Setting up Windows...

[Boyo]

When I originally posted my hardware for my new build, I was only buying 1 HDD. It was a Raptor 150GB. When asking for advice on my build, a large portion of the people who gave me advice suggested that I drop down to a 74GB Raptor, run Windows off of this drive, and then buy another HD for all my other programs. The reasoning behind this I was told was to take full advantage of the Raptor for running Windows quickly, my other programs like My Documents and other media didn't need to be run off of a Raptor, and it would save me some money.

So that is what I did. I bought a 74GB Raptor and a 250GB WD 16MB Cache. My hardware arrives Monday, but I am now confused as to how to set up Windows only on my Raptor, and place everything else in the 250GB WD. What about my sequirity software (firewall, anit-virus, spyware), and just about everything else that when you download hitches onto the C: drive under windows? Did I make a mistake, or is there something I should be doing to keep Windows XP seperate from all other programs?

 

[Frankie]

Originally posted by: Boyo
When I originally posted my hardware for my new build, I was only buying 1 HDD. It was a Raptor 150GB. When asking for advice on my build, a large portion of the people who gave me advice suggested that I drop down to a 74GB Raptor, run Windows off of this drive, and then buy another HD for all my other programs. The reasoning behind this I was told was to take full advantage of the Raptor for running Windows quickly, my other programs like My Documents and other media didn't need to be run off of a Raptor, and it would save me some money.

So that is what I did. I bought a 74GB Raptor and a 250GB WD 16MB Cache. My hardware arrives Monday, but I am now confused as to how to set up Windows only on my Raptor, and place everything else in the 250GB WD. What about my sequirity software (firewall, anit-virus, spyware), and just about everything else that when you download hitches onto the C: drive under windows? Did I make a mistake, or is there something I should be doing to keep Windows XP seperate from all other programs?

Personally, and this is just me, I would have gone with and did go with for my new system the 150gb Raptor. Why? Because of Windows updates and the programs you meantioned. Plus everything running off of the Raptor will be much faster.

I only use my secondary drive for storage only.

 

[Brentx]

It's all a matter of opinion of how you want to run your system, so I will not say my opinion here 😛.

However, everytime you install a peice of software to your PC, you will want to redirect it to the D: (or whatever letter the 2nd hdd is) drive. I beleive there is a registry hack out there that will change the deafualt program files location.

Here I just found it : Program Files registry edit

 

[Boyo]

Well, I wouldn't mind hearing other people's opinions. If I should have stuck with my original plan of a 150GB Raptor, then tell me. I still have time to correct any mistakes.....

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

150gb raptor is not enough.

150gb is very little space.

I personally push for the 74gb plus maybe a 250gb? I don't know.

Ok, so here's my personal setup.

250gb 7200.8 + 160gb Hitachi 7K250.

The 7200.8 is faster, so it is my boot drive... I have 4 partitions on it

1) XP 32-bit (16gb)
2) XP 64-bit... now Vista, but whatever it's my experimental OS drive (16gb)
3) Crap (100gb)
4) More crap (100gb)

The 7K250 has 3 partitions

5) Backup XP (16gb) - If my Seagate drive ever dies (and yes it has at least 2 - 3 times) either the Windows is corrupted or whatever, I can instantly boot from this one. Yayz
6) Crap (69gb)
7) More crap (69gb)

Boot from the 7200.8 by default.

Install important programs (Office, AntiVirus) onto C drive (main XP isntallation drive). Install games and crap onto partition #3. Dump media and all sorts of downloadables onto partion #4. Partition #7 serves as a laptop backup. Partion #6 serves as a swap file drive as well as a downloading drive (stuff to be sorted onto partition #4 later).

 

[Boyo]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
150gb raptor is not enough.

150gb is very little space.

I personally push for the 74gb plus maybe a 250gb? I don't know.

Ok, so here's my personal setup.

250gb 7200.8 + 160gb Hitachi 7K250.

The 7200.8 is faster, so it is my boot drive... I have 4 partitions on it

1) XP 32-bit (16gb)
2) XP 64-bit... now Vista, but whatever it's my experimental OS drive (16gb)
3) Crap (100gb)
4) More crap (100gb)

The 7K250 has 3 partitions

5) Backup XP (16gb) - If my Seagate drive ever dies (and yes it has at least 2 - 3 times) either the Windows is corrupted or whatever, I can instantly boot from this one. Yayz
6) Crap (69gb)
7) More crap (69gb)

Boot from the 7200.8 by default.

Install important programs (Office, AntiVirus) onto C drive (main XP isntallation drive). Install games and crap onto partition #3. Dump media and all sorts of downloadables onto partion #4. Partition #7 serves as a laptop backup. Partion #6 serves as a swap file drive as well as a downloading drive (stuff to be sorted onto partition #4 later).

That is what I have right now. A Raptor 74GB and a WD Caviar RE 250GB. I will put my OS on the drive, but how would you suggest that I partition the 74Gb Raptor? Should I keep downloads to a minimum on this drive and use my 250GB Caviar as the swap file?

This is where I am confused. How to use the Raptor, and avoid it becoming filled with junk. I want to be able to only use the Raptor for programs that i want to load fast, but put My Documents, etc. on the 250GB Caviar. Again, the Documents & Settings have me confused.

Help from any and all!!!

 

[MeStinkBAD]

I think you are putting too much thought into this... there is no best way... i would personnally keep things simple. But that's just my opinion...

 

[Boyo]

Originally posted by: MeStinkBAD
I think you are putting too much thought into this... there is no best way... i would personnally keep things simple. But that's just my opinion...

LMAO! You're not the first person to tell me this, but it is funny seeing it on a forum....you're probably right, too.





edited for spelling:

 

[nweaver]

install windows
make 2 partitions on the 250 GB drive (3 if you like). Size DOE

copy everything in C:\Program Files over to that drive
use disk management to mount that partion as C:\Program Files (Not sure if this works with windows...it's got odd, hard to use partitioning/mounting tools)

do the same for Documents and settings


again, I would test this, I'm not sure if you can copy over all the files and then mount it (you might have to delete everything in C:\program files first?). This might be a way to do this.

 

[Boyo]

Originally posted by: nweaver
install windows
make 2 partitions on the 250 GB drive (3 if you like). Size DOE

copy everything in C:\Program Files over to that drive
use disk management to mount that partion as C:\Program Files (Not sure if this works with windows...it's got odd, hard to use partitioning/mounting tools)

do the same for Documents and settings


again, I would test this, I'm not sure if you can copy over all the files and then mount it (you might have to delete everything in C:\program files first?). This might be a way to do this.

You have me confused. Copy everything over to the 250GB drive? What about the Raptor?

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Install Windows on the Raptor.
Have the Raptor partitioned as one drive. C:
Partition the 250gb as 1 drive, D:
Install applications to C:\program files
Save docs and files and stuff to D:

It's easy, it's effective, and it's quicker than having multiple drives with multiple partitions

 

[Boyo]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Install Windows on the Raptor.
Have the Raptor partitioned as one drive. C:
Partition the 250gb as 1 drive, D:
Install applications to C:\program files
Save docs and files and stuff to D:

It's easy, it's effective, and it's quicker than having multiple drives with multiple partitions

Now that's what I'm talking about!!! Perfect. Now that makes as much sense to me as anything. It's the perfect solution to my problem. Thank you for opening my eyes and for the great advice....😀

Thank you to all who posted for help and advice. It is really appreciated.