Disc management question for a clean install

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  1. Posts : 178
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
       #1

    Disc management question for a clean install


    Hi all, I'm having fun and games at the moment with a backup nightmare on another thread.

    I'd like to ask you experts who know the MS OS very well your thoughts on the following:

    I am looking to do a clean vanilla install again and use easy transfer to move the two users on the system.

    My system has the following drives:

    Velociraptor 10K 300gb drives x2
    250gb drives x2
    500gb drive x1

    Currently the 10K volumes are in a raid 0 and hold everything - all users folders, the whole shooting match.

    The 2x 250gb drives are sitting idle, I had planned to have each user holding one drive for their files, however I did a test with my own user folder and some files wouldn't move and others deleted etc
    (in mac OS we just use location manager to 'point' a folder like 'user saverio' to another volume - and it's that easy.)

    The 500gb volume is currently acting as a dump; scratch discs, disc ISO's and music folders backup etc.

    If you had these volumes, how would you organise your system? Would you raid or not?

    thanks for your thoughts in advance and I look forward to seeing how the experts would do it!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 4,925
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #2

    I currently have 6 hard drives connected to this system.

    Two raptor drives in RAID0, a raptor 36gb for web browser profiles and OS pagefile., 1 1Tb hard drive has my games on it, another 1Tb drive is used as a dumping ground, download area and user files (this includes my pictures/documents/videos), yet another !tb drive holds all my music. This way there are no important files on the OS drive so it can be formatted at a moments notice.

    Before I do format c: I always backup my c:\users\<account>\appdata (which is hidden) folder to another drive. This folder contains all your program configurations and also your emails if your using either WLM or Outlook.

    If you have further more specific questions, just ask
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 178
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Swarfega, thanks for the advice!

    I've seen this invisible folder, and wondered what was in it! is this what easy transfer uses when it builds it's file?

    Could I ask what you mean by browser profiles?

    I was looking to do the same thing with the page file myself, where do you keep your applications? i understand that windows really doesn't like the programs folder moved.

    One last question, how did you move the user files? I tried it with the move command and it all went very tits up! is it best to do it before you restore all the user data say with easy transfer?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 4,573
       #4

    saverio said:
    Velociraptor 10K 300gb drives x2
    250gb drives x2
    500gb drive x1
    Wow, this is actually a bit tough for me. I prefer smaller drives for the OS/PAGE. Please note that I recommend a customized installation placing the SystemDrive and UserProfiles on separate volumes.

    I would RAID0 the 250's for the OS, RAID0 the Raptors with two partitions for the user files, and use the 500 as my archive, but I would add another 500 and mirror the two 500s. There is just so much wasted space on the RAID0 System Volume.

    The performance diff between RAID0 2x Raptor and RAID0 2x 7200 rpm drives approaches neglible.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 178
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Antman, when you say place the system drive and user profiles on different volumes can you do this during installation or is this a post installation op.?

    I was thinking of selling the two 7200 250's and getting some smaller (150 or 80) 10K drives instead.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 4,925
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #6

    saverio said:
    Swarfega, thanks for the advice!

    I've seen this invisible folder, and wondered what was in it! is this what easy transfer uses when it builds it's file?

    Could I ask what you mean by browser profiles?

    I was looking to do the same thing with the page file myself, where do you keep your applications? i understand that windows really doesn't like the programs folder moved.

    One last question, how did you move the user files? I tried it with the move command and it all went very tits up! is it best to do it before you restore all the user data say with easy transfer?
    Ive not used easy transfer myself so we'd need some one who has to confirm it. I know that backup and restore does backup the appdata folder.

    I keep the applications on c:, its not too much bother to reinstall them.

    Browser profiles contain things like personal details, cookies, plugins, cache files etc.

    Moving account subfolders:

    1. open windows explorer
    2. go to c:\users\<account>
    3. right click on one of the folders you wish to move and select properties
    4. go to locate tab and click on move button
    5. select a new location for the folder (I create a folder first then select that folder in the mover)

    This is the preferred way to move these folders.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4,573
       #7

    saverio said:
    Antman, when you say place the system drive and user profiles on different volumes can you do this during installation or is this a post installation op.?

    I was thinking of selling the two 7200 250's and getting some smaller (150 or 80) 10K drives instead.
    I am working on this now. But my baby girl had me up most of the night and I am not quite focused today. Google WAIK 7. I use two Raptor 78s for my OS volume - currently I have 3 OSs loaded.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 178
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Thanks Swarfega, i'll definitely do it that way next time. I notice that the users account folder itself won't move and that you can only move the folders therein, any idea why that is?

    so how do you move the browser profiles is it done from within the internet settings?

    Antman, thanks for the advice and I've subbed your link :)
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 4,573
       #9

    swarfega said:
    ...This is the preferred way to move these folders.
    In the application of SSDs, I disagree completely. For my own preferences using HDDs, I also disagree.

    For moving user data files post installation, I agree.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 4,925
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #10

    saverio said:
    Thanks Swarfega, i'll definitely do it that way next time. I notice that the users account folder itself won't move and that you can only move the folders therein, any idea why that is?

    so how do you move the browser profiles is it done from within the internet settings?

    Antman, thanks for the advice and I've subbed your link :)
    I would not advice moving the user folder, although you maybe able to do it in regedit.


    Antman said:
    In the application of SSDs, I disagree completely. For my own preferences using HDDs, I also disagree.

    For moving user data files post installation, I agree.

    Im not sure I completely understand what your agreeing/disagreeing to here.
      My Computer


 
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