Partitoning help-Please..

[one918]

I reformatted my hard drive and did a clean install of Win 2k pro.

I have never partitioned before, but did so with Partition Magic 8, WOW, that was easy...!

Now, I wanted to 3 partitions on my main physical drive.
1 for the os, 1 for program files, and 1 for games. I have a second hard drive I will store all my date on.

I have a couple questions. 1st, when I partitioned, my os is already Fat32 and Partition Magic suggested Ntfs for the logical drives, so I went ahead with this. My physical drives are 30g and 40g., Should I just leave this alone, or change one or the other.

Next, what folders do I need on the partion for the os?
Only the windows folder? I tried to copy the program file folder to one of my partitions, and it wouldn't copy, said there was a sharing violation...

Thanks ahead of time for any help.

[EvilCrow]

You can't move your OS over to a new partition without re-installing the OS onto that partition.

You only need to make 2 partitions, one for games and one for programs. The OS will be on your original partition.

[one918]

I probably didn't explain right. I only added 2 partitions on the physical drive. I wanted to leave the os on the original partition. The only thing I was trying to move was the program file folder, and that's when I got the message that I couldn't move it because it was shared.

[meese]

You can't move the programs file folder either. When you installed your existing programs, you chose the default installation most likely. When you do this almost every program out there will stick itself in the program files folder. Also the registry which holds all the information about the program thinks that program files is where the program should be. If you screw with the location of this folder you will have all kinds of problems. If you want to move programs that are already on the drive your best bet is to uninstall the program and reinstall but this time choose "custom configuration" and choose the partition and folder you want to install to.

[DoctorReno]

With all MS OS's unlike Unix and some other OS's they must boot from the C drive or partition. What this means is there are a few files, a little over a megabytes worth that must be on C. The OS itself can be installed to any partition you want. The reason it won't let you move the files is because Windows is running and certain files are in use. Windows won't let those in use files be moved. There are ways around this but the safest way would be to reinstall 2k and select custom configuration as Meese describes, however there are few reasons for doing this. Did you have some specific reason? Otherwise I think your partitioning logic is ok.
If I were you I would consider one other thing; creating a dedicated paging file partition on your second drive and then putting the paging file on that partition. You should gain a little in performance by having the paging file on the outer most tracks of the drive, the secondary drive can be accessed simultaniously with the primary drive and the paging file is unlikely to become fragmented.

[one918]

I was mainly just trying to keep the os separate from any other files, program, data, etc, in case of a crash, so I could just reinstall the os if needed..

[meese]

Keeping your data seperate is a good idea. But even if you keep your programs seperate and the OS dies, you will most likely have to re-install any games or apps. When the os dies so does the registry. The main thing is you can always re-install your apps or games, but you can't get your data back.

[one918]

So what you're saying about the resgistry, would it make sense to put games and apps on separate partitions from the os, since I would have to reinstall those anyway if the system crashes?

Will the programs and games run better if they are on separate partitions? Ie: should I still partition those?

[meese]

This is my take on it.

1) You should keep your data (Word docs, MP3's pics etc) at least on a seperate partion but better off on a seperate drive. This seperate drive is a slave and does not have any os installed on it. This way you can easily back it up or move it to another system.

2) Put the OS and the programs (games, apps etc) together on the same partition, but preferredly a sperated drive than your data.

3) Installing the OS seperate from everything else is usually done so it can easily be imaged. Someone like a network admin can save a lot of time if he doesn't need to reinstall the os. He will still have to reinstall the programs, even though they were kept seperate from the os.

4) Another thing to keep in mind is simplicity. If you start installing apps abd games in special folders and on other partitions, you will eventually loose track. When you install using the default settings, it just makes it easier later if you upgrade that game or app. And when you uninstall those games or apps.

Does any of that make sense? Maybe someone can add to this.

[DoctorReno]

What Meese is saying is very accurate and good advise.
There are many reasons for partitioning. One, with large HD's, is to minimize fragmentation and keep it limited to a smaller partition which can then speed up finding and loading the files as well as defraging.
Most of the power users I know create an 8 - 9 gig primary partition and put the XP and Office on that partition. Some like to create a partition for their games, others like the games in the primary. It certainly dosen't hurt to experiment and see what you like.

I'm an advocate of storing your personal and important data on both drives so you have a form of backup.

I'd still encourage you to consider, if the second drive is as fast as the primary, of putting a partition on the second and moving the paging file to that drive.