One partition or more?

[headbuster]

Hello
I have a new Dell laptop which came with a preinstalled windows 7
The thing is it has only 1 partition C. I have always had two, C and D, one the for OS and the other for my other stuff.
My question is a bit dumb but here I go: Is it bad if I stick with 1 partition, and install all my software games and keep my music by default in C (like it's supposed to be)?
Thanks

 

[theog]

Can you post a screen shot of Disk management?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-how-post-screenshot-seven-forums.html

Screenshot tools.
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-...ed-method-uploading-posting-screen-shots.html
How to Use the Snipping Tool in Vista - Vista Forums
Snipping Tool - Windows 7 features - Microsoft Windows
Use Snipping Tool to capture screen shots
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9717-screenshot-paint.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/51160-screenshot-upload-using-mwsnap.html
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Use Snipping Tool to capture screen shots

Can you post the specs for the Dell.

 

[richyrichuk]

essentially if u have 2 partitions your creating more work for the drive, no real problems having either.

personally i stick with 1,

 

[Britton30]

Two partitions, one for the OS and the other for data won't gain much. If the drive fails all is lost anyway. As Rich points out, it only creates more work for the drive.
The advantage would be with a 2nd physical drive for data.

 

[headbuster]

I think I will stick with one. It's more organized. Music goes in the music folder, software install in the proper directories and doesn't split...and so on
I just wanted someone's opinion for which I thank you

 

[Bill2]

Well if you've made up your mind, good luck. But be prepared to loose all that music etc. if the OS becomes unbootable/unrepairable or malware strikes. Unless you already have a second copy of all that music etc. on a different disk.

 

[theog]

Make sure you make the Dell Recovery Disks & a Startup Repair CD.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

How to use Dell Recovery Partition, make Recovery Disks, & how to order Recovery Disks.
Dell - Support

 

[whs]

Well, you really have 3 partitions. Thus you can create more extended/logical partitions.

I highly recommend to seperate the user data from the OS. That protects your data when your OS goes on the blink and you are forced to reinstall. If you image, it also makes for smaller and faster images.

I would shrink the OS partition to 60GB (100GB if you have games) and allocate a logical partition in the free space. There you define folders for Documents, Music, Pictures, etc. Then right click on those folders and INcLUDE them into the corresponding libraries. Move your user data into these folders.

This is an alternate method over moving the original user folders to the data partition as described here. There are certain advantages to it and it can be done without any risks.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Valentin.


If you do shrink the OS C: partition and create a fourth partition of that created unallocated space, it will be an Extended partition by default, have a look at Method One #2 of this tutorial at the link below for some additional information and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

Partition / Extended : Logical Drives


​

 

[Doomdodgers]

Always ALWAYS use 2 partitions. Installing miscellaneous stuff in C drive is asking for trouble. And it keeps your stuff in much cleaner order too.

 

[richyrichuk]

Always ALWAYS use 2 partitions. Installing miscellaneous stuff in C drive is asking for trouble. And it keeps your stuff in much cleaner order too.

could you explain how please? apart from a corrupt partition, which could easily happen to either on the same physical drive

 

[bru]

I would shrink the OS partition to 60GB (100GB if you have games) and allocate a logical partition in the free space. There you define folders for Documents, Music, Pictures, etc. Then right click on those folders and INcLUDE them into the corresponding libraries. Move your user data into these folders.

This is an alternate method over moving the original user folders to the data partition as described here. There are certain advantages to it and it can be done without any risks.

This is the part that confuses/worries me. My Disk Mgmt is similar to the OP except my recovery volume comes after my OS C:. If I shrink the OS partition where does my data (~75GB) that is currently in C: go until I move it to the new partition? How can I shrink a 690GB OS C: volume down to 60GB or even 100GB if it has 75GB of data plus the OS in it?

 

[whs]

I would shrink the OS partition to 60GB (100GB if you have games) and allocate a logical partition in the free space. There you define folders for Documents, Music, Pictures, etc. Then right click on those folders and INcLUDE them into the corresponding libraries. Move your user data into these folders.

This is an alternate method over moving the original user folders to the data partition as described here. There are certain advantages to it and it can be done without any risks.

This is the part that confuses/worries me. My Disk Mgmt is similar to the OP except my recovery volume comes after my OS C:. If I shrink the OS partition where does my data (~75GB) that is currently in C: go until I move it to the new partition? How can I shrink a 690GB OS C: volume down to 60GB or even 100GB if it has 75GB of data plus the OS in it?

Just save the data on an external drive in the interim. A 690GB drive you will not be able to shrink to 60 or 100GB with Disk Management - even if it has less than 60GB of data. For that you need to use the Partition Wizard. It can move the MFT that is in the way.

There is, of course, no MUST for C to be 60 or 100GB. It can also be bigger. With a big disk as yours, it may not matter.

 

[headbuster]

Thank you very much for all of your post. I will read the tutorials and see what I can do. I will ask any question if needed and proceed with the process.

 

[headbuster]

I just tried to shrink C but it says I can only shrink it to 320gb because of the unmovable files... that's unfortunate... Having a 320gb C and a 260GB D is pointless :S
---
Also I only asked if I should separate it not because I am afraid to lose files, but because I thought it was bad to have only 1 partition and install all the stuff on it....

 

[Bill2]

I just tried to shrink C but it says I can only shrink it to 320gb because of the unmovable files... that's unfortunate... Having a 320gb C and a 260GB D is pointless :S
---
Also I only asked if I should separate it not because I am afraid to lose files, but because I thought it was bad to have only 1 partition and install all the stuff on it....

Obviously you never read either the posts in this thread or the tuts.

 

[headbuster]

I just tried to shrink C but it says I can only shrink it to 320gb because of the unmovable files... that's unfortunate... Having a 320gb C and a 260GB D is pointless :S
---
Also I only asked if I should separate it not because I am afraid to lose files, but because I thought it was bad to have only 1 partition and install all the stuff on it....

Obviously you never read either the posts in this thread or the tuts.

Actually I read them all several times. I am assuming that this ( second part) will work. The thing is it doesn't say that it ignores the unmovable files so I wasn't sure.
If you don't want to help, it's pointless to reply.
Thank you

EDIT:
nope, it didn't work...

 

[whs]

I just tried to shrink C but it says I can only shrink it to 320gb because of the unmovable files... that's unfortunate... Having a 320gb C and a 260GB D is pointless :S
---
Also I only asked if I should separate it not because I am afraid to lose files, but because I thought it was bad to have only 1 partition and install all the stuff on it....

Did you try Partition Wizard bootable CD (last entry in the link) Free Download Magic Partition Manager Software - Partition Wizard Online

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

The Partition Wizard boot disk will move them but be sure to use the boot CD and not the installed version.


First download the Partition Wizard Bootable Disk (PWBD) ISO file to the desktop, be sure to get the PWBD and not the installed version; scroll down to see the download link for the bootable CD ISO file at this link below.

Partition Wizard Free Bootable CD
​

Then use ImgBurn to burn the ISO to a CD, at no greater than 4x speed with a verify; it was designed for use and works best from a CD rather that a then boot the created CD to make the changes.

ImgBurn Free ISO Burning Software

​

Then use Method Two of this one.

Partition / Extended : Logical Drives

​

 

[headbuster]

I did all of this but nothing changed. The shrink size was the same....Is this possible or should I try again?