Partitioning Idea


  

28 members have voted

  1. 1. Partitioning Idea

    • Love It! Im going to do it right now!
      3
    • Sounds Interesting, ill give the concept thought
      14
    • Your idea is Flawed and I don't like it
      8
    • I don't partition
      3


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Ok I was sitting in my cold house lit with candles cause all my bulbs burnt out at once for some strange reason when I came upon the most awsome partitioning idea I ever had

This partitioning idea is made for people who recieve

large ammounts of data to their hard drives over short periods

of time resulitng in high fragmentation of a single hard drive.

You see the big problem with a fragmented hard drive is that

the page file becomes scattered across the hard drive causing

a decrease in performance.

Also data access can also become slower over time due fragmentation.

Like I said I recieve between 5gb - 15gb of data every 2 - 4 days.

These large 'dumps' to my computer result in fragmentation.

So I decided it was time to divide up my computer.

C: OS (WINDOWS XP)

D: DUMP DRIVE (FORMATABLE PARTITION)

E: STORAGE (FREQUENTLY USED PROGRAMS AND FILES)

F: PAGE FILE (FOR PAGE FILE)

Explination

C:OS

I set my primary partition to 3gb, just enough to hold my

my OS, plus some basic temp files that are needed for

day to day needs. Also because this drive is seperate

to my E: I never really have the problem when it comes

to restoring my computer after a complete format.

D:DUMP DRIVE

This drive holds, all of my download data. It also holds data

that can be deleted or burned. I made this drive to hold all

the data that easily becomes fragmented. So I made a drive

that could be formated whenever needed to clear up high

fragmentation.

E:STORAGE

This drive hold all the programs and data that I use on a day

to day basis. It also has the installation files and drivers that I need to reinstall the programs that I use on my computer incase I need to reinstall my OS.

F:Page File

The windows Page file is stored on this partition. Its approx 394MB in size to match the size of my page file. This drive is

also formatable if I need at any time to increase the effecentcy

of my page file

Now what I need from you is what you think of my partitioned drive. Add your remarks and fill out my Poll !

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i do something fairly similar to this, and the idea of creating a formatable-whenever you need to-partition is tempting to me now. my partition structure is

C: [OS and Program Files]

D: [Data]

E: [swap File]

i usually download everything when i download to my desktop. the data on my D: drive is My Documents (and all recursive subfolders), Favorites, Desktop, File Sharing Folder (for KaZaA, AudioGalaxy, etc.) and Program Backups.

i am half tempted to create another partition for just downloads and the internet cache....

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you are wasting alot of disk space on your swap file partition.

if you have halfdecent puter w/ enough mem windows doesn't really use swap file, therefore it doesn't get fragmented.

if it does get fragmented you can use norton speeddisk and move swap file to the end of the disk so it's defragged and doesn't interfer with other files.

otherwise it's similar to my setup. c: for system, d: for programs/games/music, e: for d/ls

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my partitions are like this.

c = os

d = programs and swap files

e = stuff :) that i download and shared files

f = gamez

g = more gamez

h = temp files, and internet cache

100 gb total

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I don't partition right now because my hard drives, imo, aren't big enough; take a look at my sig.

c: is OS, documents, and programs,

d: is where the pagefile.sys sits, music, downloads and etc goes; the music taking up most of the space (i need to get off my lazy ass and burn eh)

and I share this computer with two other people in my household, so there are more programs than a possible partition could hold.

maybe when I get a new HD send me a 160GB, I'll parition and run either a dual or triple boot system.

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Originally posted by MxxCon

you are wasting alot of disk space on your swap file partition.

if you have halfdecent puter w/ enough mem windows doesn't really use swap file, therefore it doesn't get fragmented.

On the contrary, he isn't wasting any space....even if your swap file were never to be used, (the way the windows memory subsystem works the swap file ALWAYS comes into play no matter how much RAM you have) it's still sitting on your drive, one huge file just sitting there.....what difference does it make if it sits on his OS partition or in a separate partition?

A lot actually. It the swap is in it's own partition it can't cause fragmentation to the OS partition. That and all the saved space on the OS partition.

So you aren't losing any space nor are you gaining any space.

The only disadvantage to the swap file being on its own partition would be a SMALL performance loss due to the harddrive heads having to move to the swap file partition.

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you are losing space.

there's pretty big overhead when you create such small partition.

if you create swap file of fixed size it does not get fragmented becuase windows does not need to change it's size and write to differnt places on disk.

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I have 2 20gig HDs and this is my setup.

HD1:

C: (2.6gig NTFS) OS

E: (502meg NTFS) Documents and Settings (User Profiles)

F: (16gig NTFS) Apps and Games

HD2:

D: (502meg FAT16) Swap

G: (2.6gig NTFS) My Documents

H: (16gig NTFS) MP3's/Archival purposes

I did this for orginization and to try to lessen the effects of fragmentation. I like it and haven't found any problems with it so far.

