Partitioning a HDD Properly

  • Thread starter Thread starter Holy Crikey
  • Start date Start date
H

Holy Crikey

I have a 300GB HDD on which I have installed Windows XP Pro on an 80GB
Primary partition. Now, I wish to partition and format the rest, but
wanted to get your expert opinions on how I should go about doing
that.

On the 220GB space I have left, I want to have about 4GB of swap
partition and then use the rest of for keeping my files and documents
and keep them off the C:\ partition so just in case I have to clean
reinstall my Windows, I'll still be able to retain the files I have on
D:\.

So, should I partition say the 216GB as another primary or just an
extended? And what about the 4GB swap space? I understand that when
I tell XP to use that as the swap space, it will automatically turn it
into a swap partition, but before doing so in the Disk Management
windows, what should I partition it as?

TIA for your time and courtesy.
 
I presume your 300GB drive is not the original drive that came with the
PC, since it would be very unusual for a drive to be delivered with
unpartitioned space.

The correct size for the paging file (formerly known as the 'swap file')
is the "system managed size". That works best in all but a handful of
specialized cases.

There is no need to place the paging file in its own partition, but
should you decide to do so you should place it in a separate physical
hard disk. If you put it in a separate partition on the same hard disk
you will slow your computer's performance and add additional wear to
your drive's read/write heads.

If your hard disk has unpartitioned space you can add extra partitions
through XP's Disk Management tool. Plan carefully, since XP cannot
change the size of a partition once it has been setup. (At least, not
without reformatting your computer and starting over.)

Partitioning a hard disk is an advanced procedure. It is definitely
worth your while to learn as much about it as you can to be absolutely
sure you know what you're doing before you start. Fortunately, the web
is filled with good information. The first thing you'll want to learn
about is the basic structure of a hard disk and the different kinds of
partitions (primary, extended, logical).

Take it slow and you'll do fine.
 
Holy Crikey said:
I have a 300GB HDD on which I have installed Windows XP Pro on an 80GB
Primary partition. Now, I wish to partition and format the rest, but
wanted to get your expert opinions on how I should go about doing
that.

On the 220GB space I have left, I want to have about 4GB of swap
partition and then use the rest of for keeping my files and documents
and keep them off the C:\ partition so just in case I have to clean
reinstall my Windows, I'll still be able to retain the files I have on
D:\.

So, should I partition say the 216GB as another primary or just an
extended? And what about the 4GB swap space? I understand that when
I tell XP to use that as the swap space, it will automatically turn it
into a swap partition, but before doing so in the Disk Management
windows, what should I partition it as?

TIA for your time and courtesy.
Click to expand...

The only thing that has not been a detriment in performance with the
swapfile other than in its default location requires other than what's
stated. If ide, the PC can only write to/read from one hard drive at a
time. That's an ide bus property. The platter(s) are written to from the
outside inwards. This requires head movement (time) if further inwards.

What I do know that doesn't inherit this problem is a separate hard drive,
first partition use exclusively for the swapfile, different bus like scsi,
system restore disabled for that partition, partition size adequate
considering RAM installed and 3rd party software used. No tweaks for
swapfile size, default. Works for all versions of windows. Windows will
use default location if the designated partition letter can no longer be
accessed (hard drive failure). Careful when adding/removing a hard drive or
partitions, can upset the designated partition letter for the swapfile.
 
Back
Top