Raptor150GB/WD 320GB setup, need help partitioning for dual-boot

[swiftyy]

Hi, my computer has 2 HD:

1x WD Raptor 150gb
1x WD Caviar 320gb

I use the Raptor for my OS/Apps and the 320gb for storage of all my other files (music, videos, etc). Both drives only have 1 partition (NTFS) on them right now.

I am running Win XP32 right now and getting Vista soon. I want to make my Raptor a dual-boot HD therefore I would have to redo my partitions. I have never done a multiple partition drive to dual-boot before so I'm a little confuse as how this works. Is it possible to add additional partitions on the Raptor using Western Digital's Data Lifeguard Tools without having to reformat the HD and doing a fresh install of Windows?

My understanding from reading the forums is that keeping your OS in one drive and your Apps/Games in another will yield a better performance, so this is the way I wanted to partition my Raptor (if possible):

20gb Windows XP32
40gb Windows Vista32
90gb Other Apps/Games

Also would it be possible to partition enough space out with the other drives so that the partition I have XP32 installed gets shrunk down to 20gb?

After I repartitioning my HD what do I do with all the Apps and Games already installed? Uninstall and Reinstall them into the Apps/Games drive? What about the drivers (display, MB, etc.)? Do I install them in the OS drive or do I install them in the Apps/Games drive?

Thanks for your help, all very confusing to me hehe

 

[einstein4pres]

The outside bit of the drive has the highest sustained transfer rate (the drive moves the fastest here), and this section corresponds to the first partition. Access time within a drive may also be better, as the drive head has to move a shorter distance (can't do a thing about rotational latency except get a higher RPM HD).

You will need/want to reinstall all your programs, I believe, but I don't know if you need to install them in both Vista and XP. If you don't, I would assume that the registries would be really confused.

I would assume that the drivers would be in the OS drive, as they are generally loaded with the OS.

The best way to do this is to partition your HD (erasing all your data) and then fresh install your two OSes and all your data.

Oh, and while you're at it, triple boot with Ubuntu It's got a really small footprint.

 

[swiftyy]

Thanks for the advice. So I guess to have a clean install and setup I would need to reformat and install everything?