? Partitioning

[Guest Laughingstar~*]

Is it wise to create partitions? I've wondered from the sheer ease of

backing-up quickly. Still haven't a clue what to really back-up. Thank you.

 

--

“Toxicity in relationships is a human pollutant (Ann Scott, March 2008).”

[Guest Holz]

Re: ? Partitioning

 

On Sat, 8 Mar 2008 10:08:46 -0600

"Laughingstar~*" <uP_n_aWaynospam368@nOtMeyahoo.com> wrote:

> Is it wise to create partitions? I've wondered from the sheer ease of

> backing-up quickly. Still haven't a clue what to really back-up.

> Thank you.

>

 

It is wise to keep your OS (XP) on one partition, and data files on

another. It is wise to backup to en external device like USB or

firewire, I prefer disk imaging.

 

--

Live & let live, or leave.

:-)

[Guest PD43]

Re: ? Partitioning

 

"Laughingstar~*" <uP_n_aWaynospam368@nOtMeyahoo.com> wrote:

>s it wise to create partitions? I've wondered from the sheer ease of

>backing-up quickly. Still haven't a clue what to really back-up. Thank you.

 

googling "why partition my hard drive":

 

<hint>

 

http://preview.tinyurl.com/29ra25

[Guest peter]

Re: ? Partitioning

 

Backing up to a partition on the same hard drive is not

recommended........if the hard drive fails the back up fails with it.

People partition their drives more for the purpose of separating their

Programs or Work files from the XP installation directory or for

organization reasons. There are some benefits to partitions.

A proper backup would require you to save your personal files to a CD/DVD or

External HD.

A excellent backup would be to Image the HD to an external HD....and to

repeat that image with Incremental changes.

I prefer Acronis True Image for that purpose.

peter

 

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"Laughingstar~*" <uP_n_aWaynospam368@nOtMeyahoo.com> wrote in message

news:ONecxaTgIHA.4712@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> Is it wise to create partitions? I've wondered from the sheer ease of

> backing-up quickly. Still haven't a clue what to really back-up. Thank

> you.

>

> --

> "Toxicity in relationships is a human pollutant (Ann Scott, March 2008)."

>

>

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: ? Partitioning

 

External SATA is even better if the user has an external SATA port.

 

"Holz" <holz@my-laptop.nowhere> wrote in message

news:20080308081936.468b1280@laptop...

> On Sat, 8 Mar 2008 10:08:46 -0600

> "Laughingstar~*" <uP_n_aWaynospam368@nOtMeyahoo.com> wrote:

>

>> Is it wise to create partitions? I've wondered from the sheer ease of

>> backing-up quickly. Still haven't a clue what to really back-up.

>> Thank you.

>>

>

> It is wise to keep your OS (XP) on one partition, and data files on

> another. It is wise to backup to en external device like USB or

> firewire, I prefer disk imaging.

>

> --

> Live & let live, or leave.

> :-)

>

[Guest HEMI-Powered]

Re: ? Partitioning

 

Laughingstar~* added these comments in the current discussion du

jour ...

> Is it wise to create partitions? I've wondered from the sheer

> ease of backing-up quickly. Still haven't a clue what to

> really back-up. Thank you.

>

haven't a clue what to back up? let me give you a "clue": you

should back up anything on your system you don't want to lose or

get mangled, and that includes the O/S, apps, and YOUR data. as to

partitions, I have 3 on mine: C:\ for JUST Windows and my apps, D:

\ for all my non-graphics data, and E:\ for graphics-only data. The

idea is multiple: ensure that my data doesn't go down the toilet in

an O/S problem situation, easier data management, less folders to

wade through, less disk fragmentation, and faster access to name

just a few. And, I back up to 3 different USB external HDDs, 2 of

which I rotate to my bank's safety deposit box to avoid data loss

in the event of some disaster in my home like a fire and I also

back up to optical for redundant safety. Further, I use Acronis

True Image to create an "image" backup of my C:\ which, if the need

ever arises, is FAR easier to restore than a nuke and reinstall of

Windows and all my apps.

 

Now, please clarify what you're trying to accomplish and/or ask any

clarifying questions and I'm sure many people will be able to help

you.

 

--

HP, aka Jerry

 

"Surely you jest - and don't call me Shirley!" - from the movie

"Airplane!"

[Guest HEMI-Powered]

Re: ? Partitioning

 

Holz added these comments in the current discussion du jour ...

