Partitioning outer tracks for OS/apps?

In a fairly modern (320GB-->500GB) laptop drive, might it make sense to partition the first 100GB or so for apps and keep the remainder for data, if that's basically the relative proportion of data I'll have? Rather, by limiting seeks to the outer tracks for anything not related to playing a video, listening to a song or working with some MS Word document, should I expect generally snappier performance?

 

yes, definitely... if you look at the HDTune performance graphs, it starts with a high r/w rate and then drops down steadily. Therefore it is best to allocate a 70-90GB portion for the OS and the remaining portion for the general storage (mp3, films, docs etc.)

AFAIK this strategy has 3 benefits:

1- Increases OS performance.
2- Decreases noise due to the r/w arm movements (the actuator that moves the r.w head is generally noisier than the spinner motor)
3- Lets you to format the HDD easily. You can move all your vital data to the storage partition and re-install the OS without any data loss.


--

 

What you gain in one area you generally lose in another. As mentioned, the harddrive is fastest at the outside rim and gets slower as you move towrard the center. If you force the OS into only the outside section you can in theory keep your OS at full speed, but that means that your programs are artifically slowed because they are not allowed in that reserved section. Saved files get another hit toward the center since they cannot access the OS or program reserved area.

All in all your harddrive will manage itself fairly well, and if you arn't filling the drive to capacity, just keep it defragmented for good performence. The only parition I would recomend would be one at the inside of the drive to put large files that don't need a good transfer speed (such as a music liberary) while everything else can use the fastest location open when its created.

 

During partitioning, it talks about cylinders and something else, the lowest numbers represent the most inward tracks right ?
I should install at the higher end ?

 

I think we're saying the same thing. I was asking about an outer track partition for OS + applications, and large data elsewhere.

I did this and so far it seems to be working out fairly well.

 

Well some people like to take a 320GB and do the following:
OS: 50GB
Programs: 100GB
Data: The rest

I'm saying this is a bad idea because your programs and any important data are artifically slow.

What I suggest is, should you feel the need to have some control is the following:
OS/Programs/Data: 250GB
Slow data (music): The rest

And then you move your music or some movies to the slow section, but leave your general and important data in the fast section.