Partition Schemes

[DasFox]

Well not only defrag, but I thought with nothing but the OS on C: to access it, it allowed for better performance and stability. So the typical C: drive setup with OS and programs on it, runs just as well any other way possible?

If so then all I would do is make a D: partition to put the games on.

THANKS

 

[SolMiester]

Das, think ur getting confused with a bloated registry m8, as opposed to a fresh install for performance/stability, but thats just housekeeping!

 

[foodfightr]

I have 60GB for OS/Games and 90GB for storage. On another system I have a 100GB partition (of a WD4000YR) and have it networked and mapped for less important storage.

 

[imported_rod]

My set-up, ad why I do it this way:
C: (OS & apps) - 20GB - ((allows for fairly painless reinstall, in case anything goes wrong. No point having apps on another partition, since you have to reinstall them 1/2 the time after a fresh install of windows.))

D: (games) - 50GB - ((seperated from other programs because I don't want to do 50hours of downloads for steam, or lose my save game just before i finish HL2.))

E: (data) - 9GB - all my documents, e-mail, photo's etc... ((9GB means it will fit on a DL-DVD for back-up purposes.))

M: (multimedia) <-external network drive - ((all the computers on the network can easily access all my movies and MP3's))

S: (storage) - 100GB - stuff i leach at lan parties/random downloads/home movies before i finish editing/encoding all go here. ((They tend to need alot of space, but I also delete alot of this stuff. This causes pretty bad fragmentation, but it doesn't affect performance, because programs don't run off this partition)).

RoD

 

[DasFox]

cKGunslinger I said SORRY and PLEASE 😉

My Documents" folder to your data drive, how do you do this and is this the only folder to move?

THANKS

 

[V00D00]

Here's your answer:

No performance increase.

Since all the partitions are still on the same drive there is no difference.

Regular defrags will slightly increase performance (maybe once a month or every few)

 

[DasFox]

Thanks

 

[imported_rod]

Originally posted by: DasFox
My Documents" folder to your data drive, how do you do this and is this the only folder to move?

Go into "my computer", right click on the "my documents" folder, and change the target.

RoD

 

[BFG10K]

I use C:\ for Windows, D:\ for games and E:\ for applications and data. It's much easier to backup data and reinstall Windows with this scheme.

 

[dukdukgoos]

Originally posted by: Fullmetal Chocobo
I don't see any point in putting the programs on another partition, because if the boot partition fvcks up, you still have to reinstall all of the programs.

The reason is to keep the OS partition as small as possible, making for quicker and smaller drive images with Ghost or TrueImage. That's really the power of having a separate OS partition; when it gets screwed up (and it always does eventually) you can just restore a recent backup and you're back in business.

 

[nerp]

Hey,

I have a WD Raptor for my C: drive. OS, apps, and a few games. Rest goes on the bigger, slower D: drive. 🙂

To change the default program files dir and force programs to install on a different partition, all you need to do is change a registry key. Regedit, then search for "programfilesdir" and change it to the drive and directory of your choice. Simple, and works well. TweakUI can also do this, I believe.

One thing to note -- some windows updates will fail on install if the programfilesdir key is not set to C:\Program Files so be ready to change it temporarily if you need to. It's safe to change back afterwards.

 

[imported_rod]

Originally posted by: nerpTo change the default program files dir and force programs to install on a different partition, all you need to do is change a registry key. Regedit, then search for "programfilesdir" and change it to the drive and directory of your choice. Simple, and works well.

Talk about doing things the hard way!

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310147
1. Click Start, and then point to My Documents.

2. Right-click My Documents, and then click Properties.

3. Click the Target tab.

4. In the Target box, do one of the following:
? Type the path to the folder location that you want, and then click OK. For example, D:\My Stuff. (If the folder does not exist, the Create Message dialog box is displayed. Click Yes to create the folder, and then click OK.)
-or-
? Click Move, click the folder in which to store your documents, and then click OK twice. (If you need to create a new folder, click Make New Folder. Type a name for the folder, and then click OK twice.)

5. In the Move Documents box, click Yes to move your documents to the new location, or click No to leave your documents in the original location.

RoD

 

[poisonthewell]

Originally posted by: DasFox
SORRY guys I guess no one understood my QUESTION. Thanks for showing me your partitions, but that is not helping any. What my question was and I'll ask again is, will there be ANY BENEFIT if you ONLY put the OS on the C: partition and that is all?

THEN install Program Files applications onto D:

So if you can do this, THEN how do you OVERCOME programs installing into, C:\Documents and Settings\All Users, etc.., like under the Application Data and different folders like this, as well as into C:\WINDOWS, like into the inf folder and system dlls etc...?

NOW can EVERYONE PLEASE stop showing us their partitions and just PLEASE answer the QUESTION? 😉


Speed is not what I am looking at, the NAME of the Game in Windows is called Defragmentation and because of this, the partition you install the OS to, along with other applications causes more defragmentation to eventually cause a hard drive failure, SO this is the REASON I am talking about making C: ONLY for the OS to eliminate this as much as possible to ensure better life and stability to the system.

THANKS

[edit] nevermind

 

[Pathogen03]

Originally posted by: DasFox
SORRY guys I guess no one understood my QUESTION. Thanks for showing me your partitions, but that is not helping any. What my question was and I'll ask again is, will there be ANY BENEFIT if you ONLY put the OS on the C: partition and that is all?

THEN install Program Files applications onto D:

So if you can do this, THEN how do you OVERCOME programs installing into, C:\Documents and Settings\All Users, etc.., like under the Application Data and different folders like this, as well as into C:\WINDOWS, like into the inf folder and system dlls etc...?

NOW can EVERYONE PLEASE stop showing us their partitions and just PLEASE answer the QUESTION? 😉


Speed is not what I am looking at, the NAME of the Game in Windows is called Defragmentation and because of this, the partition you install the OS to, along with other applications causes more defragmentation to eventually cause a hard drive failure, SO this is the REASON I am talking about making C: ONLY for the OS to eliminate this as much as possible to ensure better life and stability to the system.

THANKS

Defragmentation does not cause hard drive failure...

 

[Zepper]

I have drive letters C - O plus floppies and opticals. I'm running out of alphabet... 😉

Some software will allow itself to be installed only on C: (me Epson scanner software for one - idiots!) and almost everything writes some files to C: so always make that partition bigger than you think you'll ever need. I'd say 10 GB minimum.

.bh.

 

[Andvari]

Since many of you seem to be worried about fragmentation, simply get a better defragger than the MS one. Every time discussions come up about defragging, I try and recommend DIRMS, but nobody ever seems to pay any attention to me. Get it here: http://www.dirms.com/HOME/docs/dirms_downloads.asp

Before you run it, go to the regular MS defragger and analyze the disk, to see the fragmented image it displays. After running DIRMS, go back to the MS defragger and analyze again and note the difference. Those of you who have used the MS one long enough will know how much different the image looks after using DIRMS compared to the regular MS defragger.

Here's a wonderful MSpaint pic I made to demonstrate the difference: http://www.auburn.edu/~goldema/dirms.jpg