What Size Partion For XP-Home?

[Pegleg]

Installing new HD and want to use two partitions. One for OS & programs
and one for Data. How is the best size determined?

Pegleg
U.S. Navy Retired
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[DatabaseBen]

it is likely you bought a large harddrive since they are pretty cheap now.
my response to your question is simply half for each. With a partition
program you can change your mind all you want as your requirments
change....

you should really get a partitioning manager software like acronis
disk director. this is an essential tool for managing your partitions,
recovering
from lost partitions, etc....

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Installing new HD and want to use two partitions. One for OS & programs
and one for Data. How is the best size determined?

This depends almost entirely upon how you use the computer and on
how much data you plan to deal with. The OS itself requires @ 2 Gb,
plus you'll want room for the swap file and applications. I wouldn't go
any smaller than 10 to 12 Gb for the system partition, leaving the
remainder for data storage. If, at some later date, this arrangement
proves less than ideal, you can always resize the partitions using a
non-destructive 3rd party utility, such as BootItNG.

You might find this site helpful:

Planning Your Partitions
http://www.aumha.org/a/parts.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

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[Zilbandy]

it is likely you bought a large harddrive since they are pretty cheap now.
my response to your question is simply half for each. With a partition
program you can change your mind all you want as your requirments
change....

The way Windows stores bits and pieces of program data in various
places, even if you put your programs on 'D drive', you'll still find
files needed by that application on 'C drive'. I finally just gave up
on my multiple partioning scheme I've used since DOS days and now use
just a big C drive for OS and programs and data. I do put all my saved
data files under a sub directory called 'Data'... ie C:\Data. The
only stuff I don't keep on C drive are my MP3 files. They are on D
drive, as I have them backed up on DVD's anyway. This one partition
scheme makes it easy to backup my whole system by using disk imaging
software (Acronis True Image) to make backup images on a removeable,
USB hard drive.

 

[Orion]

My suggestion is to use a 10 to 15Gb partition for windows .. you can use a
program available through Microsoft called TweakUI to move your documents,
music, pictures and movie folders to your second partition thus giving you
plenty of space on the "C" drive for windows to run. This is also a benefit
if Windows becomes unstable and unbootable because you can format the C
drive and reinstall windows without loosing any data stored in your
documents folder. Oh, and of course .. when you install new programs you
will always want to do a custom install and install them to your 'storage'
drive not to the C drive.

To find TweakUI just go to Microsoft's website and search for TweakUI .. you
will find it and a few more PowerToys. To change where your default folders
are open TweakUI and go to My Computer / Special Folders

This has been the best setup for me because I constantly destroy my
Windows... still takes me some time to get back and running but so far I
have yet to loose any important data.

I run a 15GB Windows partition and 625GB in other partitions with many many
programs installed and as of now I still have 6.54GB free on my windows
drive.

Note* If you plan on going to windows vista when it comes out and don't feel
like messing with the partitions.. you would probably want to use at least
20-40GB for your windows partition

Hope this helps
Orion

 

[DatabaseBen]

yeh...,
everyone has their preferences...

my suggestion was based on "not putting all ones egg's in one basket"
but again, everyone has their own way of managing eggs ....

: )


<>

 

[me]

If you've noted my posting "Drivers" above this thread you'll wonder
why I have anything to contribute, but I echo many of the remarks
made towards the end of the thread.

I keep my C: partition solely for my O/S and apps. I try to keep ALL
data that I produce in other partitions and I have use dTweakui to
divert data to that end.

The benefit upto now is that I should be able to format the C:
partition without losing any data. I have used Acronis True Image v8
for making images. I have never lost any data. The only time I have
had to make serious use of my images is now and you can see that they
are useless.

I am giving paragon Software a try and I have Norton Ghost 2003 to
fall back on.

Knowing all this how can i be in such a mess!!!

Colin