Partitioning new HDD for Win 7?

[Kenny]

New PC arriving Monday with 1 TB HDD.
I like as much as possible to keep OS and files separate, also an image of
C: on a separate partition or drive.
When installing Win 7 from DVD is it easy to set partition sizes there or
should I complete the install then use partitioning software, probably
Paragon?
How much space should I allocate for OS & apps?
With XP I used a 30GB partition and had space to spare, will I need more for
Win 7?
Replies appreciated.

 

[Gordon]

"Kenny" wrote in message

New PC arriving Monday with 1 TB HDD.
I like as much as possible to keep OS and files separate, also an image of
C: on a separate partition or drive.
When installing Win 7 from DVD is it easy to set partition sizes there or
should I complete the install then use partitioning software, probably
Paragon?
How much space should I allocate for OS & apps?
With XP I used a 30GB partition and had space to spare, will I need more for
Win 7?
Replies appreciated.

--

Kenny Cargill


To be on the safe side, 50GB for Windows and applications.

 

[Don]

New PC arriving Monday with 1 TB HDD.
I like as much as possible to keep OS and files separate, also an image of
C: on a separate partition or drive.
When installing Win 7 from DVD is it easy to set partition sizes there or
should I complete the install then use partitioning software, probably
Paragon?
How much space should I allocate for OS & apps?
With XP I used a 30GB partition and had space to spare, will I need more
for Win 7?
Replies appreciated.

I have a 100gb partition for my Win7 install, which I am finding is really
way more than enough.
My Win7 64 bit install uses around 25 gb, however I do keep my documents and
pictures on a separate partition , and most of my applications on a separate
partition as well.
50gb would probably be a good starting point, maybe a little more if your
going to keep your document folders and apps on the system partition as
well.

As far as partitioning, I myself find it easiest to just go ahead and
partition my OS partition during the Windows 7 install, then I partition the
rest after the install is completed through disk management in Windows 7.

 

[Gordon]

and most of my applications on a separate partition as well.

Absolutely no point in that - if you re-install Windows then you have to
re-install applications anyway...

 

[Don]

Absolutely no point in that - if you re-install Windows then you have to
re-install applications anyway...

Yes I understand that, just an organizational thing that works for me.

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

Yes I understand that, just an organizational thing that works for
me.

I have also installed in a 100 GB partition. While it is overkill right
now, I am allowing for update creep, with service packs and just
miscellaneous crud that accumulates over time.

I also keep my applications separate from the OS as much as possible.
One way to avoid having to reinstall apps is to use portable versions.

 

[Bill Yanaire, ESQ]

I have a 100gb partition for my Win7 install, which I am finding is really
way more than enough.
My Win7 64 bit install uses around 25 gb, however I do keep my documents
and pictures on a separate partition , and most of my applications on a
separate partition as well.
50gb would probably be a good starting point, maybe a little more if your
going to keep your document folders and apps on the system partition as
well.

As far as partitioning, I myself find it easiest to just go ahead and
partition my OS partition during the Windows 7 install, then I partition
the rest after the install is completed through disk management in Windows
7.

I go one better than that.

I install the operating system and applications on the C: drive.

I then have another drive (D which I use to store my data and
pictures/video files.

If C: drive crashes or I need to do a reinstall of the OS, I just wipe out
the drive without worrying about my data because it's on another drive.

By the way, I have an external drive in a cradle (USB) and then copy the
data over to it so I have a backup in case the D: drive crashes!

 

[Stephen Wolstenholme]

I go one better than that.

I install the operating system and applications on the C: drive.

I then have another drive (D which I use to store my data and
pictures/video files.

If C: drive crashes or I need to do a reinstall of the OS, I just wipe out
the drive without worrying about my data because it's on another drive.

By the way, I have an external drive in a cradle (USB) and then copy the
data over to it so I have a backup in case the D: drive crashes!

That's how I arrange my W7 PC. C: drive for OS, applications and
developments, D: drive for data, external E: drive for backup, and a
XP PC also connected to the external drive with more copies of the
data. Finally, web sites with copies of the really, really important
stuff!

Steve

 

[Death]

I go one better than that.

I install the operating system and applications on the C: drive.

I then have another drive (D which I use to store my data and
pictures/video files.

If C: drive crashes or I need to do a reinstall of the OS, I just wipe out
the drive without worrying about my data because it's on another drive.

By the way, I have an external drive in a cradle (USB) and then copy the
data over to it so I have a backup in case the D: drive crashes!

