Win7 Ultimate install, patitioning scheme for performance and reliability?

[Tex Arcana]

Just like it says, I want to install Win7 x64 as a replacement for my present Vista x64 installation. I don't have alot of experience with Win7 as yet, and I need some guidance, please.

Systems specs:
Core i7-920, stock speed/cooler
Asus P6E mobo
6GB triple-channel RAM
Asus ATi 4870-1GB vidcard

Present disk arrangement:

Maxtor 250GB SATA drive, divided thusly:
* C:\, 150GB, Vista X64
* G:\, 80GB, Backups

Samsung 1TB SATA drive:
* D:\, 902GB, Data
* E:\, 30GB, Swapspace (for the pagefile).


The 250 gigger is about to die, making some nasty noises, so I need to swap it out. I have a nice 1TB Caviar Black sitting on my desk, waiting for me to put it in--$99 from Newegg, free shipping.


So, what I ask thee, dear [H]ardGawds, is what is a good partitioning scheme for Windows 7, that will maximize performance and reliability? I know the swap file isn't in the right place on the data drive; I plan to move it to the front of the Samsung drive, and relocate the Data portion to the back part.

For the rest, I would like to put Program Files (both versions) on the Data drive, and run the Win7 alone in its own partition. Can this be done reliably (and how is it done), so if something goes south with the Win7 install, I can wipe it, reinstall it, and have all the data and program information waiting and available, to reduce installation time? Or would it be better to keep them in the same partition as Win7, and create a complete restorable image from the initial installation, and restore them when needed? I like the idea of having a separate drive with all the data and programs on it alone, in case I need to move it to a separate machine, but that's not 100% etched in stone.

Please show me your partitioning schemes as well, I'm curious to see what's out there.

Thanks in advance, folks.

 

[bigdogchris]

I'd take that 1TB drive, create a 2-300 GB partition for Windows and programs, then create another partition consuming the rest of the drive. Point your Document, Video, Picture, Download and Music folder to the second partition.

This would leave all of the programs that are read/write frequently, including the page file & OS, on the fastest part of the drive and leave your documents/files on the slower part of the drive. Generally these files do not need the absolute fastest speed, where your programs/os (w/page file) does. If you think you are gaining something by moving the page file a slow disk or slow part of disk, then you are admitting to not understanding how it works.

Another possibility is creating a 30-40GB partition for Windows and Page File, then a 1-200 GB partition for applications, then a 3rd for data. This would force Windows updates/files to stay within the small partition at the beginning of the disk.

 

[Tex Arcana]

I think you missed that I've got two drives, and that the swap file is on disk two--I've done this before, and the performance boost is measurable.

I'd like to keep the data off the main OS drive if at all possible. I'd also like to be sure Win7 doesn't put that bitlocker/recovery partition at the front of the drive, either.

 

[donald_k]

I think you missed that I've got two drives, and that the swap file is on disk two--I've done this before, and the performance boost is measurable.

I'd like to keep the data off the main OS drive if at all possible. I'd also like to be sure Win7 doesn't put that bitlocker/recovery partition at the front of the drive, either.

My Win Server 2008 R2 install kept its recovery/bit locker stuff within its partition (it is Win7's sister OS). In fact I do not have bit locker enabled.

This is what my Disk Management says how my disk is laid for my 200GiB laptop drive (I have my drive letters out of order to match good old DOS conventions)

(SWAP) (D:) FAT32 4.12GB
-Healthy (Page File, Primary Partition)

(C:) NTFS 100.00 GB
-Healthy (System, Boot, Active, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)
*crash recovery is inside this partition

(SPARE) (E:) NTFS 82.19GB
Healthy (Primary Partition)

Keep the page file separate from the OS... then you know it will always be at the front of the drive and not fragment amongst your system files.

My swap partition is FAT32 at 64KB size.. the file fills the partition -- faster and no MFT cutting the swap file in half like NTFS would do. Although my SWAP partition is labeled (D: ).. it is at the front of my drive, I set up the drive letters like that on purpose for appearance reasons. It never needs defraging. In terms of program files location, Windows 7 should ask you this in your set up, be sure to point it to where your Vista program files are already.