Drive Organization

[JohnIrish]

I just finished my first build.... I installed Vista and currently have a single 320 GB drive.

Now... I need to start loading up my software......

Do I just load everything into Crogram Files/ like all the software initially recommends or is there a better way to organize my drive. I am open to getting another drive if there is a need.

Or should I be looking at a RAID system.

My data files will be under one directory...

Just wondering if there is a recommended way to organize?

 

[trexpesto]

If you only have one drive, that's limiting. I recommend defragmenting often, like after each install.

If you have two hard drives, put your programs and OS on one disk (the faster one) and long term storage and virtual memory ( aka paging file or swap) on another.

On the drive that has my page file, I have it on it's own separate small 3-gig partition at the beginning of the disk, then photos and music on the rest. I don't keep them in the My Music or whatnot folders.

Virtual memory pagefile size: should be enough to add up to 4 gigs (for heavy home use) with your system RAM. Make it a fixed size min and max.

If you only have one drive and run out of memory, it can be reeeal slow going back and forth for disk access to program data and virtual memory. So keep stocked up on plenty of memory!

Do raid1 if you have critical working data that you dont want to lose if one of the (matched) pair of drives dies. Like your game settings, os stuff, etc. For archived stuff, it can just be backed up on cd instead.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I also run multiple drives and keep data files separate from program files. My primary drive holds the os and software while one of my extras holds the data from the programs that I use. I learned a long time ago to keep them separate plus I back them up often on an external hd and dvd's. With as cheap as hd's are now there really isn't any excuse for not having a second drive to do that on.