Should I split my 256GB SSD into 2 partitions; One for VHDs?

I'm using an OCZ Vertex 4 that I partitioned as a single drive. I bought it because I started learning about VM's. I have a separate test machine downstairs but I thought I'd set up a VM for WIndows 8 (Since it is unlikely I will ever use it as my primary OS), and for Ubuntu and Windows XP. Mostly just for the learning experience.

I create an image of my C: drive for recovery using Macrium. Which is now huge because of the VHD files.

So; Do you think it is worthwhile splitting the 256GB into two partitions so I have a purely OS/Applications drive, and one for my VMs, or just leave it as is. What do you guys do?

Reading the support forum for Macrium, it appears you can't exclude user defined files from a disk image?

Yes, my data is on a couple of spinners.

I was more wondering about partitioning the SSD. I started with a 120gb which I didn't need to partition, but with a 256GB, I don't need such a big system/app partition.

Just thought I'd check just incase there were any 4k boundary issues, or starting at the correct sector doesn't change with partitioning SSDs

Yes, I had read those before posting. Thanks for providing links.

I currently do not have a recovery partition. When I installed windows on this disk windows created only one partition, at offset 1024, of approximately 238gb.

I can manually do this via diskpart as the second tutorial shows. If I do this manually, and I create 100mb partition will windows automatically use it for the recovery partition?

When I was playing with my 120gb drive it didn't appear to use it, as it was 0% used after windows was installed. So I "cleaned" the disk and let Windows install do what it wanted, which was to not create the recovery partition at all. The same for the 256gb drive.

Hence my query.

Someone stated in a previous post that if the 100mb partition is aligned then the next partition will also be aligned. I am talking about 3 partitions total; 100mb, 80gb and the rest of the 256gb drive.

Since any number * 1024 will always be divisible by 4 then I guess I'm ok.

Right!?

Stick with the the one partition. It's the same drive, so it's not going to net you any perceptible difference.

smarteyeball said:

Stick with the the one partition. It's the same drive, so it's not going to net you any perceptible difference.

Not sure what you mean.

I was contemplating splitting the drive because I have now got several VMs, and they are on the SSD. I image the drive about once a month and I don't want to include the VHDs in the image, so I was going to move them to a separate partition.

F5ing said:

True enough. Why not just store the stuff you don't want to include in your images somewhere else?

Exactly; on a second partition on an SSD.

Isn't there a performance gain to be realised with VMs on the SSD, as opposed to on the spinners?

Or is that what is meant by "no perceptible difference"?