That's because you've been using a computer long enough to know you only
need data backups.
These silly young people feel a need to back up the entire OS.
They don't understand the concept of user data.
Just back up every friggen thing under the sun in one fell swoop.

But, PC manufacturers share the blame, as they don't come with OS disk
anymore, unless you ask(some still don't, ask or not).

 

[Bob Hatch]

I go one better than that.

I install the operating system and applications on the C: drive.

I then have another drive (D which I use to store my data and
pictures/video files.

If C: drive crashes or I need to do a reinstall of the OS, I just wipe
out the drive without worrying about my data because it's on another drive.

By the way, I have an external drive in a cradle (USB) and then copy the
data over to it so I have a backup in case the D: drive crashes!

Bill, I do pretty much what you do, except that I do a clone of C: every
time there's a major change or about every 2 weeks. I have an external
eSATA dock to do that. I have a D: driver for files, to include my
Outlook email files and Thunderbird files that is backed up to an
external USB drive every 24 hours. Well, a full once a week, then
incremental every 24 hours.

If my C: drive fails I'm never more than about 5 minutes away from "up
and running" again.


--
"There are no jobs that Americans
will not do. There are jobs Americans
will not be hired for because an
illegal alien has taken it."

"Illegal Alien = Job Thief"

http://www.bobhatch.com
http://www.tdsrvresort.com
http://www.keepazsafe.com/

 

[Death]

Yes, there are.


You drank the right wing wacko kool aide.


There's no such thing as an "illegal alien". There are illegal migrants.
I'd love to see you after a day of strawberry picking, although you
probably would give up after an hour.

The first idiot I've ever seen respond to nothing but the sig...hahaha

 

[Death]

You're not the first idiot who never posts anything that isn't flippantly
insulting.

Shut up, amigo.

 

[Death]

No somos amigos pero tu si eres un gilipollas.

Yes, we are...no I'm not.

 

[Bill Yanaire, ESQ]

You like reinstalling programs?


So they don't have to reinstall programs, of course!


You're an idiot who obviously knows nothing about backing up a computer.

You should go play in the Ubuntu forums. This forum is way over your head.
You can hardly use Windows anyway.

 

[Alexander Arnakis]

New PC arriving Monday with 1 TB HDD.
I like as much as possible to keep OS and files separate, also an image of
C: on a separate partition or drive.
When installing Win 7 from DVD is it easy to set partition sizes there or
should I complete the install then use partitioning software, probably
Paragon?
How much space should I allocate for OS & apps?
With XP I used a 30GB partition and had space to spare, will I need more for
Win 7?

The Windows 7 DVD lets you set up the partitions and format the drive,
early in the installation process.

I think 30 GB is plenty for the operating system partition.

With a 1 TB drive, I would create more than one additional partition
in the remaining space.

It might be a good idea to add a second HD to mirror the system (and
your files),in case of a HD failure.

 

[Gordon]

I also keep my applications separate from the OS as much as possible.
One way to avoid having to reinstall apps is to use portable versions.

Which is a bit difficult if you use predominantly MS applications...

 

[Ken Blake]

Yes I understand that, just an organizational thing that works for me.

Your choice of course, but let me make the following point: separating
different kinds of files on partitions is an organizational technique,
but so is separating different kinds of files into folders. The
difference is that partitions are static and fixed in size, while
folders are dynamic, changing size automatically as necessary to meet
your changing needs. That generally makes folders a much better way to
organize, in my view.


You might like to read this article I've written "Understanding Disk
Partitioning" at
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=326

 

[Bill Bradshaw]

I also partition mine into separate partitions for OS, Programs, and Data.
Hold over from the old days. I definitely would recommend to everybody that
you keep the data you create on a separate partition. Makes it very easy to
backup all your important files and in my mind that partition is less likely
to get corrupted (I don't know why so don't ask me .).

<Bill>

 

[Death]

I also partition mine into separate partitions for OS, Programs, and Data.
Hold over from the old days. I definitely would recommend to everybody that
you keep the data you create on a separate partition. Makes it very easy to
backup all your important files and in my mind that partition is less likely
to get corrupted (I don't know why so don't ask me .).

That data partition is not a backup.
Any partition on a failing HDD is lost.

Any corruption of the OS partition also render the program partition
useless.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

That data partition is not a backup.
Any partition on a failing HDD is lost.

Any corruption of the OS partition also render the program partition
useless.

You should reread what Bill Bradshaw wrote.