Windows setup, create partition, start or end of drive?

[Fragrant Coit]

I'm re-installing Vista 32Bit on a 250Gb SATA HDD, and want to make 2 partitions on it.

What I'm curious about is if i create say a 125Gb Partition, is that at the beginning {or outer} part of the drive, or is that in the middle?

I want it to be as quick as possible, so shall I use the partition I created, or the unpartitioned space?

Sorry if it seems pedantic, but the boot time is getting ridiculous {I get 5.4 on the "Vista Experience" thingamy so I should be sweet} and I want to milk every bit of speed out of it, if that word can be used in the same sentence as Vista!

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Ididmyc600]

Hi

A partition per se doesnt exist as a physical section, its not like you slice the disk in 2 and say "right all you progs on the inside and all you spare bits on the outside", a program or programs can be split across the entire disk as small chunks with part of the chunk telling the OS where the next bit is located, this is whhy Defrag is used, to take seperated data chunks and move them into a coherant and logical grouping and thus speed up disk reading.

if your boot time is getting slow do the usual things like remove unwanted startup programs and defrag the disk.

Regards
PS i dont know what the vista experience thingy is as I hate fu**in hate VIsta..

 

[raybay]

Your boot install must be in the first partition, usually labeled as Partitiion 0

 

[kimsland]

data is stored from outer zone (on the HardDrive) first


Transfer rate As of 2008, the data transfer rate at the inner zone ranges from 44.2 MB/s to 74.5 MB/s, while the transfer rate at the outer zone ranges from 74.0 MB/s to 111.4 MB/s
Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_disk_drive