Installing Windows on a new HD

[aujames]

I am replacing my current system drive (40GB) with a new 160GB drive and reinstalling windows. Should I partition the drive, installing Windows on one partition and using the other for data or just use it as one big drive? Would it be a good idea to put the page file on its own partition?

Thanks,
JD

 

[Robor]

I don't think there would be any benefit to partitioning other than you could reinstall the OS without losing your 'storage' partition. The swap file isn't going to be any faster on another partition because it's still on the same physical drive.

 

[Tarrant64]

Leave the page file options alone. ^^;

Agreed with Robor, pretty much its useful if you wanted to reinstall without losing data. What do you plan on doing with the 40gb drive?

 

[corkyg]

Why not consider cloning your 40 GB drive proportionally to the 160? When done, just move the cables and boot. No reinstalling needed.

 

[aujames]

Thanks for the replies.

I going to use the old 40GB in a old linux box I am playing with.

On the cloding option, I really want to get a fresh install of windows.

JD

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: aujames
Thanks for the replies.

I going to use the old 40GB in a old linux box I am playing with.

On the cloding option, I really want to get a fresh install of windows.

JD

Yeah, normally you would just clone or backup/restore to the new drive and be good to go. If you want that fresh clean powdery feeling of a new install that's cool. I would personally suggest just leaving the new drive as a single partition.

Back in the 9x days folks would reload the OS frequently so the 2nd partition/drive with data safely tucked away was handy. You just really don't need to do the reload thing with XP anymore so the only good reason for partitioning has vanished. Basically, breaking up a drive because of the *percieved* need for a reload will bite you when the *real* need for drive space arrises somewhere down the road.

It's a personal thing of course but my full recommendation:
Clone or backup/restore the drive over to your new one which is configured as one large partition.