500Gb Hdd - how many partitions?

[Wigwam]

Current machine has a 120GB hdd for which 30Gb is an "os" partition and all my data "my documents" for all users/movies/mp3s/pix are on the "data" partiton
New build has 500gb and I was planning on:
c: 50GB OS/Apps partition
d: 150gb "data" partition [for work etc]
e: 300gb "entertainment" partiton for all pix/movies/mp3
this way it would be easier to identify important backup stuff [from "D"]; the music/movies would be allowed to grow apace and all would be kept away from the OS partition.
Any flaws in this plan and/or what do you do? Plan is mainly to help with "housekeeping" than performance issues.

Next question [assuming you agree in principle with above]:
on installation do I use Fdisk to create a single 480Gb primary partition and then create logical drives from within windows, or do I create them from the off?

 

[NoelS]

Wigwam,

Believe I'd split the 50 GB into 2 partitions for OS and Apps (I call mine Programs), probably 20 and 30. If you use Vista, maybe 25 and 25. That way, you isolate your OS and if it gives you trouble, you can wipe it and replace quickly with an image (use a good Backup program like True Image), without disturbing your apps.

That would move the other letters down. Also would split the 300 into partitions for music, videos, etc to keep them separated and organized.

If you use FDisk, you can go either way. If you have Partition Magic or another partitioning program, just do your partitions inside Windows. FDisk can sometimes be troublesome.

Noel

 

[Wigwam]

Thanks
Gigabyte supply a backup app for the OS on the cd as well so I might just use that. I do have PM so will use that after install

 

[Wigwam]

sorry guys it's been a while so could someone confirm:

After I have formatted the drive do I just make a single 500gb primary partition at XP Install and then make the logical drives via Partition Magic within this
OR do I just make a 50GB primary partition and leave the rest unpartitioned and then use PM to make partitions in this free space?

Thanks

 

[Techdog]

I agree with NoelS. I always keep my OS completely separate on my C: partition. Makes life a lot easier when things go wrong, which of course they will :/

Good luck Wigwam

 

[NoelS]

Originally posted by: Wigwam
sorry guys it's been a while so could someone confirm:

After I have formatted the drive do I just make a single 500gb primary partition at XP Install and then make the logical drives via Partition Magic within this
OR do I just make a 50GB primary partition and leave the rest unpartitioned and then use PM to make partitions in this free space?

Thanks

Wigwam,

Either way would be OK, but I would make the whole drive a single 500GB primary then use PM to divvy it up after you run PM. Did you realize you can use PM floppies to re-partition even before you install Windows if you have put PM on floppies? Otherwise just install Windows and then re-partition after you install PM...

BTW, think I told you in another thread about installing IHC9R drivers. Don't forget to set the BIOS to AHCI BEFORE you install Windows. And then hit F6 as soon as Windows CD starts so you can install those drivers...

Noel

 

[Wigwam]

You sure did Noel - it was noted with Thanks.:thumbsup:
Have slung the relevant drivers on a floppy and bought an internal fdd tonight.
Looking to build tonight....

 

[Wigwam]

Okay help please:

I created a 100gb primary partition with fdisk with 365GB spare. I need a 150gb partition [data], 205gb [ents] and then 10gb free/unpartitioned for the GB backup software. DO I create the other 2 as logical drives within a 355gb extended partition or as 2 more primaries? Is it possible to creat an extended partition which doesn't fill all the available space? [I ask becausee gb manual says to make other primaries to ensure 10gb is left for xpress recovery tool].

Infact I made the data one [to see if disk management was straightforward] and created a 150gb primary. I could always torch it as it is empty so far...

 

[NoelS]

Wigwam,

You would need to take that 365GB and make it an extended partition, then divide that extended partition into 3 pieces (logical drives), one 150/365%, a second 205/365%, and the third 10/365%. As I recall you can do all 3 in one operation. If you can't you'll need to do the math on each remaining partition you want. That can get tricky as I recall. That's why I bought Partition Magic - eliminates all that work and possible mis-steps. Here's a web site that claims free partitioning software, but disclaimer, I haven't researched it, just googled "Partitioning Softwear." http://www.thefreecountry.com/...partitioneditors.shtml

If you don't divide them up to use all the balance of the 365GB, you end up with an unallocated piece of whatever size is leftover.

Noel

 

[Wigwam]

I sorted it slightly differently last night. I just made another Primary drive E: for the entertainment stuff and left the 15gb spare for the gigabyte recovery partition [so that is the 4 primaries done]. Now if I want to run linux I will torch the backup drive and I have got True Image as well and that makes smaller images. I have backed the Acronis image to an external hdd

 

[NoelS]

Wigwam,

Sounds like you got it figured out, great...

Also glad to see that you use True Image - great program! I use it to back up my partitions to externals, too, using eSATA (I have 2, one for each computer). eSATA is the bomb - if you get a chance, move over to it if you don't use it now - 3-4 times faster than USB. My mobo's both have eSATA ports on the backplane, so it was easy. I had a previous mobo that didn't, so I used a bracket with eSATA and hooked it directly to a SATA port on the mobo. That worked well, too, but it didn't hot-plug - had to re-boot to get it recognized. Well, I digress 🙂...

Noel

 

[Wigwam]

yep the mobo has an esata bracket and the case has one at the front but my external hdd to usb2....for now!
Thanks for your help mate.

 

[NoelS]

Wigwam, My pleasure... Noel