.
From many many example the OS with all programs, page file of 1.5 GB,
restore points of 1 GB and 2 GB of free space hardly ever exceeds 12 GB.
NTFS really like 16 GB and if you want to install every copy of Adobe
software ever made and 10 large games, and 50 regular programs with OFFICE
2003 PRO and 20 utilies, the space uesed will hard be 32 GB. So what's to
think about.
Pick a C: system /Boot partition size 16, 20, 24, 32, 37.5)
Then partiton the rest of the disk and / or a second disk any way you like
for you fav space management style.

SJ

You can install programs on other partitions also. I have 5 OS's that
boot as C. Shared data is on D. I install the programs from each OS to
E. That way I only have to have each program take up space once, not on
each OS drive. And the OS partitions are only 5 gig each since only the
OS (and whatever gets thrown into the profiles and Common Files) resides
there.

As you state, most programs have many registry entries in order for them
to run. But there are quite a few programs that don't throw crud
everywhere and run happily in their own folder. I have over half dozen I
use daily and 20 altogether. A lot are utilities but they can be moved
anywhere and run fine.

--
Terry

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[Michael C]

If you want an even better suggestion, buy a 2nd hard drive and use it for
your data and keep a backup of it on the 1st hard drive. Then write a
script/batch to copy your data to the other drive on shutdown. Because if
your single hard drive fails, you'll still lose everything. At least this
way you'll have a redundant backup.

Problem with having only a single backup is that more often than not the
corrupt data gets written to the backup before the problem is noticed.

Michael

 

[Terry]

On 11/8/2004 10:33 PM On a whim, Michael C pounded out on the keyboard

Problem with having only a single backup is that more often than not the
corrupt data gets written to the backup before the problem is noticed.

Michael

A single backup is still better than what 99% of the users I see have,
which is nothing. There's no guarantees in life. . .just do what you
can. And those that have lost data, back it up now.

I've had every kind of backup go bad, disc, tape, CD, so anything can
burn you.

--
Terry

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[SlowJet]

Backup to where with what?
Most users have a c: partition on their one and only disk.
Only newr PC's have disks bigger then 30 GB.
Only rich kids have CD-R and DVD-R's.

You think you know stuff but if you reallly knew stuff you would know that
backup means many things and has many meanings, and restore and recovery can
get as complex as you like.

If a user can't understand the OS, programs security,, and NOT to use FAT32
how in the heck is he going to all of sudden know all the stuff you think
you know.

Not going to happen over night. But some important data on a second parition
makes the disaster lump in the tummy easier to take.

SJ

 

[Michael C]

Backup to where with what?
Most users have a c: partition on their one and only disk.
Only newr PC's have disks bigger then 30 GB.
Only rich kids have CD-R and DVD-R's.

CDR is very cheap these days.

You think you know stuff but if you reallly knew stuff you would know that
backup means many things and has many meanings, and restore and recovery
can get as complex as you like.

He he, you're getting mad.

If a user can't understand the OS, programs security,, and NOT to use
FAT32 how in the heck is he going to all of sudden know all the stuff you
think you know.

Right, but they're meant to manage 2 partitions. These are the people who
really need the simplicity.

Not going to happen over night. But some important data on a second
parition makes the disaster lump in the tummy easier to take.

In very rare cases this might apply.

Michael

 

[SlowJet]

Piece of cake, Terry.
OK, RobLee, have this done by 9:00 am tomorrow.

SJ

 

[Michael C]

A single backup is still better than what 99% of the users I see have,
which is nothing. There's no guarantees in life. . .just do what you can.
And those that have lost data, back it up now.

That's true, but you were presenting it as "an even better suggestion". I
find that my really critical data still fits on a CD-R so I create a backup
every so often and put it away. That way I've got a backup history. Many
times I've had to go back several CDs to find data that works or isn't
missing. I'd say the majority of home users would be the same in that
critical data takes up little space and the rest is filled with crap that
they can afford to lose. For all this crap your suggestion would probably be
good but for anything critical a backup history is essential.

Michael

 

[SlowJet]

lol, BOLONGA.

One thing is for sure. 51% of them will ingnore all of us all of the time.
lol

SJ

 

[Alex Nichol]

Can i partition my OS,(XP), from my program and data files so i can
reformatt(if i need to) without losing my apps and data. And will my programs
still work?. thx.

You can install Programs into another partition using Custom install, in
most programs. But even so they will put entries in the registry and
possibly some files into Windows or into Program Files - Common files
(and I would advise against trying to move that), so you would either
have to include those in an Image backup that you could restore (which
is what I do) or be prepared to reinstall programs anyway

 

[Terry]

On 11/8/2004 11:11 PM On a whim, Michael C pounded out on the keyboard

That's true, but you were presenting it as "an even better suggestion". I
find that my really critical data still fits on a CD-R so I create a backup
every so often and put it away. That way I've got a backup history. Many
times I've had to go back several CDs to find data that works or isn't
missing. I'd say the majority of home users would be the same in that
critical data takes up little space and the rest is filled with crap that
they can afford to lose. For all this crap your suggestion would probably be
good but for anything critical a backup history is essential.

Michael

If my clients really care about their data, I suggest they use an
external hard drive and use a program called Replikator. It performs
real-time backup, versions and doesn't use a lot of resources.

The "even better suggestion" was that partitioning is good to a point.
But you lose your hard drive and you've lost everything. A 2nd hard
drive with a backup to the 1st was the "even better suggestion", which I
believe it still is.


--
Terry

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[Michael C]

If my clients really care about their data, I suggest they use an external
hard drive and use a program called Replikator. It performs real-time
backup, versions and doesn't use a lot of resources.

They really shouldn't have all of their data on the one device. If your
clients are more than a one man operation you should probably be
recommending a tape drive. If they object to spending the dollars ask them
how much the loss of that data would cost.

The "even better suggestion" was that partitioning is good to a point. But
you lose your hard drive and you've lost everything. A 2nd hard drive with
a backup to the 1st was the "even better suggestion", which I believe it
still is.

I guess that is true, it is better.

Michael

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Placing data files on a partition or physical hard drive separate
from the operating system and applications can greatly simplify system
repairs/recoveries and data back-up. I'd use a slower drive only for
data storage.

There's very little point, however, in having a separate partition
for just applications and/or games. Should you have to reinstall the
OS, you'll also have to reinstall each and every application and game
anyway, in order to recreate the hundreds (possibly thousands) of
registry entries and to replace the dozens (possibly hundreds) of
essential system files back into the appropriate Windows folders and
sub-folders.


--

Bruce Chambers

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[Alex Nichol]

There's very little point, however, in having a separate partition
for just applications and/or games. Should you have to reinstall the
OS, you'll also have to reinstall each and every application and game
anyway,

Where it pays off in my experience is if you use an imaging method to
back up the System' partition. If you restore such an image it restores
all the registry items, common files, special dlls that the applications
have installed (other than for ones installed since the image was made),
and the effect of keeping the size of the System's partition down makes
it much easier to hold such images and make them frequently. I find I
can fit such an image comfortably on a single DVD disk