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Setting up an Operating system

EQTitan

Diamond Member
I'm sorry I'm not very clear about something I have read or heard, but what is the best way to install an Operating System be it Windows, Linux, Server side, Client side?

Is it better to make 2 partitions one strictly for the OS, and a separate partition for all the data/files etc.?

or

Is it better to put the OS on a completely different HDD (20gb), and all the data on another HDD (though this would be slower when accessing data I assume)?
 
Putting data on a completely different disk is generally safer when you have to do anything with the OS because there's less chance of you selecting the wrong partition. And if the OS disk fails it won't take any data with it, it's a lot easier to reinstall/restore from an image than to recover data that you probably haven't backed up.

A separate partition for data isn't a terrible idea since you can still format and reinstall the OS without touching the data as long as you're sure you've got the right partition.

and all the data on another HDD (though this would be slower when accessing data I assume)?

Unless something is really wrong it should be faster since I/O on the OS disk won't have to compete with I/O on the data disk.
 
Would this also be good in a pagefile situation? Though you might have the data hard drive thrashing away =(
 
I like the separate drive option - then you don't worry about losing everything in your data files should you have to reformat your OS drive. Data stored on external drives can be moved and used on different computers as well.
 
For many years now, I've had an OS partition and a data partition.

Works well for me, as I take an image snapshot of the OS when I've got it running as I want, and I can restore it within minutes without touching my data.

My current OS partition is 20gb, but thats just because I got a bigger hard drive. Its been as little as 10gb in the past.
 
Originally posted by: Canterwood
For many years now, I've had an OS partition and a data partition.

Works well for me, as I take an image snapshot of the OS when I've got it running as I want, and I can restore it within minutes without touching my data.

My current OS partition is 20gb, but thats just because I got a bigger hard drive. Its been as little as 10gb in the past.

How would imaging a OS work for quick reformat? I have never done this.
 
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