Do you create extra partitions?

[DanF]

Simple question.

Do you create an extra partition for the home user to store data into, as opposed to storing data in the primary partition? If yes, what percentage do you usually reserve for this 'Data' partition? Or else, how many GB do you leave for the main partition?

 

[FoolishTech]

Why would you do something like that?

 

[red12049]

Why would you do something like that?

Heh. Reminds me of the Acers and Sony's that I see, HDD evenly split, and "C" partition crammed full, while "D" has a Recycle Bin and nothing else...

I usually go in and make one partition out of the two.

Rick

 

[DanF]

That's why I'm asking. I'm seeing these partitions in almost every new computer that I'm working on nowadays. Some clients also ask for it, some don't really care as long as they have their data saved somewhere.

 

[red12049]

That's why I'm asking. I'm seeing these partitions in almost every new computer that I'm working on nowadays. Some clients also ask for it, some don't really care as long as they have their data saved somewhere.

Unless YOU redirect their user folders, and instruct them on installing programs to the second partition, the "C" partition will fill up.

For most of my customers, the simpler the better.

Rick

 

[Larry Sabo]

I sometimes do it, as a repository for an image of the c: partition, which I will also sometimes make. Usually just allocate 50GB or so.

 

[cypress]

Unless the client specifically ask for it, I usually don't do it. The times that I have done have actually been for friends that have need some help with a re-install, just because they know what they want to use it for.

Typically the home user will just install everything on C: Drive and backup anything else to a flash or external hard drive.

 

[carrcomp]

Simple question.

Do you create an extra partition for the home user to store data into, as opposed to storing data in the primary partition? If yes, what percentage do you usually reserve for this 'Data' partition? Or else, how many GB do you leave for the main partition?

I used to ... back in the day I found it actually helped to have it setup that way.

Of course, trying to setup the customer like that is a pain, they won't remember, and with all the space your updates take, plus those programs that HAVE to install in C: .... there's no point and no benefit.

Stick with 1 partition.

 

[Martyn]

I agree with the one partition these days. I cannot tell you how many computers I see with one partition full and the other empty. Times have changed people fill up drives very quickly with data the like not around many years ago. 1000s of 12 mega pixel pictures, videos and Itunes. It doesn't take long.

 

[DanF]

Thank you guys, I appreciate your input You're right, unless they will ask for it, it will never be used.

 

[Easy PC]

I just make 1 partition for the same reason as everyone else. Customers just save everything on the 'C' drive and don't know any different.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

Agree with everyone else, I generally end up converting two partitions to one for my clients.

 

[autumn]

I'm the same here. one partition I even make one partition withthe systems that have 2 patitions. When I ask the customers why they want 2 partitions they are usually under the impression that if the drive dies their data will be safe.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Why would you do something like that?

[Rant]

Best practices would be to keep OS and data separate. That way if something trashes the OS the data is protected from that.

*I realize that you are no doubt aware of all of this. I post this for the benefit of others.*

Most every Linux distro by default will put the /home folder in a separate partition.

Nice thing about Linux is that is transparent to the user. Unless you check mstab files you aren't going to know that your data is in a separate partition, possibly even a different HDD.

Windows can't do that as each partition is has to have it's own drive letter. And end users typically don't really comprehend file system structure so it either requires a lot of end user training (that they will likely ignore anyway.) or lots of prep work redirecting My Documents and other windows system folders over to the Drive D:. Only to have some poorly written program bypass it and try to access the expected locations directly.

This is why Windows SUCKS.

[/rant]

 

[ZenTree]

I don't for clients but do actually do this for my main pc. 500 gb, split about 120 OS - 380 data , plus another 1tb hdd for more data.

Documents redirect to data and I tend to use portable apps for email and browsing, so they are also on there. I have an image of the OS partition setup exactly as I need it and tend to reimage the computer once a year or so. It's just far quicker than having to move/copy all the data from the single partiton to a backup destination and then restore it. I set it up after OS got completely borked one time and I had spent a couple of hours installing, patching and trying to remember what I had setup the way I like it. This way if I'm feeling lazy now I can be up and running with a "clean" computer in under ten minutes if something goes wrong.

On a side note: steamMover means all my downloaded steam content is also on the data drive, saving me having to redownload those as well.

 

[NETWizz]

I usually make a 10 GB partition at the end of their hard disk and format it NTFS.

Then I use ImageX to place a WIM of their entire system fixed up and working with a fresh install from last time I did it...

I do NOT assign it a drive letter and usually use the Linux FDISK to change it to type 17h when done... If they look in Disk Management they can't do anything with it, lol.

They bring me a broken laptop that needs to totally be re-done with new drivers and I change it to 07h, boot WinPE, image it to C: (after formatting C... change type back to 17h.

Run Windows Update, install the latest Security Essentialls... return to Customer.

Literally takes me 15 minutes to fix a laptop this way next time I see it.

 

[sorcerer]

I usually create two partitions, possibly three if the drive is big enough. I then move the location of the "My Documents", "My Pictures" etc., folders to one of those other partitions instead of their default location on the system drive.

This means that any programs that, by default, save their output files to the My Documents (etc) folders (such as Microsoft Word for instance, if I remember correctly) will be saving them out of harm's way. Any virus or malware infection bad enough to need a Nuke & Pave means that it can be done with relative impunity while the user data is safe on a different partition.

Edit: Doh, didn't realize this topic is nearly a month old - and not only that, but I didn't even see the second page! Today can only get better.

 

[webcam]

i agree with the other people, only if the customer ask for an extra partitions i do it. from my experience over time the customer forget the advice you give them and full up the c drive, or other persons use it and are not told about the other partitions.

 

[NYJimbo]

Best practices would be to keep OS and data separate. That way if something trashes the OS the data is protected from that.

It used to be quite common for Windows drives to be partitioned into a "C:" and "D:". This was considered a best practice and is something that carried over from the days when the only computers people worked on were minis and mainframes. In that world you are always paritioning your drives and still do today. We see that carried over to Unix/Linux mount points where it is also still used today.

I remember always making a "C:" and "D:" and telling customers how to best store their data. However, over the years we have found that most customers not only didnt use the "D:" partition, they would completely forget it existed. So for the past few years we only make a "C:".

We still see some older computers come in with two partitions. One partition is 95% full and the other is empty. In that case we will use Easeus Partition Manager/Master to resize and give them more breathing room and not even bring up the partition issue.

 

[rudger]

1 Partition the full size of the disk, I still cringe when I see acer's and sony's with 2 partitions of the same size, C: full and D: empty.

I also had the nasty job of telling 2 customers that saving to D: does not save you if the hard drive fails as both partitions are on the same drive after a large computer company salesman had assured them that it was safe.