My guide hard drive partitioning (for Windows XP users)

Let me start off by saying that this is intended to be a set of suggestions primarily for beginners or those who haven't given partitioning much thought.

This advice is based on my own personal goals which may be different from your own.

My goals are to keep things as simple as possible, while making it easy to automatically safeguard both my software and data.

My working principles are;

A) Install all software to one location.
B) Separate software from data as much as possible.
C) Don't move anything that will cause problems.
D) Use folders and not partitions to organize data.
E) Backup software to avoid unnecessary repair work.
F) Backup data to avoid losing anything important.

Part 1 - Partitioning.

1) Always use NTFS.
a) Use FAT 32 only if you must physically share the drive with an OS that doesn’t support NTFS.
b) Drives shared over a network can still use NTFS.

2) Install your OS to a small partition at the beginning of your fastest hard drive.
a) If using a partitioning utility, create a “Primary” NTFS partition and set it to “Active”.
b) Chose a partition size that is about 25% more than you will need for your OS and Installed software.
c) Internet/office users will need about 10 GB. Gamers may require around 20-40 GB.
d) Do not be tempted create an overly large C: partition. I personally have never needed more than 30 GB.
e) If necessary you can re-size your partitions latter with a utility such as Partition Magic 8, but backup anything important first.
f) Ensure that Windows XP designates this partition as C: during the install process.

3) Partition the remaining space on your fastest hard drive and assign it the letter D:

4) Create a single primary NTFS partition on all remaining hard drives.
a) Avoid the temptation to create elaborate partitioning schemes to organize your data.
b) Move your page file to a 2nd hard drive if one is available.

5) Reserve E: and F: for optical drives for consistency across systems.
a) Assign remaining drive letters to devices as you see fit.

Part Two - Separate Software and Data.

1) Install all software on C: - No exceptions.

2) Do not use C: for anything else - No exceptions

3) Move as many document folder from C: to D:
a) Create a folder on D: for each user account. Call it “Account Name’s” Folder.
b) Move as many document folders to that location as possible.

4) It is not safe to move the "Documents and Settings" folders or entire user profile folders.
a) These folders contain files that are part of the OS.
b) Keeping the current version of these files while restoring your OS to a previous state will cause severe problems.
c) In general do not move any folder unless you are have good reason to assume it is safe.

5) I can't give instructions for every application, but here is a partial list.
a) Right-Drag-Move each user's "Desktop" folder, then restart.
b) Move the "My Documents" using its property dialog.
c) Start Firefox and Thunderbird from the run menu with the -profilemanager switch and create new profiles. Replace the contents of the new profile folders with those from the old profile folder.
d) IE users can Right-Drag-Move their "Favorites" Folders.
e) Many programs automatically store documents inside your "My Documents" folder and so no action need be taken.

Part Three - Backups.

1) Start with the assumption that your hard drive will fail without warning.

2) Perform a “partition level” backup OS before and after any major software changes.
a) Chose software that can a backup your OS while it is running. I prefer True Image 9
b) If you have enough hard drive space, scheduling a daily, weekly or even monthly backups.
c) Make a backup after a clean install and save it so that you never have to reinstall Windows.
d) Split the images into 1.45 GB chunks for easy transfer to DVDs.
e) Always keep an external copy of a fairly recent backup.

3) Schedule “folder level” backups of important data on C: that you are unable to relocate to D:
a) Alternately, always perform a “partition level” backup prior to restoring your OS partition.
b) Scheduling a daily “partition level” backup will also ensure that any important files on C: are never more than 24 hours out of date.

4) Perform a “folder level” backup of all important data.
a) Try to keep all your personal data in a single folder for easy backup.
b) Many people just manually copying important folders to another hard drive. Perhaps adding the date to the folder name in the process.
f) True Image 9 can do both “partition level” and “folder level” backups.
g) Those advanced backup needs should consider Retrospect 7.5.

5) Anyone with data they can’t afford to lose needs to schedule automatic backups – No excuses.
a) Virtually no one will actually stick to a regular backup schedule unless it is automated.
b) Automatic backups require storage media that is always available, which means internal hard drive and network shares or an external hard drive which you will always leave connected.
c) Obviously storing the backup on the same drive as the original isn't the safest solution.
d) Moving the backup images to DVD or an external hard drive is an excellent idea.
e) Some data is valuable enough as to require off-site storage in case of a fire or similar disaster.
f) Redundant RAID arrays do not replace the need for backups. Data can still be lost due to viruses and more importantly user error.

6) Never get yourself into a situation where you can't follow your backup strategy. Burn some DVDs or buy a new hard drive before....
a) "Temporarily" download/store files on C:
b) Erase needed backup images to make room for more files.
c) Switch to manual backups because you no longer have space for automatic backups.


Part 4 - Explanations

Why use NTFS?
NTFS is in all ways superior to FAT 32.

When shouldn’t you use NTFS?
When physically sharing a partition with an OS that doesn’t support NTFS. There are no problems using NTFS when sharing a drive over a network connection.

