To partition or not

I know this is a very old topic. Would you partition your single drive (hdd or ssd)? I tried to partition my drive the first time I heard the idea, and I gave up immediately. The problem is with the installation of programs! Some programs worked best to be in the default Program Files, especially when they need to update, or apply patch. Some left a trace in my Program Files. They all messed up both of my partitions, and I didn't know they would do that after I installed them.

Now I only have a single partition, and use Windows-provided folders to store my stuff. For example, I put my music in Music folder, videos in Videos folder, pictures in Pictures folder. Other things, including portable programs, are put in Documents. My "active" data are not much, and I put my unused data on the external hard drive. TBH, I never touch them; I don't look at old grade books for passed courses.

I wonder how you deal with the programs that "like" to use Program Files; and does partitioning speed up the system?

How will you deal with "saved games"? I usually put them in the same folder with the game. I only have 3-4 games, so backing up is not a big problem.

 

I don't understand why you would want a separate partition for programs. I want a separate partition for personal files, found in the users folder.

The reason is that I want to be able to create a system image, and also be able to reinstall, without touching my personal files.

Why wouldn't you do the same if you used a separate partition?

 

You can also move the library folders (like documents, downloads, music, etc), by right clicking on them, clicking properties, and changing the location in the location tab.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Am always using a few partitions > easy backup\image\restore. That's the only reason here.

 

The way I partition is I don't. It makes worse for saves and file transfer and problems as you have seen happen. I would say install all your main program where they should go to C:\ program files and your games onto a separate HDD not the same HDD. I never partition the same HDD like I keep C:\ full capacity and any other HDD like E:...etc their own full separate HDD. This works in Desktop that can have multiple HDD or laptop that has two drive bay. As for single HDD laptop I get the biggest SSD or HDD depending on your budget and install the general software install in Program Files and games into their own separate Root folder in C:\ so you know where they are. In a Two bay laptop I get largest SSD and largest HDD and that will give you enough space and allocation that you need to do proper file moves.

 

Or, drag and drop using the right button, then select move in the menu that pops up. By doing this you can move all folders at the same time. See picture.




Edit: Cut/Paste also works.

 

ditto, that's what I do. D: for libraries / software installation files (Setup EXEs) and everything else is at default on C: after creating the base system image of Windows without any software installed.

 

Alright. Then I can have my programs and games in their default folders. If so, I guess if I partition the drive, I don't have to copy my files back after re-installing my system, right? If I don't have so much data, I can save space by not partitioning. My program files usually get changed, so having a base system image of Windows is not possible for me.
Will using system image be as stable as actual installation?

 

Partitioning doesn't have an effect on the usage capacity of your storage drive. It's just a small "note" in your OS that says "Sectors ABC to XYZ on drive 123 are part of Partition D" (or whatever you name it).

That said, I don't see much of a point in partitioning a single-drive computer.

 

I think to partition a single drive PC makes the most sense, at least for convenience i.e. C for OS and D for user files. Makes reinstalling OS so much easier.

 

Maybe so, though with decent backups it shouldn't matter too much.

My personal schema is that I have my OS and selected programs on my C drive (SSD), a HDD for the rest of the software (games mostly), and another HDD for bulk data. "Physical partitions", if you will .

 

Exactly but one step further - what they should do is make a Game Folder in Root of C:\

like C:\WOW - this will be the install folder and games save location...

This way any game updates or saves stay here and not in C:\Program Files\Games\WOW. This is how I do it.

 

Yeah, that's basically what I do as well with my games. For example: G:\WoT.

 

Depends on the amount of junk you have. My user files folder is 700GB. Now imagine what kind of PITA in would be to copy and paste this huge lump of data each time I decided to reinstall the OS... Oh, and OS too. So the entire backup would be huuuuuge.

When you have two+ drives it makes less sense to partition and instead use a "physical partition" like you've said. That's exactly the same scheme I use now. But with a single drive in a PC I would still go for a partition.

 

File transfer between two partitions can be most inconvenient thing in the world. From your profile\downloads folder to d:\install for example. Or opening a zip file big enough that opens from D: to the temp in C: before actually displaying anything on screen...

With SSDs or modern this might be less of an issue. I haven't tested. So much bad memories.

Instead of partitions I'd rather just add drives

 

The question was about a single drive.
But if there's a possibility and means to add more, sure, that's the way to go.