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Originally posted by MxxCon

you are losing space.

there's pretty big overhead when you create such small partition.

if you create swap file of fixed size it does not get fragmented becuase windows does not need to change it's size and write to differnt places on disk.

(explain this overhead issue...im really not following)

but if you set the swap file to a fixed size you're setting yourself up for a fall at some point. if you ever need the extra swap space you don't have it and then you get bogged down with excessive paging.

The performance hit from making it growable is minor (it takes a couple of seconds to resize it... And because Windows isn't stupid about the way it resizes it, fragmentation is rarely great (two parts instead of one makes little difference -- especially when compared to simply running out of memory and failing to finish the task entirely).

Oh yeah, and by the way, if this swap file partition is on the same harddrive as the OS partition you're not really gaining any speed...to gain speed you'd have to have it on a separate harddrive so you can have two drives working...basically have two swap files on two separate drives...this way the you have two harddrives splitting I/O time to separate page files...

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you wanna say that creating resizable swap file on partition that 500 megs is not same thing as fixed size swap file on normal partition? both setups have exactly same limitation.

i have 512 megs of ram and i set my swap to 500megs. i'm yet to encounter a program for which this wasn't enough. if 1gig of ram is not enough it's prolly misbehaving and needs to be restarted.

i don't have that link right now, but search google and you'll find article which describe how partitions are created and overhead of creating many partitions.

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I posted this a while ago in another thread:

At the moment, I've only got one HD. I created a 4 Gb partition and installed Windows to that. I then created a 2 GB partition (Z and filled it with a fixed size page file - this removed a the block of unmovable data that would otherwise be somewhere on a

drive with more active content. I then created a partition that fills the rest of the HD. I hosted that drive as Y: and as "C:Data Drive". Then in safe mode, I moved direftories like program files to Y:, and created a junction from "C:Data DriveProgram Files" to "C:Program Files".

Doing this for all except Documents and settings which should be done at a stage further down the directory tree and the WinNT/Windows means that when I get another hard drive, I can extend the Y: partition onto the new drive without reformatting, risking data of any kind, using anything like Partiton Magic, and have the down time of powering off to install the drive.

It also means I have the increased security of having all my data on a seperate partion (so I can reformat C: if I have to), but am able to mimimise wasted space by being able to dynamicly place almost any file anywhere without a program knowing the difference.

Yes, its overkill for an average user, but I like it.

While this wouldn't avoid the fragmentation this thread is about, I suggest using a similar junctioning system so that you keep standard drive letters and avoid the effects of poor install routines that will only place some files in C:Program Files for example.

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Originally posted by nekrosoft13

my partitions are like this.

c = os

d = programs and swap files

e = stuff :) that i download and shared files

f = gamez

g = more gamez

h = temp files, and internet cache

100 gb total

Hmm... I would like to gain access to drives f and g please :D

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Mmm... just a little consideration...

Recently I had to re-install winxp, i tried to save the Documents and Settings files... but Xp keep them 'secured'. I mean that fpr example if you leave the Directory on the disk, when you re-install xp, if you create an user like the one you previously used it comes out something like . directory, where it stores the settings and the documents, leaving the old directory inaccesible.

How can you menaged to solve this problem even if you have a separate Partition for Documents and Settings?

For the rest it's a great Partitiong Idea.... I think i'm going to set a swap partion myself too... and an Apps Partition too... anyway, when you need to reinstall the OS, you loose every link to the Installed Programs anyway, right?

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You can move all the Appliction Settings folders and that lot to another drive, and change their references in the registry or using the PowerToys.

As for registry settings and preferences, I guess you could back your settings up on a regualr basis using the settings transwer wizard. I've never tried it though.

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Originally posted by shodan

Mmm I looked for the setting in the PowerToys, but really couldn't find it... can you please tell me where it is?

Thanks

In the XP PowerToys, the folders are listed under My Computer > Special Folders. This won't list folders like Application Data though.

To change these, goto HKEY_CRSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerUser Shell Folders

Remember, you are only changing the paths in these values. You will have to move the folders manually to the new location as well.

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Originally posted by DamN

Hmm... I would like to gain access to drives f and g please :D

that could be arranged. but all the games are installed oready.

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I like it...been there done that! Currently I have this:

C: os

D: apps

E: games

F: d/l stuff - mp 3 files. video.

I do not use a pagefile anymore due to much ram, so I reconfigured to this.:alien:

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Originally posted by shodan

Mmm... just a little consideration...

Recently I had to re-install winxp, i tried to save the Documents and Settings files... but Xp keep them 'secured'. I mean that fpr example if you leave the Directory on the disk, when you re-install XP, if you create an user like the one you previously used it comes out something like . directory, where it stores the settings and the documents, leaving the old directory inaccesible.

