Best size for partitions?

[Martin_2002]

I'm installing XP on my new WDC 80 GB harddisk (Asus P4S333 MB). I'm using FAT32. Is there any advice regarding the size of the partition - or maximum numbers - from a techical point of wiew? Or is it just the same if the partition is 10 or 20 GB?

Thanks!

 

[MatrixUK]

If its a new HDD have you considered using the NTFS partition the XP is designed to run on instead of fat32.

The size of teh partition depends on what you want to put on it, you can make it as large or small as you like.

 

[Binary]

My favorite is a small primary partition for installing Windows XP into. Then another extended containing at least two logical stations. The first for installing applications into, and the second for data.
I also use the program Ghost to make an image of the C-partition, so that if anything happens you can quickly restore the operating system. This image can be placed on disk or on CD. The reason for keeping the primary partition as small as possible is that you can keep such an image on one or two CD's. With an 80 Gb hd that may not bother you that much, though.

 

[UniSol]

Or you could be fun and make a partition for each group of software/os,

i.e. (f:\ 'appz') (g:\ 'gamez') (h:\ 'linux') ('i:\ 'Downloads')

Thats what I did...

 

[dan0421]

Partition size will directly impact cluster size. Keep the partitions under 8G and you'll have a 4k cluster size.

 

[allan]

With ntfs that's not correct.

But to answer your question, it's strictly a matter of choice. You just do whatever makes you happy - in the end it won't make much of a difference. I do agree with one of the replies though, you might want to go to ntfs.

 

[dan0421]

Over 4G partition in NTFS equals a 4K cluster size.

Go here for more info...

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/file/ntfs/archCluster-c.html

 

[allan]

My error - for some reason I thought he was conveting to ntfs but he clearly is doing a new install.

 

[Lonman]

Nice drive, 80gig... holy cow!!

I have a 45gig drive myself. I have a 2gig primary (C:\) fat32 that I have Win2k installed on. This is my safety net OS. If I bugger up my XP installation, I can still access it's partition and rescue my stuff.

My next partition (D:\) is my XP installation - NTFS (for stability and security) - 20gig. The rest of my drive (E:\) is fat32... I use this one for storage.

Just a comparison. You can set your partitions up in any number of ways. I'd suggest getting yourself of copy of PowerQuest's Partition Magic 7. You can use this program to resize/create/redistribute space on your drive after you have your OS installed. Great little program, works a treat. Have fun and let us know how it goes.

 

[= Indy =]

You can have a maximum of four Primary partitions on any single hard drive, or 3 Primary and 1 Extended.
You can then sub-divide the extended into logical drives (up to about 22, I think, depends on how many letters of the alphabet u got left. lol)

I have a 40bg hard drive. 2 Primary drives and 1 Extended drive which is divided into 2 logical drives.

The First primary drive I use XP 4gb NTFS and the second primary I have Win98 3gb fat32. The rest of the drive is all NTFS

I use a boot manager to switch between the two operating systems, and which ever one you go into is seen as C: drive and the other OS is not seen.

I like to experiment a lot and have made images of my OS'es so I can just re-install em as I like em, when I screw em up, lol

All my data and games etc, I like to keep on the logical drives and just a few progs on the main system drives.

Errr, hope that was useful, lol