Bob said:
Further, if you are reloading XP on the PC, first make at least two
partitions, one for XP and one for data. That way you can repair or
re-install XP in the future, without worrying about personal data.
I'm not against having a separate partition for data, but I want to take
exception to that last sentence.
Any time you take a major step like reinstalling the operating system, you
should be aware that, however unlikely, it's always possible that something
might go wrong. For that reason it's prudent to be sure you have a backup of
anything you can't afford to lose before beginning. Relying on your data
being in a separate partition is foolhardy. The only secure way to protect
your data is by backup.
Separating data from Windows can be useful for many people. My view is that
most people's partitioning scheme should be based on their backup scheme.
If, for example, you backup by creating a clone or image on the entire
drive, then a single partition might be best. If, on the other hand, you
backup only your data, then the backup process is facilitated by having all
data in a separate partition.
Rarely, if ever, does a partitioning scheme with more than two partitions
make sense, except for those running multiple operating systems.
Finally, WHY are you thinking about re-installing XP? Many XP
problems can be fixed by other means, including the recovery console
or repair.
I agree with you *completely* here. Only rarely is it best to reinstall.
Besides there being better and easier ways to solve problems, if you
reinstall without solving the problem, you remain unaware of what caused the
problem, and are likely to repeat the behavior that caused it, and quickly
find yourself back in the same situation.