Why use more than one partition?
To maintain separation between your software and your data.

Why separate your software and your data?
So you can fix software problems without affecting your data. Also software and data require different backup strategies.

Why make C: the first partition of the fastest hard drive?
This is the fastest part of your fastest hard drive.

Why not make an extra large C: partition?
Because you will eventually start using the excess space for storage.

What’s wrong with using C: for storage?
Eventually you end up unable to perform regular OS backups because the image files would be too large, and unwilling to restore because too many files will be overwritten.

Why put C: and D: on the same drive?
To ensure the special folders on D: are always present.

Why call the second partition D?
Because its the letter following C: and the words Documents and Data both begin with D:

Why reserve E: and F: for optical drives?
So that every system you setup will have consistent drive lettering.

Why not install software to multiple partitions?
Because there is no performance benefit, and it needlessly complicates backup operations.

Why not create multiple partitions on the remaining drives?
Data is best kept organized using folders, not partitions.

Why perform partition level backup?
Restoring from a backup will fix any software problem in about 15 minutes.

Isn’t a clean install always the best choice?
No, usually the solution has everything back the way you want it in 15 minutes is best. If you system could benefit from a clean install, its best to do so at a time of your own choosing.

Why backup your C: partition before making major software changes? Because something could go wrong.

Why backup your C: partition after making major software changes?
So you don’t have to repeat what you just did the next time you restore from a backup.

Why schedule daily, weekly and monthly backups if you have the disc space?
Because sometimes it takes awhile for you to notice a problem.

Why do you recommend True Image 9, Partition Magic 8 and Retrospect 7.5 over other software?
Personal preference, feel free to use whatever will get the job done. When choosing software, keep in mind the fact that most people have trouble sticking with a backup plan that isn’t fully automated.

Why are you not always using the most technically correct terms?
I know the difference between between physical disks, logical disks, partitions and volume, but its beyond the scope of this guide to explain it.

Why so many spelling/grammar/stylistic mistakes?
My degree's are in CIS and Philosophy not English. Also forum posting generally fall under the category of informal writing.

Mostly I am lazy and both in and out of college I have always found it easier to talk an English major or a professional writer into doing my proofreading.

(The fact that at any given time the English major/writer is invariable female and the reward for her efforts is invariable a home cooked meal and some moderately priced alcohol has done little to encourage me to improve my grammar)

bravo, good job, a bit of proofreading and it can make a decent sticky.

I agree with most of it. Why does D: need to be logical? And, I would never ever use anything to mess with my partitions, like partition magic or anything else, but that's just me. I'm old school.

I got a little partition called "pending backup" that holds about a DVD's worth of data. Anything i download or create or whatnot get dumped in that partition in a folder named "DVD backup '#'" and when it's full I dump it to a dvd. and then move the folder on to a seperate HDD that holds all my backups and personal data. When Windows acts stupid or something i installed starts mucking w/ everything i just wipe it. Usually about 2-3 times a year. I really should just make a disk image. Probably quicker than reformat..... Nah. not really cause it's a C2D.

Andy

Making D: Logical is just a safety precaution. It keeps you from accidentally installing XP to the wrong hard drive.

If the XP CD can't recognize the first primary partition its going to label the 2nd primary partition C:, which could lead to someone installing XP to the wrong partition.

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Seperating files that need to be backed up from files that have already been backed up is a great practice.

In fact there are many good reasons to keep things in seperate palces.

However I can see no advantage in using seperate partitions rather than simply using seperate folders.

The only disadvantage I can see to folders is that XP makes it difficult to to instantlly tell the size of a folder.

So I use a free utility called Folder Size which is a replacement for Explorers "Size" column that will tell you the size of a folders contents.
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PS I know I am lazy about proof reading forum postings, maybe I will clean it up tomorrow.

I buy that. I don't think I would do it that way, but it's a good safety measure.

The most important aspect of partitioning the primary drive was not mentioned, using only part of the drive for the Boot partition results in faster file access and loading times due to the arm having to do less back and forth travel, and only working with the section with the fastest sustained transfer speed. This is called "Quarter Stroking" or some such and can make the drive faster than a full Raptor.

Its one of the things I don't bother with myself, but tell beginners to do as a precaution. Like removing all but one hard drive when installing XP.

Excellent summary, and that is almost exactly the way I organize my hard drives.

I've wondered whether there would be any benefit in moving Documents & Settings to the second partition? Or at least each user's Documents & Settings\User folder. There is a lot of activity in the Application Data and Local Data folders that is hard to move elsewhere.

I agree completely about automated backups to another hard drive, either internal or external.

Guy

It won't work as the Documents and Settings folder must remain in sync with your OS. As soon as you restore your OS to a previous state without doing the same to the Documents and Settings folder things go horribly wrong.

Everything you say makes good sense.

What about a Raid 1 array and backing it up? I have one so I do not have to have 8 million cds and dvds laying around collecting dust.

