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Partitioning Strategies (Read 6281 times)
arbalest
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Partitioning Strategies
Jul 23rd, 2008 at 12:48pm
 
I just read the RAD guide on partitioning (and did a search on this board to see if my question has already been asked) and still wonder about the advantages of breaking a data partition in to separate chunks for specific data types.

I've always been a believer in having a C: (System) partition and a D: (Data) partition and periodically Ghosting a System image to the Data partition.  Now I'm setting up a new 500Gb drive in an external enclosure and am wondering what advantages (other than neater organization) of making partitions for MP3, Ghost images and other data separate.  I don't edit video but it could happen some day. What is the advantage of having that on a separate partition as well?

Is the logic that a data corruption or disk surface error will limit the damage to just one category of data?
 
 
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Rad
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Re: Partitioning Strategies
Reply #1 - Jul 23rd, 2008 at 3:22pm
 
Quote:
I don't edit video but it could happen some day. What is the advantage of having that on a separate partition as well?

Hi. Partitioning is all about what works best for you. Because we all use our PCs in different ways. I documented my own strategies for the uninitiated, but you sound like you have enough experience to make your own judgments.

As I said, video editors should really have a separate hard drive (physical, not logical) to store their video files. And that should be internal, not external, for speed.

External drives have less reason to need/use partitions. My external drive contains only a single 500-gig partition. I could also see breaking it in half .. to 250-gig + 250-gig. But I can't see going any further that 3x165GB.

Quote:
wonder about the advantages of breaking a data partition in to separate chunks for specific data types

Not sure if I follow you. Can you elaborate?
 
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arbalest
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Re: Partitioning Strategies
Reply #2 - Jul 23rd, 2008 at 6:41pm
 
Rad wrote on Jul 23rd, 2008 at 3:22pm:
>>    I wonder about the advantages of breaking a data partition in to
>>    separate chunks for specific data types

Not sure if I follow you. Can you elaborate?  


By "data types" I just mean -- regular documents vs. MP3 files vs. ghost images. Currently I keep these under separate trees under the Data Partition.  Since I have a blank slate (new drive) I was wondering what additional advantage I might gain from putting these in separate partitions instead.
 
 
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Rad
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Re: Partitioning Strategies
Reply #3 - Jul 24th, 2008 at 9:16pm
 
don't know what else i can add.

everything is already included in the guide.

strategy wise.

do you have specific questions?

i hate to repeat myself.
 
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MrMagoo
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Re: Partitioning Strategies
Reply #4 - Jul 25th, 2008 at 2:46am
 
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I was wondering what additional advantage I might gain from putting these in separate partitions instead.

You would decrease the flexibility of how much of each type you can keep.  Only advantage I can think of is a shorter defragmentation time, but that really isn't a huge advantage for most people.
 
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Pleonasm
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Re: Partitioning Strategies
Reply #5 - Jul 25th, 2008 at 8:13am
 
Arbalest, you could have the appearance of different partitions, to gain organizational benefits, but still have all of your information on one physical partition by using the technique:  Assign a Drive Letter to a Folder.
 

ple • o • nasm n. “The use of more words than are required to express an idea”
 
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TheShadow
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Re: Partitioning Strategies
Reply #6 - Aug 22nd, 2008 at 2:54pm
 
I've been doing this stuff way longer than maybe I should have.

In the days of the Seagate 20meg hard drive, partitioning wasn't even a subject for discussion.  But when the drives started coming out in multiples of gigabytes, partitioning became more wide spread.

With the large drives of today, I will NOT set up a new hard drive without partitioning it for the OS and Storage.  The OS partition should be large enough for your OS and the programs you use every day.
The storage partition can be used to store pictures, music, videos and really large Software Suites like MS Office, Corel Suites, etc.
This keeps scans and defrags down to a minimum time frame and lengthens the life of the drive.

Further partitioning the "Storage" area into separate partitions for different file types is totally redundant and makes drive maintenance a nightmare. 
Separating information is what Folders are for. Wink 
Folders can and will grow along with the data in them....a partition CAN-NOT. 
Having to re-size multiple partitions on your HD, is a recipe for disaster.
Even an experienced tech, using the best partitioning software available, can screw that one up! Embarrassed

Likewise having two OS's on the same HD.
Want to run two OS's?  Then use two HD's. 
Eventually, you'll be really glad you did. Roll Eyes

Cheers Mates!
The Shadow  Cool

 
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