Don't Save Files On Your C: Drive

"There is virtually no reason to backup your operating system or program files, as the event of a crash will likely require a reinstall of those programs anyway."

Au contraire, mon frere.

Setting up and tweaking the OS and getting all the hundreds of program settings just right is extremely time consuming and all that effort will likely have to be duplicated if you simply reinstall the OS/Progs. Best to backup the partition with the OS/Progs/settings using Ghost and/or Acronis to another hard drive, preferably external. Any data worth keeping should be on a separate hard drive and backed up externally.

Also, backups are worthless unless they actually work. Make sure you can actually restore from them by DOING it.

Otherwise, good advice.

OK, maybe I was a little harsh when I said virtually "no reason" but all of those files are replaceable unlike your personal documents and pictures.

For me personally when my computer craps out (software wise) I prefer to wipe the hard drive and start with a blank slate. Yes, it does take a while to get all your program settings just right again but then you're guaranteeing you got rid of any problems that caused the issue.

Plus I advocate wiping your hard drive every few years anyway to clear off any bloatware you might have installed.

With 3TB of internal disk space, it can be tough/expensive to keep a backup of everything.

I agree, even a computer needs a "spring-clean". I always keep a copy of any critical data on a memory stick of considerable size, this way if anything goes wrong with my desktop or laptop I simple plug it (the memory stick) in any other computer available and voila: "bob's your uncle"

Dutchy

It's really not that tough/expensive anymore. My current system has 80 programs and 2.4TB of data and it is all backed up to an external 2TB drive (using high compression) that costs less than $200. This includes images of the OS/Prog partition for each of the preceding three months (18GB per). Since my monthly backups are differential (only the new stuff gets backed up) it takes only a few minutes. Unless I'm building a new system, starting from scratch is simply not a viable option with disk space as inexpensive as it is today.

Setting up and tweaking the OS and getting all the hundreds of program settings just right is extremely time consuming and all that effort will likely have to be duplicated if you simply reinstall the OS/Progs. Best to backup the partition with the OS/Progs/settings using Ghost and/or Acronis to another hard drive, preferably external. Any data worth keeping should be on a separate hard drive and backed up externally.

I'll concur the OP's opinion and raise one of my own because you've made a good point though limited.

Better to create an ISO image of the O/S installation disc and embed all the tweaks and special settings etc.. Also you can update configuration changes to this disc including all applicable O/S updates allowing a single pre-configured repair to your machine when the inevitable occurs, load this one disc and all will return just like before a trouble occurred.

Getting an external hard drive was essential for me when i needed an immediate reimage of my laptop. I now try to keep everything important on the external, just in case... You never know when your computer/laptop is going to crash, better safe than sorry (so cliche, but so true).

I have been using the partition trick for years. The only problem I have had is readjusting the size of the C: partition, to account for M$ bloating it's operating system more with every release.

By installing all programs (after initial OS setup), to the D: drive, then periodically doing an export of the registry, you can save a lot of time on the program re-installation process.

Last February I bought a new laptop that offered partitioned drives. With Kaplin's advice, I was able to move all "my stuff" onto a separate partition very easily. I find that this helps me keep my files more organized, but also allows my computer to run faster.

My previous laptop crashed hard at least 4-5 times (I wish I was exaggerating, but I'm not), leaving me with nothing. Not to mention that I was an undergraduate in college at that time, and was left completely screwed over. Each time it was repaired, I was told that it wasn't likely to happen again. Since I was a student with low funds to buy a new computer, I would hope and pray that the technicians were right - which they weren't.

Knowing what I do about partitioning, I can only shrug off my past experiences. It feels good knowing that I won't have to go through anything like that again.

This is great advice. For years I never even thought to partition the hard drive but it's worth it.

Another advantage to partitioning the drive is it places the O/S drive as first priority chronologically optimizing system stability and speed.

The aspect of increasing drive space over time can be mitigated by not formatting a portion of the drive thereby allowing continued expansion of active partitions without interferences, other than the limits of drive capacity.

In addition an unformatted portion imparts simplicity if a re-installation is required, allowing one a clean install to the unformatted space.

