Partitions - general advice/best practice

[reel2real]

Not sure if this is the best place to post but couldn't find much on the topic searching the forum.

I'm new to pc builds and have stumbled across the issue of partitions.

These questions are prompted from snippets i've read on the web but it would be great to pull a load of advice together. If it helps other newcomers too all the better.

Should you partition the disk on a new pc so that the OS (and programs?) are on their own partition (on the 1st disk) to improve performance. First task when you get a new pc?

Should the OS be on the outer edge of the HDD for quickest performance? How do you ensure this?

Any idea how much space would you set aside say for Windows 7 plus progams?

WD Caviar blacks seem popular for a performance 1st drive. If you had something like a 1TB disk and partitioned for the OS/programs what would be a good use of the rest of the disk?

Would data (photo/video/music) be more sensible on a second HDD (Caviar green maybe)?

Cheers.

 

[Gorman]

Hi

As i reinstall quite often and am also prone to messing with things i shouldnt and breaking the OS i got into the habbit a long time ago of seperating my OS from my data. I used to do it with partitions and now tend to use physical drives.

The only reason was to ensure that everything that i needed to be safe was well away from the OS drive so when i needed to format i could, worry free.

There are no performance benefits to be had from partitions.

Its simply an organisational thing. Nowadays i just keep the OS on a small system drive like a 250Gb or SSD and store anything important on additional TB drives.

 

[Pete]

very good questions and to some degree it will depend on hardware and what you intend to use it for. So i don't think you'll find an answers to cover all aspects for everyone.

As a rule if you allow 30gb for Windows 7 and add however much for apps and add in a fair chunk for expansion.

Should you partition the disk on a new pc so that the OS (and programs?) are on their own partition

Yes i would say so, it's not compulsory though but i like to think it's tidy and reduces the risk of data loss (if you need to reinstall perhaps).

Should the OS be on the outer edge of the HDD for quickest performance? How do you ensure this?

Err pass, as it's the first thing to be installed i assume it will be.

Any idea how much space would you set aside say for Windows 7 plus progams?

Personal preference 60 - ????. Personally i went with 160gb on a WD Black 640gb drive and a second 1tb WD Green drive for storage.

WD Caviar blacks seem popular for a performance 1st drive

They have good reviews, speed and reliability - they use more power than the green drives as a trade off.

Would data (photo/video/music) be more sensible on a second HDD

I would say so, if your budget can cope. Don't forget an external backup of some kind too.

hope that help, as i say not a solution for everyone, just have to weigh things up and see what's best for you.

 

[reel2real]

Thanks Gorman,

If it's organisational i'm happy to get separate drives and keep everything safe and simple.

I had wondered if you could get a small fast drive for the OS. There don't seem to be any fast HDDs that are small - for just the OS and programs.
I hadn't thought about SSD. I wonder if i should hang on for prices to come down? Are they really that much better? Are there any downsides to them?

I like the idea of SSD + several Caviar Greens now!!

Thanks Pete,

I do appreciate it's hard to generalise and depends on what you want to do.
Like you a WD Black partitioned + WD Green for storage was what i was thinking about, but as you can see now SSD has entered my thoughts!
A 160GB partition sounds good, so a SSD that size maybe....

 

[Gorman]

SSD's are fast but expensive and flakey compared to mechanicals. The prices havnt really moved that much in the last few years.

Generally a small mechanical 7200rpm drive will be nippier than a TB 7200rpm drive, less storage less distance for the arm to travel etc.

 

[Pete]

I agree SSD especially the latest intel ones as Gorman says are they way forward. I'll be upgrading when they become affordable enough, especially as reliability is much improved but for now I can cope with the boot up times :¬)

 

[reel2real]

Thanks again guys, much appreciated.

Are there any small, fast single platter HHDs that pcspecialist have in the options just for putting the OS and programs on? It's seems the sensible choice the more i think about it. 500GB seems the smallest available.

I don't really want a load of dead space on it as i'd have separate drives for data. I assume a small drive would be quieter and cooler than one with 2 or 3 platters.

It sounds like SSD's might be a better choice a few years down the line when prices are cheaper and any problems have been ironed out? I read something about them degrading over time too...

 

[Gorman]

We don't stock the smaller mechanicals anymore as things are slowly moving towards the SSD side of things. Used to be raptors filled that gap, they lived fast and died young too.

Yes the current gen of ssd's have a built in limit on the amount of writes. Mechanicals don't have that limit.

 

[reel2real]

Thanks again Gorman, doing more reading it seems a fairly large 1st drive partitioned just for the OS so the head doesn't have far to travel is a popular technique. The rest of the drive just empty as the 2nd partition might actually slow data access? Then data on separate drives. I like the idea. It seems to be called short stroking by some people. Maybe well known but new to me. So a 1TB drive with a 120GB/160GB (?) partition for the OS and programs, with rest of the disk left free (and there if needs be for any reason). Until i get contrary advice!!