Separate Partitions for Win XP, Programs, Data

  • Thread starter Thread starter jmarsh1000
  • Start date Start date
Hello. I'm about to clean install full XP Pro. If I create separate
partitions and drive letters for Windows, Programs and Data, will it
all work? Can there be a problem with programs or the OS trying to go
to the wrong drive?
Click to expand...

Data transfer rate of your Hard Drive will be slightly slow if you use
different partitions for OS and Programs as the head has to do a
butterfly stroke to access the 2nd partition every time you load a
program. Whereas if they were in the same partition it will be a random
or even linear if you defragment your hard drive often. This is because
seek time of full/butterfly stroke is much higher for most drives
compared to random cylinder access. A typical hard drive should have
about 2-3 gigs of OS+Programs. So if you defragment it after
installation you will get data transfer rate of almost linear cylinder
access time of your hard drive.

Otherwise it should work fine as far as functionality is concerned.
 
Data transfer rate of your Hard Drive will be slightly slow if you use
different partitions for OS and Programs as the head has to do a
butterfly stroke to access the 2nd partition every time you load a
program. Whereas if they were in the same partition it will be a random
or even linear if you defragment your hard drive often. This is because
seek time of full/butterfly stroke is much higher for most drives
compared to random cylinder access. A typical hard drive should have
about 2-3 gigs of OS+Programs. So if you defragment it after
installation you will get data transfer rate of almost linear cylinder
access time of your hard drive.

Otherwise it should work fine as far as functionality is concerned.
Click to expand...

That is only true if OS and Programs disk partitions are located at the
distant areas of the same hard disk and there are no other busy partitions.
In most cases I would not see much of the "full/butterfly" problem if an
80GB disk would be partitioned 5% OS, 10% Programs and 85% Data. But is
still better to partition it 15% OS+Programs and 85% Data for other reasons
that has been discussed in this thread.
By the way, what do you mean by "data transfer rate of almost linear
cylinder access time" ?
 
That's the least on my problems. I just want the
Thats likely something you messed up since it does handle that.


Likely you restored from the wrong backup files.
Click to expand...

I can't seem to find out where the Restore files are restored? I
asked it not to replace original files - so where do they get put?
 
Frank W. said:
I can't seem to find out where the Restore files are restored? I
asked it not to replace original files - so where do they get put?
Click to expand...

I've lost track of what version of MS Backup and OS you are using.
 
Thanks for all the input. I think I've started something here!
Click to expand...

The death squad has its orders, you'll be soorree.... |-)
New, LEGAL Win XP went in on 2 March; drive C is for OS & programs;
D is for My Documents, Pictures, Music. C currently has 12.5GB free,
with most of the stuff we'll use already on it. (Original size=15GB).
D has 9.7GB free. (Original size=10GB). Unformatted=11.87GB.
Click to expand...
Is it possible to just copy files, not entire partitions,
to the empty space after it's been formatted?
Click to expand...

Yes with My Documents, Pictures, Music

No with the Program Files and Windows trees particularly.
I also want to copy C and D onto DVDs. Any tips re.
reliable, easy-to-use software to do these 2 things?
Click to expand...

Ghost and True Image are pretty decent. Ghost 9 is a
bit more bulletproof, particularly with unusual hardware.
 
Tanmoy said:
(e-mail address removed) wrote
Click to expand...
Data transfer rate of your Hard Drive will be slightly
slow if you use different partitions for OS and Programs
as the head has to do a butterfly stroke to access the
2nd partition every time you load a program.
Click to expand...

Nope, not necessarily.

Its certainly true tho that separate partitions for OS and
programs can prevent XP doing some of its location
optimisation that it does with them both in the same partition.
Whereas if they were in the same partition it will be a random
or even linear if you defragment your hard drive often.
Click to expand...

No need with OS and programs which dont move around much.
This is because seek time of full/butterfly stroke is much higher
for most drives compared to random cylinder access. A typical
hard drive should have about 2-3 gigs of OS+Programs.
Click to expand...

Not very typical at all.
 
Back
Top