My New PC--How to use partitions - Virtual Dr Forums-Computer Tech Support

**Welshjim** · #1 February 8th, 2010, 06:59 PM

Many of you have helped me buy a new PC. http://discussions.virtualdr.com/sho...d.php?t=243505
It hopefully will arrive later this week.
I will have a 1TB hard drive and a 500GB hard drive. I plan to partition the 1TB drive into two partitions.
I have never used a partitioned drive before. Is still felt desireable to put the operating system on one partition and all data on another? (I suspect this is too rudimentary to ask, but I have no pride and would rather do things right.

)
Thanks.

**Train** · #2 February 8th, 2010, 07:04 PM

YesJim partition it.
About 100 GB for the OS and the balance for data.

With the speed of your new rig and win 7 that 100 GB should be perfect. Definately not under 50 GB or I will hear you clear up here.

bruce_b · #3 February 8th, 2010, 08:21 PM

I would do it this way:

On the 500GB drive set aside about 100GB for the Operating System.
On the 500GB leave the remainder for your Program Installations.

On the 1TB drive, set aside about 250GB for Backups, like a Ghost Image.
On the 1TB drive, set aside about 100GB or so for your Downloads & personal Data
Leave the rest for Audio / Video files

These values are estimates and can be fine tuned as needed. By doing it this way
the computer will boot from the 500GB drive faster. Also less wear on the 1TB unit.
It will make backups of the System Image easier.

**Shinma** · #4 February 9th, 2010, 01:25 AM

With two partitions,
Suggest one partition for the operating system and software.
The other partition for data.

**fink** · #5 February 9th, 2010, 06:38 AM

Quote:

With two partitions,
Suggest one partition for the operating system and software.
The other partition for data.

Ditto.

**SuperSparks** · #6 February 9th, 2010, 10:18 AM

I prefer to keep data on a separate physical drive to the OS. If, in the future, you want to do anything adventurous such as fitting a drive caddy so that you can lot in a different drive in order to boot to a different OS, like Linux, then your data is still easily accessible. Also, it is easier to rescue, and possibly a little safer if the OS becomes completely hosed.

I'd make the Windows partition a bit bigger than 100GB too - I used 200GB for mine, and I've already used 64 gigs, just 3 months after installing Win 7.

**Welshjim** · #7 February 9th, 2010, 07:56 PM

Train and bruce_b--
Thanks for your responses.
If I plan to use (at least explore) the WinXP Mode in Win 7, would you change your recommendation to allocate only a 100GB partition to the operating system?
And thanks to all for the other info.

**Train** · #8 February 9th, 2010, 08:42 PM

Then I probably would bump it up to 200 GB. Thanks for the reminder.

**SpywareDr** · #9 February 10th, 2010, 05:29 AM

Best practices for partitioning a hard disk
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...partition.mspx

**Welshjim** · #10 February 10th, 2010, 06:58 PM

Train and SpywareDr--Many thanks.

**Train** · #11 February 11th, 2010, 12:43 AM

You are Welcome!