>> Is it wise to create partitions? I've wondered from the sheer

>> ease of backing-up quickly. Still haven't a clue what to

>> really back-up. Thank you.

>>

>

> It is wise to keep your OS (XP) on one partition, and data

> files on another. It is wise to backup to en external device

> like USB or firewire, I prefer disk imaging.

>

Amen!

 

--

HP, aka Jerry

 

"Surely you jest - and don't call me Shirley!" - from the movie

"Airplane!"

[Guest Anna]

Re: ? Partitioning

 

 

"Laughingstar~*" <uP_n_aWaynospam368@nOtMeyahoo.com> wrote in message

news:ONecxaTgIHA.4712@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> Is it wise to create partitions? I've wondered from the sheer ease of

> backing-up quickly. Still haven't a clue what to really back-up. Thank

> you.

> --

> “Toxicity in relationships is a human pollutant (Ann Scott, March 2008).”

 

 

Laughingstar:

It really would be best if you provided some details concerning the system

you're working with and specifics as to what you have in mind re what your

objectives are and what you have in mind re creating a multi-partitioned

hard drive (HDD). That way you might get better responses to your query that

zero-in on your specific needs.

 

But in a general sense...

 

All things being equal I think you should be thinking in terms of a

comprehensive backup system - one that backs up not only your user-created

data, but also your XP operating system (OS) and all your programs &

applications - in short, *everything* that's on your day-to-day working HDD.

So that in the event your working HDD fails because of some

electronic/mechanical reason or because of some corruption of your OS so

that the system is no longer bootable - you would have a "good" copy of that

drive and you could then restore your system to a bootable, functional state

with a minimum of fuss.

 

As far as partitioning your HDD, unlike some of the other responders to your

query, I'm not a great fan of multi-partitions unless there are some very

specific reasons you think it's necessary to do so. For the vast majority of

users (in my experience) it's sufficient and more organizationally sound to

simply create a single partition on their HDD that contains the drive's

*complete* contents and then create individual folders to contain this or

that program or group of programs. Admittedly this is an issue that has been

debated for more years than I care to remember, with so many different

approaches recommended that it's a bewildering experience for most users.

And (again, in my experience) unnecessary and more often than not,

counter-productive.

 

What *is* important in my view is as I've stated above. Establish a

comprehensive backup system involving the *entire* contents of your working

HDD and maintain such on a routine, systematic basis. And this can be

achieved reasonably easily & quickly through a disk-to-disk cloning type of

program.

 

If you want any further recommendations from me re the above so indicate and

I'll post such.

Anna

[Guest Holz]

Re: ? Partitioning

 

On Sat, 8 Mar 2008 09:38:32 -0700

"Colin Barnhorst" <c.barnhorst@comcast.net> wrote:

> External SATA is even better if the user has an external SATA port.

 

I absolutely agree, I was trying to keep it simple for him, however I

would hope he reads you post :-)

 

--

Live & let live, or leave.

:-)

[Guest Ken Blake, MVP]

Re: ? Partitioning

 

On Sat, 8 Mar 2008 10:08:46 -0600, "Laughingstar~*"

<uP_n_aWaynospam368@nOtMeyahoo.com> wrote:

> Is it wise to create partitions? I've wondered from the sheer ease of

> backing-up quickly. Still haven't a clue what to really back-up. Thank you.

 

 

Let me refer you to two articles I've recently written.

 

On partitioning:

http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=326

 

On backup:

 

http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=314

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

[Guest db ´¯`·.. >]

Re: ? Partitioning

 

when you repartition a

harddisk you are essentially

dividing up the disk into

sections, no unlike the

concept of a file cabinet

with drawers separating

personal documents from

the bills, et al.

 

putting you personal

files in its own partition

keeps the data from

co mingling with the

system files data and

will also be easier to

backup that one partition.

 

similarly, if your home

was on fire and you had

to select one file cabinet

drawer which would you

save.

 

fyi: just because its posted

on the net doesn't mean

it aint' krap.

 

--

 

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

 

"Laughingstar~*" <uP_n_aWaynospam368@nOtMeyahoo.com> wrote in message

news:ONecxaTgIHA.4712@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> Is it wise to create partitions? I've wondered from the sheer ease of

> backing-up quickly. Still haven't a clue what to really back-up. Thank you.

>

> --

> "Toxicity in relationships is a human pollutant (Ann Scott, March 2008)."

>

>