Optimal partitioning?

[giyad]

Is there any optimal way to partition a 150GB hard drive? I am going to run Vista Business edition and I was wondering if I should partition in any particular way or if I should parition at all.

Also, I built this computer and when I first booted it up I noticed that the HD is in SATA Channel 3, does it matter that its not in Channel 1?

Thanks

 

[gavinseabrook]

Shouldnt matter for the channel and partitioning is dependant on how you want your drives configured. If you do partition you will lose a little bit of speed due to the fact that it is seperating one drive into multiples. But it should not have that big of an affect. Personally I would just make it one large drive and buy other hard drives for storage or loading your programs on to.

 

[giyad]

Thanks, yeah Im gonna use one partition as I have an external 500GB drive.

 

[Tedster]

that really depends on what you're going to use it for. I would put movies and music in their own parition. I would put temporarily files, internet files, and page-swapping files in another.
I would put main programs and the OS in the primary partition. This really comes down to a matter of preference.

 

[Tmagic650]

Page files are no longer needed if you're running enough memory

 

[Samstoned]

I always stick windows in it's own playpen
like about 20gb of partition space
that will give you some pagefile room and room for programs that just have to be in C drive
a lot of software will not run without pagefile memory
always keep some there
or if you must play ,make another partition about 3 gb of space fat32 use this as page file make it right after the 1st parttion or put on another physical drive.
and now if you have program issues or crash save reg settings
reload OS add reg settings nothing but bobs your uncle

 

[MetalX]

I heard that it's better to put Windows on a partiton on the outside of the disk... I'm not sure how to do it, but I heard that since the outside spins faster than the inside, Windows boots faster when it's on the outside.

 

[Rick]

I heard that it's better to put Windows on a partiton on the outside of the disk... I'm not sure how to do it, but I heard that since the outside spins faster than the inside, Windows boots faster when it's on the outside.

The first partition you create will be on the 'outside' of the disk.

As a long-time tweaker - I never thought I'd say this - but at the end of the day, all of this stuff is rubbish. Inside.. outside... you won't notice the difference.

 

[Tmagic650]

"As a long-time tweaker - I never thought I'd say this - but at the end of the day, all of this stuff is rubbish. Inside.. outside... you won't notice the difference"...

Rick,
I couldn't have said it better!

 

[Bluemouse]

Yea, it is pretty much a matter of preference. I like to put all of my main programs and os files on my "Inside" C:/ Drive, and then keep all my personal data/important files on another partition. Then I have a second HDD for downloads, movies, music and games.

 

[DelJo63]

Page files are no longer needed if you're running enough memory

sorry, just not true. :knock: To implement this, one needs an OS with
V=R; Virtual = Real. IBM mainframe (VM/370) does this to give performance to
a virtual OS in one namespace; it was typically deployed where the BIG IRON
was IPL'd (booted) into VM, and MVS/TSO was run in the V=R space for development
and testing.

WINDOWS does not support V=R and thus pagefiles WILL always be active.

 

[DelJo63]

Partitioning Strategies

Partitioning is NEVER a performance choice; it only relates to Backup/Recover.
By partitioning, you can separate data by usage, and therefore have different
backup frequencies.

Placing the OS on one partition allows it to be updated independent of the user
data AND frequently this means NO backups what-so-ever (ie: you can always
reinstall from media), or only backup when updates are applied.

Strink-wrapped software (ie that which you purchase and take delivery) has the
same freedom -- just reinstall it.

User data is precious and you can't take chances with it. Loose the Billing
system and you're out of business.

Partitioning is a means to control the frequency and volume of data being moved
to secondary media.

 

[Tmagic650]

Whatever you say jobeard,
I don't run with an active page file and I don't partition... I may partition with a >250GB hard drive though

 

[SNGX1275]

I run without a pagefile too. But I've heard from places I don't even remember that Windows will still use something like a pagefile even if its off. I have no idea how true that is.

NOW onto my personal opinion. Put Windows on its own partition. Then ALSO create a 3 gig or so partition at the start of another physical disk. Set your pagefile there.

That is all.

 

[nickc]

SNGX1275, I am going to say u are right and that is a good way to do things up.

 

[Tmagic650]

I use O&O Defrag and it still shows a small area of a page file, even when I have no page file enabled... The page file area is very small compared to a Windows managed page file size.

 

[scorpion_1112]

I agree with joebeard, it really depends upon backup frequency. But i think performance can also be improved by creating right partition for right purpose. I do it like this, i create First partition for windows, and seprate one for permanent storage (files that remain on my disk for long time) while another for for data that i frequently change/elete (like files downloaded from internet that we may just watch/listen n delete). Uc, if u just delete data or cut paste at various destinations on the same partition, then windows doesnt actually delete it, it leaves fragments.

So in short, this way your first partition for windows and ur second partition for long term storage (where u dont delete or move many files) will need lesser defragmentation. While only the third one will need frequent defrags.