Vista Partition Sizes

[gba]

I have a 30 GB SCSI HD I use for my OS.. I am doing a new build and am considering giving Vista a go. I usually hack Windows so all shell folders go to a separate partition. I also install most programs to a third partition. My question is, how should I divide this thing? Can I get away with 20GB for the main partition and the remaining 10GB for the shell folders and program partitions (assuming I save data to a second physical drive)?

Thanks for any input ppl may have..

 

[nerp]

Only 30GB? Hacking Vista into two partitions? What benefit does this give you? I'd leave it as one 30GB partition and unless you don't use a lot of programs that's going to be pretty cramped for starters.

 

[corkyg]

I would not partition a drive that small.

 

[gba]

hacking Windows shell folders to a separate partition protects application data, desktop, my documents and the rest of the contents of those folders in the event of Windows SNAFU. I have always used Norton Ghost to restore my OS in DOS. When I restore my Windows partition, my data remains safe.

As far as setting up a separate partition for your programs... same basic reason.. protection from restore... many programs save critical data in their own folders... also, self executable program that run independent of the Windows registry.. these items would not be affected by restoring with Ghost.

All of that said, I have heard that Vista has improved restoring capabilities.. perhaps ppl have found DOS based restores are not really necessary?

The reason I am using a 30GB HD is simply because it is a lightning fast SCSI hard drive. It is my understanding that it should be of sufficient size for Vista and my progs, assuming I am saving all of my data to a separate physical drive, as I have mentioned I will be doing.

 

[gba]

Originally posted by: corkyg
I would not partition a drive that small.

Perhaps what I should do is check out Vista on on a larger IDE drive I have laying around first.. then, if I feel like sticking with it, invest in a larger high-end HD.

 

[nerp]

Originally posted by: gba

Originally posted by: corkyg
I would not partition a drive that small.

Perhaps what I should do is check out Vista on on a larger IDE drive I have laying around first.. then, if I feel like sticking with it, invest in a larger high-end HD.

I think that might be the best idea.

I move the content in /user/documents, pictures, etc to a second HD as well. I just right click on the folders after a fresh install and choose to change the location so they're referring to my second HD.

 

[gba]

Oh yes, I have seen where you can finally change where Windows puts your data right within Explorer.. Wow what a brainstorm that most have taken to decide to include that functionality ;-)

I mean, I have installed Vista AND hacked the shell folder locations right there in the registry on a couple of machines I built for other ppl. It is just that now I have upgraded my hardware and am thinking I may want to install it on my own machine so I can really learn it.

 

[sanzen07]

Yeah definitely wouldn't waste time partitioning a drive that small. How do you live with a drive that small in the first place?

 

[gba]

Originally posted by: sanzen07
Yeah definitely wouldn't waste time partitioning a drive that small. How do you live with a drive that small in the first place?

I have plenty of breathing room.. and a super fast computer, too ;-)

Drive 1:

Seagate 36GB 15,000 RPM U320 SCSI HD (one of the fastest HDs ever manufactured)

C:/WIN2000 (5GB/3.23GB Free)
D:/(Windows shell folders hacked here) (10GB/5.80GB Free)
E:/Programs (20GB/13.73 Free) (excess used as scratch, storage)

Drive 2:

Seagate 500GB 7200.09

several partitions for storing various types of data

 

[Soundmanred]

Windows 2000?

 

[gba]

yep