Partitions

Hi Everybody,
Other than convenience, are there pros and cons for creating three
partitions for the hard disk.
1. Windows
2. Applications
3. Data
Phil

Cons.
Limited disk space (but with large hard disk at throw away prices not much
to quarrel about).
The entire drive can still fail and you lose all the data

Pros:
Personal data backed up safely to separate partitions, so if the OS fails
all you have to do is reinstall it without affecting your data. Apps might
need to be reinstalled to function properly.
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
"Philip K." <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Hi Everybody,
> Other than convenience, are there pros and cons for creating three
> partitions for the hard disk.
> 1. Windows
> 2. Applications
> 3. Data
> Phil
>

On 4/7/2007 6:26 PM On a whim, Philip K. pounded out on the keyboard

> Hi Everybody,
> Other than convenience, are there pros and cons for creating three
> partitions for the hard disk.
> 1. Windows
> 2. Applications
> 3. Data
> Phil
>
>

Hi Phil,

I have my OS's, data, and programs all on separate drives, not
partitions. Big con for one drive; if the hard drive goes bad you lose
everything (without a backup of course).

I keep redundant copies of the 3 on each drive so if one fails (and they
have each failed in the last 2 years), it's a quick process to copy the
partitions to a new drive.

I have my pagefile on the data drive, so performance can also be faster
since I can have 3 drives accessing OS code, data, and program code, as
opposed to only one drive reading everything.

It's easier to back up one drive than three. As previously mentioned,
you can format the OS drive and reinstall and keep your data safe.
Applications will still need to be reinstalled, because of registry
settings, dll's in system folder, etc.

--
Terry

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Hi Andre
Thanks for your reply.
Phil

"Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Cons.
> Limited disk space (but with large hard disk at throw away prices not much
> to quarrel about).
> The entire drive can still fail and you lose all the data
>
> Pros:
> Personal data backed up safely to separate partitions, so if the OS fails
> all you have to do is reinstall it without affecting your data. Apps might
> need to be reinstalled to function properly.
> --
> Andre
> Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
> My Vista Quickstart Guide:
> http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
> "Philip K." <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> Hi Everybody,
>> Other than convenience, are there pros and cons for creating three
>> partitions for the hard disk.
>> 1. Windows
>> 2. Applications
>> 3. Data
>> Phil
>>
>
>

Hi Terry,
Thanks for your reply. I must admit that I never thought of using three
drives.
Phil


"Terry" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> On 4/7/2007 6:26 PM On a whim, Philip K. pounded out on the keyboard
>
>> Hi Everybody,
>> Other than convenience, are there pros and cons for creating three
>> partitions for the hard disk.
>> 1. Windows
>> 2. Applications
>> 3. Data
>> Phil
>
> Hi Phil,
>
> I have my OS's, data, and programs all on separate drives, not partitions.
> Big con for one drive; if the hard drive goes bad you lose everything
> (without a backup of course).
>
> I keep redundant copies of the 3 on each drive so if one fails (and they
> have each failed in the last 2 years), it's a quick process to copy the
> partitions to a new drive.
>
> I have my pagefile on the data drive, so performance can also be faster
> since I can have 3 drives accessing OS code, data, and program code, as
> opposed to only one drive reading everything.
>
> It's easier to back up one drive than three. As previously mentioned, you
> can format the OS drive and reinstall and keep your data safe.
> Applications will still need to be reinstalled, because of registry
> settings, dll's in system folder, etc.
>
> --
> Terry
>
> ***Reply Note***
> Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
> Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

Hi Terry,
Thanks for your reply. I never thought of using three drives.
Phil

On 4/7/2007 7:37 PM On a whim, Philip K. pounded out on the keyboard

> Hi Terry,
> Thanks for your reply. I must admit that I never thought of using three
> drives.
> Phil
>
>
> "Terry" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> On 4/7/2007 6:26 PM On a whim, Philip K. pounded out on the keyboard
>>
>>> Hi Everybody,
>>> Other than convenience, are there pros and cons for creating three
>>> partitions for the hard disk.
>>> 1. Windows
>>> 2. Applications
>>> 3. Data
>>> Phil
>> Hi Phil,
>>
>> I have my OS's, data, and programs all on separate drives, not partitions.
>> Big con for one drive; if the hard drive goes bad you lose everything
>> (without a backup of course).
>>
>> I keep redundant copies of the 3 on each drive so if one fails (and they
>> have each failed in the last 2 years), it's a quick process to copy the
>> partitions to a new drive.
>>
>> I have my pagefile on the data drive, so performance can also be faster
>> since I can have 3 drives accessing OS code, data, and program code, as
>> opposed to only one drive reading everything.
>>
>> It's easier to back up one drive than three. As previously mentioned, you
>> can format the OS drive and reinstall and keep your data safe.
>> Applications will still need to be reinstalled, because of registry
>> settings, dll's in system folder, etc.
>>
>> --
>> Terry
>>
>> ***Reply Note***
>> Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
>> Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.
>
>

You're welcome Phil. Hope it gave you some choices to consider.

