Using multiple partitions

[runLoganrun]

I finally got the second HDD I've been waiting for. The OS will be on one partition of the first drive, apps/games on the other partition, then media and general storage on the other drive. Question- Can I just move the Programs and x86Programs files from the OS partition over to the other partition, and everything will install there? Similarly can I move MyDocuments over to the second drive? Will it be able to find everything after this? Are there other folders I should move?
Thanks

[Whatsisname]

in windows it's a giant pain in the butt but it can be done, although you'll have to reinstall all your programs.

I finally got the second HDD I've been waiting for. The OS will be on one partition of the first drive, apps/games on the other partition, then media and general storage on the other drive. Question- Can I just move the Programs and x86Programs files from the OS partition over to the other partition, and everything will install there? Similarly can I move MyDocuments over to the second drive? Will it be able to find everything after this? Are there other folders I should move?
Thanks

[Phoenix86]

You won't be able to easily move the program files directory. A re-install would be recommmend.

Why would you want to seperate the apps from the OS? There is little if anything to be gained by this, and it can cause quite a headache in a restore scenario.

[djnes]

What you could do is use a drive imaging program, like Ghost. There's no reason to separate the apps and games from the OS, so I can't recommend that, but it's your system. That just complicates matters based on your backup scheme, but as I said, to each his own. Just be aware that it offers nothing in the way of performance. I'm only suggesting this, based on the fact I know nothing of the drive sizes, but here's how I'd do it:

Make one drive all C: where your OS, games and apps reside.
Make the second drive all D: where your storage is. Then you can use Ghost or something like it to take an entire image of the C: and store it on D.

[runLoganrun]

I had come to the conclusion that it was better to have the OS in one small partition, like 12G, and then have games and apps on the other partition, 62G in my case. That way you can re-install the OS without having to do everything else too. Right? I'll be doing a clean install of everything to accomplish this.

[Phoenix86]

I had come to the conclusion that it was better to have the OS in one small partition, like 12G, and then have games and apps on the other partition, 62G in my case. That way you can re-install the OS without having to do everything else too. Right? I'll be doing a clean install of everything to accomplish this.
No, the registry OS and apps are intertwined. What you are looking for is possible with some apps, but not all, so this isn't a good solution.

In many cases it's actually harder to recover/repair a split install than a single partition install.

[djnes]

You never want to limit your OS partition to be that small. Most apps need to be re-installed anyway, if you re-install the OS, so it's a non-issue. On top of that, following the imaging back up process...all your apps and games are restored in the image.

[runLoganrun]

You never want to limit your OS partition to be that small. Most apps need to be re-installed anyway, if you re-install the OS, so it's a non-issue. On top of that, following the imaging back up process...all your apps and games are restored in the image.

So not even the games on a second partition?

[djnes]

There's isn't any justification to do so, unless the drive itself is very small....in which case I'd get a new drive. Today's games take up a few gigs each...so using a 20 GB C: drive wouldn't work very well. The only thing that might make a difference (albeit small difference) is if you put your pagefile on the second hard drive, assuming it's on a separate channel.

[runLoganrun]

You never want to limit your OS partition to be that small. Most apps need to be re-installed anyway, if you re-install the OS, so it's a non-issue. On top of that, following the imaging back up process...all your apps and games are restored in the image.

Norton Ghost doesn't work for XP x64. I haven't been able to find something for that purpose yet.

Regarding the storage disk though, can I move the MyDocuments folder onto it, or do I have to set up new folders where I can put everything from it?

[MorfiusX]

Norton Ghost doesn't work for XP x64. I haven't been able to find something for that purpose yet.
Acronis True Image blows Ghost out of the water.

[djnes]

Acronis True Image blows Ghost out of the water.
I beg to differ, based on a string of corrupt images. I've heard Ghost is DOS mode will work, which is how it should be run anyway...but I can't confirm that.

[nomak]

Norton Ghost doesn't work for XP x64. I haven't been able to find something for that purpose yet.

Regarding the storage disk though, can I move the MyDocuments folder onto it, or do I have to set up new folders where I can put everything from it?


If you are wanting to put the My documents folder on the other drive this can be achieved through folder redirection.. right click on your my documents in the start menu and go to properties. then click on move button and from there you can specify where you want to store your documents folder..

[runLoganrun]

Thanks!

I've checked out Ghost, and it doesn't support Windows x64. I sent out an email request to Acronis about the same thing. Does anyone know if they support XP x64?

[Frank4d]

Back to the original question... it doesn't matter if the OS and apps are on the same or different partitions. Except if you re-install one, you'll have to reinstall all (as previously mentioned). So there is no advantage to using separate partitions for that.

