Window 8 installation, ssd/hdd, partitioning.

[CommStarr]

Hello

Doing a clean install of windows 8. When windows partitions a new drive with only one drive in it creates 4 partitions, primary, recovery, reserve, and system. When two drives are plugged in it only creates two partitions, even if the other drive is left unformatted (while still in the formatting scream). So I am assuming that it automatically forms the other two partitions on the unformatted drive.

My question, is my assumption correct. If so is it better to format the drives so all four partitions our on one drive. Or allow just the two partitions to be created by formatting both at the same time.

Thank you for your answers or points in the right direction.

 

[dodger46]

I just installed 8 on a machine with an SSD(60 Gb) and an HDD (350 Gb). Only two partitions were created on the SSD, small (350Mb) System reserved and the rest as Primary partitions. In order to preserve space on the SSD I normally turn off Recovery and re-locate Downloads, Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos Folders to the HDD. I also select my most-used software for installation on the SSD, the rest are directed to the HDD. For efficiency I would partition the HDD such that the installed software programmes go to the 1st partition on the HDD (50 Gb plenty for me!) and the rest, 'Data' to the 2nd partition. That way, if a complete new start is required, partitions can be formatted and data left intact without having to backup to externals. Hope this gives you some ideas...