--
Terry

***Reply Note***
Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

"Philip K." <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Hi Everybody,
> Other than convenience, are there pros and cons for creating three
> partitions for the hard disk.
> 1. Windows
> 2. Applications
> 3. Data
> Phil
>



Placing data files on a partition or physical hard drive separate from
the operating system and applications can greatly simplify operating system
repairs/recoveries/reinstallations and data back-up/restoration.

There's very little point, however, in having a separate partition for
just applications. Should you have to reinstall the OS, you'll still also
have to reinstall each and every application anyway, in order to recreate
the hundreds (possibly thousands) of registry entries and to replace the
dozens (possibly hundreds) of essential system files back into the
appropriate Windows folders and sub-folders.


--
Bruce Chambers

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Terry wrote:
> On 4/7/2007 6:26 PM On a whim, Philip K. pounded out on the keyboard
>
>> Hi Everybody,
>> Other than convenience, are there pros and cons for creating three
>> partitions for the hard disk.
>> 1. Windows
>> 2. Applications
>> 3. Data
>> Phil
>>
>
> Hi Phil,
>
> I have my OS's, data, and programs all on separate drives, not
> partitions. Big con for one drive; if the hard drive goes bad you lose
> everything (without a backup of course).
>
> I keep redundant copies of the 3 on each drive so if one fails (and they
> have each failed in the last 2 years), it's a quick process to copy the
> partitions to a new drive.
>
> I have my pagefile on the data drive, so performance can also be faster
> since I can have 3 drives accessing OS code, data, and program code, as
> opposed to only one drive reading everything.
>
> It's easier to back up one drive than three. As previously mentioned,
> you can format the OS drive and reinstall and keep your data safe.
> Applications will still need to be reinstalled, because of registry
> settings, dll's in system folder, etc.
>

If you lost the drive that held your OS, your drive holding the programs
is pretty useless. After replacing the drive and reinstalling the OS you
would need to re-install all of your programs to establish the registry
entries.

gls858

On 4/9/2007 11:41 AM On a whim, gls858 pounded out on the keyboard

> Terry wrote:
>> On 4/7/2007 6:26 PM On a whim, Philip K. pounded out on the keyboard
>>
>>> Hi Everybody,
>>> Other than convenience, are there pros and cons for creating three
>>> partitions for the hard disk.
>>> 1. Windows
>>> 2. Applications
>>> 3. Data
>>> Phil
>>>
>> Hi Phil,
>>
>> I have my OS's, data, and programs all on separate drives, not
>> partitions. Big con for one drive; if the hard drive goes bad you lose
>> everything (without a backup of course).
>>
>> I keep redundant copies of the 3 on each drive so if one fails (and they
>> have each failed in the last 2 years), it's a quick process to copy the
>> partitions to a new drive.
>>
>> I have my pagefile on the data drive, so performance can also be faster
>> since I can have 3 drives accessing OS code, data, and program code, as
>> opposed to only one drive reading everything.
>>
>> It's easier to back up one drive than three. As previously mentioned,
>> you can format the OS drive and reinstall and keep your data safe.
>> Applications will still need to be reinstalled, because of registry
>> settings, dll's in system folder, etc.
>>
>
> If you lost the drive that held your OS, your drive holding the programs
> is pretty useless. After replacing the drive and reinstalling the OS you
> would need to re-install all of your programs to establish the registry
> entries.
>
> gls858

If you're commenting on my post, I don't worry about losing the drive
with my OS's on it. As I stated, I have redundant copies of each
partition on each of the drives, so if the OS drive failed, I install a
new drive, copy the OS partition back over to the new drive (from one of
the other drives) and I'm back in business. No reinstalling of programs
is necessary.

Really it all comes down to having good backups of however you configure
your machine as to how much time it will take to get back up and running.

--
Terry

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