Partition set up on HDD storage drive

[gerry410]

hi all, i just finished partitioning a hdd for the first time. It will be my storage drive (former boot Win7) drive complimenting a Corsair 115GB boot ssd. This is my first build, so please keep that in mind because I'm a noob.

f: 500GB for music, movie, pics and docs.
g: 230GB for installed programs and relocated windows folders. (Windows page files and user's folders)
h: the balance is unallocated at this time. Reserved for maybe umbutu/xp,etc.

1. Would it be better to install programs on f:, if so should I shrink it ?
2. Do you think the size of each is adequate?
3. Slould I install the Gpu drivers to the SSD?
4. Is is bad to keep changing and deleting volumes?
5. Should I partition the SSD boot in 2, one for OS 1 for games.

Please feel free to give any advise or cautions. I have read all the SSD articles at Tom's.
Please address the 4 questions.

Tanks guys.

 

[wonder44]

Makesure windows and all drivers are on the same partition, having drivers on a diferent partition could cause problems. Windows must be on the same partition as all drivers.

I have a 240GB hdd and 120gb is for windows and 100gb is for my games and movies, music. And 20gb for recovery. Windows should be on C drive. data and other personal files should be on D drive. Installing third party software and games and stuff should be on d drive. even though the default is c/program files. i simply do this because c drive with windows on it will simply just get cluttered up and slow down youre computer.


The 230gb should be for windows. Prefably 100gb for windows or up. and the 500gb should be made into two partions of 250gb. one for youre personal documents and one for ubuntu or xp ect... every thing to do with windows operating system should be on the same drive.

 

[gerry410]

Perhaps I wasen't clear. I have an SSD for boot drive. I will install drivers there.
My question is:

1. Sould I partition the boot drive in 2. In partition 1 install Win7 and drivers, in partition 2 virus protection and a few games I have.
Does this make sense. I've read that its a good practice to partition the SSD boot drive in this manner. Do you agree?


The storage drive will have 3 partitions.
F: installed programs and 3rd party software
G: music, movies and doc's.
H: unallocated Reserved.

2. Also whats the preferable partition to install 3rd party software and programs on F: or G:, does it matter?

 

[John_VanKirk]

Hello,

Whether you partition an SSD into 1 single partition or 2 partitions depends on how big the SSD is, and what OS you installed. For an adequate boot drive and active data files, it should be ~ 100 GB +-. I'd put your OS and it's system files there, the page file, along with your GPU drivers, antivirus & system security application, and frequently used programs. The "recovery hidden partitioin" ASUS, Gigabyte, etc offer, as well as the recovery image Acronis etc. offer don't work with the SSD's so you don't need the extra partition or space for them. I always leave a small amount (sometimes large amount) of unallocated space at the end of my drives, so they can be used or modified later if desired. Can't modify (enlarge, shrink) a partition if it's not available, and you can always merge that space into your active one.

It doesn't matter where on your secondary HDD you store stuff. Your OS can find E: as easily as H:. And it doesn't matter if you delete volumes back into unallocated space, or make new partitions. Even on your SSD. The only thing you don't want to do is defrag the SSD.

I would seriously consider a partition on the secondary HDD for "backUp imaging", either thru the Windows BackUp and Restore, or Acronis or other Imaging software, on a schedulled basis. That way when things go wrong, you can just move it back to the SSD and you back in business.

Lots of ways to experiment, and learn, you can even "mount" volumes to an empty folder on your SSD, so files look like they are on the SSD but stored on the slower HDD. There is no right or wrong way to set up your system, and for sure, it will be different 6 months later.

Great fun getting a new system going!

 

[gerry410]

Hello,

I'd put your OS and it's system files there, the page file, along with your GPU drivers, antivirus & system security application, and frequently used programs. I always leave a small amount (sometimes large amount) of unallocated space at the end of my drives, so they can be used or modified later if desired.
partition on the secondary HDD for "backUp imaging" on a schedulled basis.
you can even "mount" volumes to an empty folder on your SSD, so files look like they are on the SSD but stored on the slower HDD.

Great fun getting a new system going!