I will mention I had a windows corruptions that took out 2 harddrives worth of data but the Raid 1 array remained stable. I did have a small mounting issue but I resolved that and lost no data.

Your post has me rethinking my lack of a backup to non HDD media.

My setup includes a 74 GB Raptor with a 30 GB OS partition, the rest is partitioned as D: as well as two 400 GB Western Digital Raid Edition 2 drives in a RAID 1 configuration.

I still keep my personal Documents on D:, but Dantz Retropect automatically backs up all my files every other day at 9AM to the RAID 1 array.

I also run manual backups if I do anything important, like scan in a couple hundred family photo's or spend 6 hours organizing my business documents.

This ensured that for me to lose more than two days worth of data three hard drives have to simultaneously Fail.

I also copy the backup files to an external hard drive about every other week.

If my entire appartment burns to the ground I am completely screwed, but in such circumstances data loss wouldn't be the first thing on my mind.

PS Remember RAID 1 is only an insurace against simply hard drive failure. It doesn't protect you against user error, hackers, malware, or lighning strike. So you still need to take other backup measures.

Some people will need to do more than simply throw the backups unto an exteral hard drive.

Fairly similar to the systems I have configured to date however I would never recommend using D: for a harddrive, simply because often users come across old software that they /must/ use, and the installer or loader assumes D: is the source location. If you had to change that when your personal documents are already on D:, that would create quite a hassle.

Whatever removable media drive, usually optical drive they are using to load/install from I usually set as D. Although with other platforms the lettering isn't really an issue...

My personal computer I allocate 60gb to my C:, simply because the games I play average about 3gigs a piece, 12 games, plus the other stuff puts me slightly over 50gigs. I also have separate drives for my temp/swap, and encodes/downloads since those can thrash a drive fairly quick.

Not really related to partionning harddrives but, I usually remove the drive letters for flash media as well, and shove their mount points all on a folder somewhere(all users desktop or create shortcuts in the template profile). Generally if they're accessible via the desktop pulldown they're very easy to find and its nice to have them organized together with these 16+ in one media readers these days.. although I believe there are typically only 4 concurrent ones, which will spawn those 4 drive letters in most models.

I have been using C: and D: partitions since Window 95 and I test out way too many software programs.

I have never come across any program that assumed that D: was an optical drive.

What I have seen many times is a program that once it associates a particular drive letter as an optical drive, it will always attempt to access optical media using that drive.

Which is at best an general argument against changing the drive letter of your primary optical drive rather than an argument against using a particular letter.


So if you start with C: and D: you won't run into problems.
Plus it makes sense for consecutive partitions to use consecutive letters.

good post hope is a sticky

I deal with some strange software at work, partially because some of it is for career development(niche), and the rest is for public workstations, and small database applications. Many of those programs were coded rather quickly and I can tell they simply hardcoded in the installation routines. Conceivable though people could run into these programs at home.

For everyday computer people who do not understand partitions, thinking 1 harddrive is C, then the next drive is D (physically) is much easier to mind-map. That is probably the more significant reason. Granted if you're just setting a computer up for yourself, that may have little impact unless you utilize light scripts on a regular basis and have to think "what's my optical drive again? oh yeah.. P, because I wanted everything else contiguous..."

Offhand, the only software I can remember at home that gave me grief was a descent game, long ago.

BTW, what's with the bold? Sure the first bolded line I can see reason for emphasis, but the second? Or is this "CAPS LOCK is cruise control for COOL" generation 2.0?

You need to post in your guide before it gets sticked:


How to change default paths in the registry. You can set the default Program Files... profiles... Temp files...... in the registry, which would be helpfull.

The statements in bold are for those simply quickly scanning the post rather than reading it word for work.

The unbolted text elaborates on the bold statements and can be safely skipped if the reader doesn't find the bold statements interesting.



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No where did I advice assigning drive letters in alphabetical order, hard drives first, then optical.

I merely said its makes sense to use consecutive letters for consecutive partitions.

If someone had asked my advice I would tell them to always name their primary optical drive E:, their secondary F:

And assign any any additional drives whatever letter they fell like. I like to use M: for Maxtor W: for Western Digital S: for Seagate R: for Raid 1 Array. X,Y,Z for virtual Drives.
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I repair a lot of PC by people who barely now how to turn the things on.

No one has ever been confused by C: is where you install stuff D: is for documents, E: is always their optical drive.

None of the many dozen systems I have setup this way have even encountered problems with E: being the optical drives.

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None of the moves I suggested require any registry hacks.

If I gave detail on how to move folders for all the software out there it would be a very long thread indeed.

Here is the short list anyway.

Properties on My Documents let you chose its location.
Manually right-drag-move the Desktop and my Favorites folders to new location.
Outlook and Outlook Express let you set the location of the email store folder.
Firefox/Thunderbird can be started with a -profilemanger switch.
Mozilla's profile manager is a menu option.

If you need more help than this ask in the software forum.
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