1 more update on windows7. My previous experiences with both vista and windows seven hard disk manager suggested that it would be no problem creating partitions after the operating system was installed.

To this to this and I installed without partitioning the hard drives. I also installed XP virtual machine before I attempted to partition my hard drives. The result has been that I could not shrink the C partition below about 950 GB. Somehow or another window seven had reserved that much space. I had no problems creating a D and E partition in the remaining 1 TB after I shrunk the C partition. D 950 GB approximately, and a 10 GB encrypted drive.

I'm not sure whether this was peculiar to this installation, or whether it has something to do with XP virtual machine. At this point my advice would be to partition the drive during the installation of the operating system if possible, and definitely before the installation of any additional software besides the operating system.

Yes, yes; during and before.

A good size for a Vista system partition is about 35GB and that should be fine for w7 as well, XP 20GB is more than adequate and some go no more than 15GB.

I like to leave about 300GB unformatted for convenience, leaving three primary partitions active and possibly one or two other partitions inactive.

Buy a pen and some paper, a photo album and a hifi system and throw the pile of crap PC in the bin.

Good now let's work together at last count the files included are 16,000,000 +\- 700,000, bring friends and family and a forest or two

Great idea but further explanation from you would help.

I appreciate that the files I create myself go to 'My Documents' (and sub-folders) and are reasonably easy to find because I gave them a meaningful name.

But where are all the files kept (with unknown names) that windows creates when programmes are personalised and customised - email accounts data etc ??

Without knowing the file names it is impossible to select them for back-up, and even if you did a 'blanket' copy, you do not know which ones or where to restore them.

Or do they all go into 'My Documents' somewhere - or am I missing something here.

What files should be copied to the newly partitioned drive.

Some help would be appreciated.

You are right, trying to restore program settings can be difficult unless you are restoring an image of the entire OS.

A lot of them are stored in either (depending on your windows version)
C:\Documents and Settings
C:\Users
check a folder called "Application Data", sometimes it can be a hidden folder.

As for email, if you are using Outlook you can Archive your emails to a file and pick the location. (Default is usually in the folders above)

I have switched all my personal email to Gmail so I will never have to worry about backing it up or losing it. Plus searching Gmail for old emails is way easier than searching Outlook.

Searching Outlook is tantamount to recalling unconscious thoughts

To Kaplin

Re Posts 11 & 15

Thanks for your help.

I don't use partitions as I consider a disc failure is going to affect all partitions on the disc, so I use a second drive.

I've always backed up using the files and settings command in XP, as well as the backup routine - But to a second drive as well as an external drive - just in case....

John

Hello john:

I don't use partitions as I consider a disc failure is going to affect all partitions on the disc, so I use a second drive.

Just a caveat to that point, in the worse case scenario you are absolutely correct, and an external backup the most probable way to protect your data. Though not infallible.

Personally I always partition my hard drives for various reasons. While total drive failures can and do occur, much more often the operating system becomes corrupted, frequently requiring the computer to be reloaded. In this instance a storage partition remains intact, so important files remain on the hard drive and can easily be transferred back into word or spreadsheets. Just one more way of doing a simple backup. The more backups the better.

And just A FYI windows7 incorporates bit Locker Data encryption into the operating system. Both removable Storage Devices and the hard drive or patitions can be encrypted. A separate storage partition on your hard drive can be encrypted to keep sensitive data secure.

Is the 6GB/sec interface just around the quarter?

USB 3.0 devices which run at 5Gb/sec are just coming out.

yes they're cool too, do you know the bandwidth?

I email all of my current work to myself using multiple gmail accounts, and of course do regular backups to secondary storage. The advantage to the email is accessibility - the local Starbucks can become my office!

I've used this method for years. It works. I also like to put applications on their own drive. I had no problem doing this is XP but Vista is another story. I tweeked the registry and got a partial solution but introduced other problems.

Anybody know an effective way to do this w/o screwing up the system?

Thanks

While it is rather slow I copy all my files to a ram drive, then extract to a slave hdd when needed for faster operation. when ram drive is full I just offload to a DVD disc for permanent storage. This wont suit people who have massive amounts of data to store but I find adequate for my purposes.