Need Help for Adding New HDD

bigmck said:

I currently have one 160 GB C:\ drive that both my Win 7, Programs and Docs are on. I want to add a 500 GB drive, make 50 GB of it my C:\ for the OS -- 225 GB of it my D:\ for Programs -- 225 GB my E:\ for Docs. I would then make the 160 GB drive a 30 GB F:\ for OS backup and 130 GB G:\ for Doc backup. Since the backups are compressed, I assume the numbers would work for the foreseeable future. == I have a few questions on this. == First, do the partition numbers sound right? -- Second, What do I have to do to change the drive letters to make the new 500 GB my C:, D: and E:? I am not backing up my Program files, because if there were a problem in the future, they would have to be reinstalled anyway, is that correct?
== One final question. This is the HD I have my eye on. WD Caviar Blue SE16 3.5in 500GB SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive WD5000AAKS Western Digital Hard Disk Drive HDD HD 7200 RPM 16MB Cache-Best Computer Online Store Houston Buy Discount Prices Texas-Directron.com I am not sure what SATA means except that it has a different type wire than IDE. This would fit OK with my motherboard, correct? Thanks for all of your help.

I appreciate your input on the final question, but I mainly need the answers to the ones at the top of my post. Any help?

mjf said:

If your heart's set on 500GB ok.
But why not just get 1TB (eg. Caviar Black or Seagate Barracuda). What are they US$100 or less.

"...I am not backing up my Program files, because if there were a problem in the future, they would have to be reinstalled anyway, is that correct? "

NO! Unless I'm missing something. Keep a couple of system images. When disaster strikes restore and everything's back OS, your programs - the works within say 20 minutes. (a little longer if you need to stick in a new HDD).

Should I put my Programs and OS on the same partition and back them up on the same partition of a different drive? Then when disater strikes, I would just restore from the system image and be set to go?