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    Setting up partitions on new install

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by shcauldy, Mar 13, 2015.

  1. shcauldy

    shcauldy Notebook Enthusiast

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    I want to do a lean install of Windows 8.1, I have a 1 TB 5400RPM SATA + 80GB mSATA SSD storage setup. In terms of creating partitions when formatting and installing Windows, should I just let it automatically setup partitions or do I make my own manually using the setup?

    For instance I see 9xxGB of space free on my HDD listed on this screen,

    http://blogs.interfacett.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/media_1316458533337.png

    then underneath it there is 10GB showing for the mSATA drive. What is the best thing to do?
     
    shcauldy, Mar 13, 2015
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  2. Andy53

    Andy53 Notebook Consultant

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    If I where you I put Windows on whole 80GB SSD and leave 1TB for data...
     
    Andy53, Mar 13, 2015
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  3. MickyD1234

    MickyD1234 Notebook Prophet

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    I found in testing that the cache drive was as fast as dedicated SSD for things like windows load time (when timed with stopwatch). If you install to the cache then you loose a lot of speed of your HDD. The spare size you see is what is left over when creating the maximum SSD cache under IRST, 64gb). If you really wanted you could make another drive with this but it's way too small to be useful.

    When you have the spare cash then install another SSD and move the installation onto that, then you have a win,win. Dedicated OS SSD and super fast data access on the HDD.

    Just leave the caching alone and let windows use the maximum space available. It will detect the cache and you will not see it as an install option. This way you could even add a second large HDD later and add them together in a single RAID which will be accelerated.
     
    MickyD1234, Mar 13, 2015
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  4. shcauldy

    shcauldy Notebook Enthusiast

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    So if I was to do it, I would erase all partitions and just install onto the unallocated space?
     
    shcauldy, Mar 13, 2015
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  5. MickyD1234

    MickyD1234 Notebook Prophet

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    leave the OEM utilities as this is where the hardware diags exist, or other utilities dell deem fit. You should also see a system (factory) restore partition. If you remove this then when you install alienrespawn after getting windows to a good point you decide upon, it will ask you if you want to recreate it. Otherwise you simply select to update the factory install over the existing one.
    You should only see one large partition so that is what you select. You might see that spare (unallocated)10gb but just ignore it.
     
    MickyD1234, Mar 13, 2015
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