HDD: Capacity and Partition Scheme

A

Apollo1020

Geek Trainee
I need help with choosing a HDD for my new PC. Please, help me determine a right HDD capacity and partition scheme.

1 - I don't want to loose all of my storage, if I'll need to reinstall OS.
2 - I can agree with reinstalling all of my software after reinstalling OS.
3 - I want my HDD to never end for at least 2 years, no matter what I'll do.
4 - I will need HDD to store OS, programs, games, install files, documents, pictures, music, and videos plus other small, medium or big sized files.

Waiting on your suggestions... thanks.

P.S. Please include both - a HDD space and partition scheme for everything.
 
right, the OS can usually only boot from a primary partition, so, you need at least 1 primary partition (probably at the left / beginning of the HDD, as you haven't specified a HDD size i'll assume your wanting to partition a 160Gb HDD

BTW: you would be best not using partition magic (PM), because, many people on (including me) have had problems or data loss with PM, the software i would recommend is Acronis Disk Director Suite

as for the partitions to make:
  1. OS = 10Gb the only primary partition
  2. Programs = 10Gb
  3. Games = 10Gb
  4. Documents = 10Gb
  5. Music = 10Gb
  6. Videos = 10Gb
  7. Misc
these sizes are only use as an example, i would suggest you export the registry

BTW: with a setup like this, if you format C drive you need to edit the unattended installation text file to make your life easier, otherwise, i assume it will take you about 10 days to fully restore your system

Edit: BTW: all partitions except the first are logical partitions created within the extended partition

and according to M$ they recommend you can create a maximum of 128 logical partitions
 
I don't know what kind of money you're talking about for this but I would be inclined to go for a separate HDD for my docs, programs etc and another for my OS. This setup has a number of benefits which may improve performance.
As for a partition scheme I don't see any need to get to busy with it. My OS partition is currently 6.4G but I have to be mindful of what I'm putting there, however I don't use Windows so I'm ill equipped to offer any advice there.
If you want to specify access to certain types of files (music, program, pictures) then I would certainly go for something like Donkey said.

The windows installer only allows you to create one primary partition, any other partitions you create will automatically be logicals, that is if you use the partitioner on the install CD
 
There is no reason to over complicate this. While 2 hard drives have definite benefits it is not necessary. As Tech said, it is an issue of money. If you only want one drive I would just make 2 partitions, one for the OS and programs, and one for media/documents. As far as which hard drive, Newegg has some pretty cheap. This one should be able to hold everything you need:

Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

If you are a real media junkie I would get a second drive, but you could keep it simple and go with this:

Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD7500AAKS 750GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
 
1 - I don't want to loose all of my storage, if I'll need to reinstall OS.
2 - I can agree with reinstalling all of my software after reinstalling OS.
3 - I want my HDD to never end for at least 2 years, no matter what I'll do.
4 - I will need HDD to store OS, programs, games, install files, documents, pictures, music, and videos plus other small, medium or big sized files.
Click to expand...
Add option 1 and 2 in one drive because if you remove OS you have to reinstall you softwares anyway... secondly you wont be deleting your softwares straightaway because that will leave your computer buggy...
so option one and two on C drive...Now the size, actually it all depends on what sort of softwares you are going to install, if they are pretty big ones like VB.net or stuff like that then you need a good space in it...But i suggest a 25-30GB partition will work out very well in there..
3 - I want my HDD to never end for at least 2 years, no matter what I'll do.
Click to expand...
No one can guaranty you the life of HDDs, it also depends on how you handle upto some point...But as general speaking HDDs doesnt die so often...


4 - I will need HDD to store OS, programs, games, install files, documents,
Click to expand...
C drive will be good enough to store your softwares, OS.
About games i believe that you not buying heavy graphic games which takes GB's of space..if yes then depends on your games size you can create another partition for em...
Make sure that you create a separate drive for your Music, Videos and doccuments because if in case anything goes wrong with your windows you can always Format your C drive and install all those programs with OS..

Maximum drives that i recommend is 3, but rest depends on the usage as well.
 
Karan said:
if you remove OS you have to reinstall you softwares anyway
Click to expand...
not necessarily, if you create a custom unattended install text file and backup your registry to a safe location, the OS can go into 1 partition and the installed software can be on another partition, but, you have to import the registry you backed up to a safe location

@Karan, WOW, Karan @ HWF, what's the world coming to ?

anyway Karan good to see you back @ HWF (briefly) how's the job going ?
 
donkey42 said:
not necessarily, if you create a custom unattended install text file and backup your registry to a safe location, the OS can go into 1 partition and the installed software can be on another partition, but, you have to import the registry you backed up to a safe location
Click to expand...
:doh: it was so easy...
[ot]
@Karan, WOW, Karan @ HWF, what's the world coming to ?

anyway Karan good to see you back @ HWF (briefly) how's the job going ?
Click to expand...
Thankz buddy, job is going good, m having fun nd after meeting so many people the main thing i noticed is that in NZ 90% of population like fishing and they have boats...i always think bot u wn i c thea boats...lol
Howz ur studies going? nd wat about ur sound card? is it working??[/ot]
 
Karan said:
it was so easy...
Click to expand...
you can't be expected to remember everything because you've been away a while[ot]
Karan said:
Thankz buddy, job is going good, m having fun nd after meeting so many people the main thing i noticed is that in NZ 90% of population like fishing and they have boats...i always think bot u wn i c thea boats...lol
Click to expand...
:good: hope it cheers you up
Karan said:
Howz ur studies going?
Click to expand...
quit, class changed to morning, i don't like mornings
Karan said:
nd wat about ur sound card? is it working??
Click to expand...
yes, but, only 1 speaker & no PSU, so, volume always quiet even though volume in kmix is on full[/ot]

BTW:
 
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