How can you menaged to solve this problem even if you have a separate Partition for Documents and Settings?

You're right . . . Windows 2000/XP is able to recognize that they are different installations and different users with the same names so it adds a . or . to the file to differentiate the new userprofile from the previous copy.

There are some ways that I know of to "restore" a userprofile in a new installation of the OS. Unfortunately, only one is for home use BEFORE you reinstall. Before you reinstall, perform a backup of your %userprofile% directory. Use the BACKUP system tool included with Windows XP/2000 and just backup the Documents and Settingsuser directories that you want backed up. When you reinstall XP/2000, go back into the BACKUP tool and RESTORE the previous USERPROFILE in the new installation.

Other ways to perform some of these things: Commercial software, shareware, server based profiles . . .

Otherwise, since it's your PC (I assume) you can still read the files and copy the Favorites and My Documents from the older user folder to the new one. If XP doesn't allow access, then assign Full Control user rights to the old user directory. Right click the old user profile folder and select -->Properties-->Security. Uncheck "Allow inheritable permissions . . ." Answer "Yes" to copy permissions. Click on the Advanced button. Click on the Owner tab. Assign the ownership rights for this folder to your current profile. You should be able to read and copy anything from your old profile into your new profile, except for files in use (like the NTUSER.dat files -- your old desktop color settings and preferences). To copy some of these other files, you need to either be in safe mode or, even worse, console mode. Be carefule in console mode though . . .

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It has been common knowledge for many years that isolating files that fragment easily (page files, temp files) is a good policy, it is not often practiced very consistently.

Setting the allocation unit size can be a significant factor in achieving better data access. Why not format a parition with the block size set to 64K if you're only saving and editing MP3's and AVI's, VOB's or DVI's on the partition or mount?

On the other hand, danieloli's recommendation is interesting and although I've thought about it I've never used it. I will use this technique to further separate fragmenting files and directories in addition to my pagefile, system/boot, and data partitions.

When mounting a partition to a directory, the directory should be empty. The technique is called "mounting a partition/drive to a folder" in Windows. It can be found in Drive Manager by searching for "Using NTFS mounted drives".

All good recommendations for optimization.

I will still keep a separate drive letter association for the DATA/Downloads/UPDATES/BACKUPs drive. Otherwise, I might use the following:

c: system partition (everything but OS boot directory, also contains c:Documents and Settings where browser caching defaults to)

e: boot partition (usually c:winxp, but here will be e:winxp on 1st drive)

d: swap/pagefile partition 1.5GB with drive letter on 2nd ULTRA drive

f: data partition with drive letter from 2nd ULTRA drive

unlettered partition from entire 3rd ULTRA drive mounted to c:Program Files for all programs and games (same channel as C: drive)

unlettered extra partition space above pagefile on 2nd drive mounted to c:Temp

Of course, multiple drives and partitions on Ultra SCSI 160 would be best. (Therefore tagged and nearly simultaneous I/O)

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Originally posted by JustinLerner

On the other hand, danieloli's recommendation is interesting and although I've thought about it I've never used it. I will use this technique to further separate fragmenting files and directories in addition to my pagefile, system/boot, and data partitions.

When mounting a partition to a directory, the directory should be empty. The technique is called "mounting a partition/drive to a folder" in Windows. It can be found in Drive Manager by searching for "Using NTFS mounted drives".

When replacing directories such as Program Files, do it in safe mode. Don't even attempt it on your Documents and Settings directory. Do it below the level of the user registry hives, so any level below Docuements and SettinsgUserProfile

It can be useful to create junctions, which are seamless virtual redirectors in NTFS 5. You can get a freeware copy of the Resource Kit command line program at www.sysinternals.com

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Originally posted by MxxCon

you are wasting alot of disk space on your swap file partition.

if you have halfdecent puter w/ enough mem windows doesn't really use swap file, therefore it doesn't get fragmented.

if it does get fragmented you can use norton speeddisk and move swap file to the end of the disk so it's defragged and doesn't interfer with other files.

otherwise it's similar to my setup. c: for system, d: for programs/games/music, e: for d/ls

Don't waste your time, no one's going to bother to listen to you. Everyone would rather have 328723984738 partitions doing 283642374 useless things. C'est la vie.

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If you were to have that many partitions, there would have to be a new filing system for tracking partitions, and record which ones where there doing nothing - possible compressing the partition table overhead so there was space for the partitions that were doing something to do it :ponder:

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Originally posted by danieloli

If you were to have that many partitions, there would have to be a new filing system for tracking partitions, and record which ones where there doing nothing - possible compressing the partition table overhead so there was space for the partitions that were doing something to do it :ponder:

First they'd have to make a disk that could hold them :ponder: :ponder: :ponder: :ponder: :ponder: :ponder: :ponder:

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