What size should I make my partitions?

[Kua]

I'm about to install Windows 7 on a terrabyte hard drive. I thought I might have one partition for each of the following:

- The Windows install
- Program Files
- Data (Documents, Music, Films)
- A Linux OS (probably Ubuntu)

Obviously 2 and 3 are up to me but how large should I make the two OS partitions?

Now this is the first time I've installed an OS (sort of), so please excuse the noobishness. Presumably I should go into the boot menu set priority to: Optical Drive -> Drive I want to install Win 7 on. Then when the installation begins it will let me choose which drive to install it onto. It will then format the drive and install Win 7 and then I'll be able to create further partitions within Windows.

Is that about right? I just want to be absolutely sure of myself before I start :S

 

[djkav]

I don't really see the point of a seperate program files/apps partition. Apps rely on the registry settings which is completely gone after a windows rebuild. This will only lead you to having to reinstall the apps again.

I would have the windows partition to be large enough to include the apps and drivers. Then ghost the fresh windows partition so you can install everything again in about 20mins flat, should your windows partition go down.

 

[EffBee]

Re the question of OS partition sizes.

Re-installing an OS and getting everything just so is a pain. Taking a regular image of OS partiton can save a lot of time and hassle in getting a system back to being "Just so". Installing apps is quick and easy.

OS partition will need to be small enough to manipulate with imaging software, small enough to allow multiple copies in the backup cycle, BUT big enough to work properly for the forseeable future.

Certain files like mail files, security software files, utilities files, benchmarking software, diagnostic software, and so on are really (kind of) an extension to the OS and probably should be in the OS partition. They aren't very big and won't increase the size of the thing by much. User created (non-media) files like word and excel docs are good on the OS partition. As are Games' save games.

User applications can easily be reinstalled. Games directories are worth a special mention as they get utterly huge.

I much prefer a partition scheme with separate smallish partitions for OSs. Big partitions for games. Appropriately sized separate partition for music/photos/movies.

Just my opinion.

PS: OP - I have found 25GB to be plenty for Win 2000. I have discovered 30GB isn't really enough long term for XP. Don't forget to allow for swap file and hibernation files - they can be big.

 

[Daegan]

Apps rely on the registry settings

Many do, plenty don't. Many of those that don't will be big installs like games. That's where installing programs to a separate partition starts becoming beneficial.


Oh and my Windows partition is 35GB (15GB free so could easily shrink). I left 20GB for Mint (Ubuntu derivative) which was more than enough.

 

[Raumarik]

Just rebuilt my PC from scratch after getting a couple of 1TB HDDs on MM:

c:\ (disk 0 part1) - Windows install and random small apps - 250Gb
d:\ (disk 0 part2) - downloads, my docs, photography etc - 750Gb
e:\ (disk 1 - no part) - Apps/game installs - 1TB
f:\ (disk 2 - no part) - backup drive used for C - 500Gb

External USB will backup D drive and steam folder on E. This sort of setup has done me well for years, generally I don't have the luxury of separate D and E drives though but I like having the windows install and apps/games on separate physical drives. C drive currently has 219Gb free, so it's likely that I'll resize it at some point.

Main reason I do this is I like to reimage my OS now and then and like the luxury of knowing I've got a few backups to go it if all hell breaks lose.

 

[Kua]

Sorry - you can ignore this!