If you want to separate user data like email, cookies, favorites, documents, pictures, music, pr0n, etc... from the OS and apps then yeah that would be a good idea.

[Whatsisname]

the seperate drives works fine in unix though because that doesnt have the clusterfuck known as the registry

[runLoganrun]

If you are wanting to put the My documents folder on the other drive this can be achieved through folder redirection.. right click on your my documents in the start menu and go to properties. then click on move button and from there you can specify where you want to store your documents folder..

Should I move the whole Documents and Settings folder? If yes, how do I move that one?
Thanks

[Whatsisname]

don't bother, it's a pain in the butt.

Should I move the whole Documents and Settings folder? If yes, how do I move that one?
Thanks

[KoolDrew]

All you are doing by putting your applications and games on a partition other then your OS is hurting performance and complicating things.

[Phoenix86]

If you want to separate user data like email, cookies, favorites, documents, pictures, music, pr0n, etc... from the OS and apps then yeah that would be a good idea.
I highly recommend you re-direct the my documents folder to another drive (preferrable another machine), then synchronize the folder. This will create a backup copy acting as a *basic* backup.

[S1nF1xx]

*Sigh* I should finish the writeup I stared about using multiple partitions to install the OS and apps; and why it's not a hot idea. Not that anyone reads those things anyway though.

[Whatsisname]

You should instead make a writeup about why running windows isn't such a hot idea.
*Sigh* I should finish the writeup I stared about using multiple partitions to install the OS and apps; and why it's not a hot idea. Not that anyone reads those things anyway though.

[djnes]

*Sigh* I should finish the writeup I stared about using multiple partitions to install the OS and apps; and why it's not a hot idea. Not that anyone reads those things anyway though.
I'll read it...promise! ;)

[Phoenix86]

You should instead make a writeup about why running windows isn't such a hot idea.
Nice troll post.

[drdeutsch]

I remember reading another thread (can't find it now), where someone advocated install your OS and apps on one partition (logical, since apps are tied to the registry), but installing games on another partition. Their argument was that games aren't tied to the registry and many gamers download mods and custom maps, etc for their games. If you had to reinstall your OS, you wouldn't have to reinstall your games (reinstall all 4 cds), validate them, reinstall all your custom maps and mods, etc.

what's the consensus on this? I play Silent Hunter III, and I've got custom mods, etc, that I wouldn't have to download again.

Are most games tied to the registry or not? Is it worth it to isntall games on a separate partition to save some effort when reinstall windows?

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/8523.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=8523)

[Phoenix86]

Are most games tied to the registry or not? Is it worth it to isntall games on a separate partition to save some effort when reinstall windows?

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/8523.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=8523)
Depends on the app, I'm seeing more and more use the registry. Especially anything with an internet connection. Games used to be self-contained, not so much anymore, which is why it doesn't work as a rule of thumb.

[KoolDrew]

When the OS and games are split all you are doing is increasing your average seeking distance, thus decreasing performance.

The ONLY valid argument for having more then one partition is if you have one big hard drive on which the vast majority of the files, in terms of total space rather than number of files, are seldom accessed, only one is accessed at a time, and they're accessed sequentially so the readahead in the file system can work to good advantage. In that case you can get very significant seek time improvements by putting those files off in their own partition. Sure, the head has to seek over to your "media" partition now and then, but most of the time it can stay in your "everything else" partition.

[Whatsisname]

thanks :)

Nice troll post.

[S1nF1xx]

I'll read it...promise! ;)

Well 1 out of 54,954 isn't bad. Er wait......

:p

[Whatsisname]

the more compliant with "Designed for Windows" standards, the more it will use the registry rather than its own config files. It differs from game to game in such a wide variety I wouldn't bother with it.

Are most games tied to the registry or not? Is it worth it to isntall games on a separate partition to save some effort when reinstall windows?

[drdeutsch]

Thanks Phoenix and Whatshisname.

I'm planning on switching from my RAID 0 (2 74GB raptors) to a multiboot setup soon (1 400+ GB harddrive and 1 Raptor 150). So, I'm trying to do research on the best way to partition for multiboots. Specifically, I'll need a WinXP Pro partition, X number of partitions for Linux (Need a linux partition and a swap file partition, right?), a partition for Beta testing (Vista, etc), and the rest will be data.

I've read radified's partitioning strategy, but I need to know more specifics about what size I should make the partitions and what type of partitions they should be. Any help on that matter?

thanks,
http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/8523.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=8523)

[S1nF1xx]

Are most games tied to the registry or not? Is it worth it to isntall games on a separate partition to save some effort when reinstall windows?


It's not worth it to insall anything onto a seperate partition. You'll only make more work for yourself.

[Phoenix86]

Nevermind, I'm an idiot. I shouldn't be commenting on linux partitioning. :)