John, thank you so much for taking the time with your detailed explanation. So often I ask a multiple part question only to have 1 or 2 addressed.
That being said I hope you don't mind if I pick your brain and ask a few more. LOL
Your response has relieved me of the fear I had of doing something wrong. What I am doing is not installing everything right away. I want to learn more and experiment with different set ups. I have the SSD partitioned in 2. WIN7/Symantek on 1 and the 2nd GPU and drivers. Having Win7 & Symantek on the same partition was unintentional, I partitioned the disk after the 1st installation and will fix when I finalize my plan.
I want to preserve the SSD as much as possible. I "Moved" the USER's doc, music, pic, vid folders to the HDD. I'm a little concerned that I was unable to install Google installation pack and Steam to my P: HDD, they went right to C:, I think. Is there any way to check where a program is installed. Downloading a file to a folder doesn't necessarily mean its installed there.
I was reading about "Mounting Drives", and think it may be a solution to this delema and will study further. I took your advise and partioned both drives and have an I: win backup partition:
Drive 1
Corsair Force 115GB SSD - 2 partitions
(57GB) C: Windows 7/Intel Control Center/Intel Rapid Storage Tech/MS Net Framwork/Sys Requirements Lab
(47GB) C: NortonVirus/GPU drivers/AMD GPU Clock Tool/3GB Unallocated
Drive 2
Western Digital Cavier Black 1TB
(150GB) F: Third Party Software/Installed Programs/Moved Windows Folders/Call of Duty/Age of Empires
(600GB) G: Storage files, pictures, documents etc.
(100GB) H: Reserved for Umbutu /xp
(100GB) I: Windows Backup
j: 81.51GB Unallocated
Another problem is I purchased a 3x installation disk of MS Home & Student. I previously installed it on my computer and once on my sisters laptop. Installation 1 was erased when I installed an SSD to my computer and my sisters laptop is install 2. Does this mean I can only install it once more on my computer even if I have the same motherboard? I understand a WIN7 installation can be reinstalled multiple times to the same motherboard does this hold true for MSHS too?

Thanks so much

 

[John_VanKirk]

Hi gerry,

How you partition your drives is a matter of choice, sometimes chance! The secondary files and storage files I'd put in a separate partition like you have done. I tend to put the OS, GPU, Program files, User profile on the 'system partition' C: The program files in Win-7 are normally stored in 'Program Files' if they are 64 bit, and 'Program Files 86' if they are 32 bit. Lots of programs, even very common ones are still 32 bit. Flash is a good example. Those are in the root directory just like the 'User' folder is. You can put the pagefile on a separate partition, and get additional speed by doing that, which is one of the choices in pagefile location. I wouldn't get carried away with unteen partitions, since you can just make a separate folder in a partition to keep similar files together.

The way Win-7 is set up, it has 'libraries' (a container) that lists files of the same type, like photos. That doesn't mean they are stored there, they can be in a remote subfolder, under your own 'My Pictures' down the tree, or even on a separate HDD, separate partition. They are still listed there and if you click on any of them, they will come up just like they were stored in that folder. Nice.

For an SSD that doesn't have oodles of space, I'd explore that feature, Also mounting a partition by a path, rather than a drive letter, is a great way to store, say older photos on a different partition, but have them immediately available. For example, you make an Empty Folder called More Photos, or Older Photos in the Pictures Library. Then instead of assigning a drive Letter to partition x, you mount it (browse to this empty folder where you Assign the path rather than a drive letter). Then when you click on Photos on the SSD, there is a subfolder called Older Photos and all your older photos are actually out on a separate HDD in a completely separate partition! Still right there, but take up No space on the SSD. Also nice.

In relation to the MS Home & Student, you do get 3 installations. Your computer calculates a hash code when you register the product. That hash code gets generated from several devices on your computer, network MAC, HDD SN, MB, microsoft's secret. If you change something major like the system drive, it may calculate a different hash code and it counts as a separate installation. However MS is very good about it, there is a phone registration page in the installation where they give you the closest 800 number to call, and you can just explain that it was uninstalled onto new equipment, and they adjust the number of installs.

Setting up a new computer is fun, and a learning experience. Do one thing at a time - think about it over night or a day or two. Make a change if you have a brainstorm, or redo it if a mistake. Thing about data in partitioins, is you can move the data to a different location, reorganize it, and delete the old partitions if not needed. And to make things even more complicated, there are Dynamic Disks with GPT volumes, that can extend or shrink as space is needed. That's for another day -

 

[gerry410]

Best answer selected by gerry410.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

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