Hi - How can I partition SSD for W7?

Darujhistan · 3 May 2012 at 14:18

Yes I know this an absolute noob question. But I have never bothered to have an OS partition which has meant every time I have had to reinstall Windows I have lost everything else.

New build soon, I don't ever want to lose progress in games ever again etc

I will have 120 GB SSD as OS drive and will have STEAM and other games on it. Maybe some programs.

Other normal HD's as storage movies etc.

Darujhistan · 3 May 2012 at 14:50

wazza300 said:
wouldnt it be easier to create a 120gb partition on your storage hdd? then you can back up/restore your entire ssd to it?

acronis,easeus partiton manager,partition magic all should do the job

I don't know would it?

Just sounds more complicated.

Al I want is to be able to keep what I have if and when I'm forced to start from scratch.

Darujhistan · 3 May 2012 at 14:51

Rossi~ said:
If you do go ahead and have multiple partitions (other than the default via W7 setup) then make sure it's all 4k aligned.

I just want to partition off the OS, so I can reinstall when needed.

"then make sure it's all 4k aligned."

Sorry, I don't know what means.

Darujhistan · 3 May 2012 at 15:01

mp260767 said:
i'd leave your ssd as it is, just a single partition for o/s and apps you want to install on it to run.

then set your apps/games up to store everything on your storage drives.

Ok, how would I do that?

I want to have this process nailed before I build.

Darujhistan · 3 May 2012 at 15:18

wazza300 said:
when you install your game click on custom when it asks where to install,then create folder and point it to the hdd and it will install there,

as for ssd if you created a 120gb partition on your bigger hdd you can use cloning software to clone the ssd to it and clone it back if your ssd ever failed or got corrupted ect

So would my OS and games then run from my SSD?

Darujhistan · 3 May 2012 at 15:44

wazza300 said:
your os would run from your ssd,you can choose to install a few important games to the ssd,the rest can be installed and run from your storage hdd,thats how i have mine setup

Why would I want some on HDD if there room on SSD?

Darujhistan · 3 May 2012 at 15:54

wazza300 said:
do what you want,ssd is only 120gb so you you can only fit somany games on there plus it wont add much if its on an ssd,hdd's are in terrabytes so you can stick asmany games as you like on them and they load just as fast imo

each to there own on how you want to use the space on your ssd/hdd's im just suggesting one way of doing it

I think I'll wait for someone who knows what they're talking about. But thanks.

Darujhistan · 3 May 2012 at 16:19

wazza300 said:
thanks,ill help you again

If you did it would be the first time!

Sorry to be a little rude, but I'm just not getting a straightforward answer.

All I want to know how to do is ensure that in the event of having to reinstall W7 I don't lose progress in games. That's all.

I thought making a simple partition for the OS on my SSD would be quite easy, apparently it isn't.

I might just buy a small SSD and keep just my OS on that, just seems simpler.

Darujhistan · 3 May 2012 at 16:24

wazza300 said:
yes you can with those programs i listed above,

Ok. But how can I do that with a new build?

Darujhistan · 4 May 2012 at 10:48

bitslice said:
Wazza does know what he is talking about.
I'd do the same but what do I know? I've only been doing this for 30 years

Perhaps not a good idea to slate people trying to help

It's also a bit faster making an image of the OS onto the storage drive instead of reinstalling, google for image software.

Sorry tired and stressed.

I don't understand what you mean with 'make an image'.

Darujhistan · 4 May 2012 at 10:51

mp260767 said:
if your that concerned about your save games where possible i'd setup your games to save to your normal hd rather than your ssd.

then i'd setup synctoy to copy all the save game folders (on hd and ssd) to a folder called "saved game backups" (or whatever you want to call it) on your data drive.

Ok, I just thought it would be so simple. I'm amazed it isn't. Why can't I just partition off the OS on my SSD and then put steam and other games on the rest of it?

How much advantage is there to having games on an SSD rather than a typical HDD?

People say these SSD's are amazing upgrades.

Darujhistan · 4 May 2012 at 11:49

wazza300 said:
it depends on the game itself,some benifit from being on a fast ssd some show no speed improvement over a normal hdd

you can just install windows on your ssd and then once done use easeus partion manager and create a partition or create one before you install windows with the windows dvd

remember to set sata mode to ahci in the bios before you install windows,an image of your os is an iso file that you can reload onto your ssd/hdd to restore it if it crashes ect

personally i clone mine to my spare hdd,cloning is an exact bootable copy of the os so you dont have to reinstall everything,then you can wipe/secure erase your ssd and clone the os back to it and boot up with it ect

Hi,

Sorry for last night.

Ok, I think i've got it now. Just wondering whether to bother with one at all, or maybe add one later.

Darujhistan · 4 May 2012 at 11:53

mp260767 said:
it can be done, just most of the time it's not worth the effort, if you check the size of your game folders with a few loaded they'll near enough take up most of the 120gb.

the ssd is useful for quick boot times, and quick loading, usefulness of the ssd for games depends on how the game works, if its frequent drive access it will be useful, if not then not much difference imho.

the indication in your op is that you dont want to lose ANY saves games, the use of the ssd for this, partition wise doesnt make sense because your limited to 120gb, so unless you limit yourself to the number of games/saves that you have on there at any one time you'll quickly load that up.

depends on your definition of amazing, they boot quicker, run quieter, use less energy.

the main thing that will show the best qualities of the ssd really depend on the apps you use, if they make good use of the speed offered by the ssd it can be a very good upgrade.

if they don't then it might well not be considered quite as good.

Thanks, I think I need to ruminate on getting a SSD at all. I probably will anyway, I think virtually everyone on this forum has a craving for tech to some extent or other, and I've never really regretted buying anything.

And who doesnlt want a faster quieter rig?

Darujhistan · 4 May 2012 at 16:33

mp260767 said:
the only problem with that is you start hearing noises from the rest of your system once the HD noise has been replaced by the ssd .........

that's from the experience of just replacing my drive with an ssd

Right, well i've proceeded with the est of my new build today and bought everything else, i'm holding fie on the SSD.

I think i'd rather have a PS3 and FIFA '12 than a SSD.