Partitioning - What's It Really Good For?

Other than an organiational tool, what use is partitioning?
Is it any different on Win7 than previous?

BeeJ wrote:
> Other than an organiational tool, what use is partitioning?
> Is it any different on Win7 than previous?
>

It also supports multiple OSes. My disks have EXT2 partitions
as well as NTFS. EXT2 are Linux, NTFS are Windows. There
are plenty of different partition types specific to OSes.

http://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/partition...n_types-1.html

Some strange ones, are used to store a restore image for your
PC, like if you buy a Dell/HP/Acer or other, pre-built computer.

If you only use one OS, then yes, the partitions are an
organizational tool. It might make configuring your backup tool
a little easier. I keep a small C: partition for that reason.
Just back up all of C:, and keep it small so it takes
half an hour to back up.

Paul

On 25 Dec 2011, BeeJ <> wrote in
alt.windows7.general:

> Other than an organiational tool, what use is partitioning?
> Is it any different on Win7 than previous?

You can't create a file system until you have created a partition.

On 25/12/2011 10:28 AM, BeeJ wrote:
> Other than an organiational tool, what use is partitioning?
> Is it any different on Win7 than previous?
>
>


Data protection. I routinely change Preferences in apps so that data
generated by them resides on a data-only partition. I also install at
least two physical disks in all machines I build, or use external drives
for the laptops. Then I set backup to store backed-up data on them.
Does this sound like I'm a bit paranoid about data loss? Yes, and I
won't terrify you by telling you why. ;-)

Have a good Holiday,
Wolf K.

On Sun, 25 Dec 2011 07:28:46 -0800, BeeJ wrote:

> Other than an organiational tool, what use is partitioning? Is it any
> different on Win7 than previous?

Safety. Security. Expandability. Like the old adage: "Never keep all
your eggs in one basket." Or partition. Or hard drive.

Stef

On 12/25/2011 2:33 PM, Wolf K wrote:
> On 25/12/2011 10:28 AM, BeeJ wrote:
>> Other than an organiational tool, what use is partitioning?
>> Is it any different on Win7 than previous?
>
> Data protection. I routinely change Preferences in apps so that data
> generated by them resides on a data-only partition. I also install at
> least two physical disks in all machines I build, or use external drives
> for the laptops. Then I set backup to store backed-up data on them. Does
> this sound like I'm a bit paranoid about data loss? Yes, and I won't
> terrify you by telling you why. ;-)
>
> Have a good Holiday,
> Wolf K.

I hear this claim so many times. And I don't know what can of backup
software you use, but most can backup folders and files too vs. whole
partitions. Thus you can have everything on one partition if you want
and have separate backups for data, applications, OS, etc. if you want.

I personally gave up with backup and restore myself. You don't know how
many times I have backed up and later discovered that it won't restore.
The worst is with Acronis True Image with some USB interfaces. So
nowadays I just clone hard drives and you can test the clone to see if
it actually works.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v3.0
Centrino Core2 Duo 2GHz - 1.5GB - Windows 7

On 12/25/2011 9:57 AM, Paul wrote:
> It also supports multiple OSes. My disks have EXT2 partitions
> as well as NTFS. EXT2 are Linux, NTFS are Windows. There
> are plenty of different partition types specific to OSes.

I used to do things that way but it just doesn't make sense to me
anymore. For desktops you can buy removable drive bays and for laptops,
you can buy spare carriers. So I just swap hard drives. And my Alienware
laptops supports two hard drives so I don't even have to swap them.

Plus many talk about backups, but they *only* think of software backups.
I've been doing this for decades and I feel hardware backups are just as
important as software backups. So I don't really have to swap hard
drives, just swap backup computers instead. I have six of these laptops
and I just swap them in and out of three docking stations. No mess or fuss.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v3.0
Centrino Core2 Duo 2GHz - 1.5GB - Windows 7

On Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:37:21 -0600, BillW50 <> wrote:

>I personally gave up with backup and restore myself. You don't know how
>many times I have backed up and later discovered that it won't restore.
>The worst is with Acronis True Image with some USB interfaces. So
>nowadays I just clone hard drives and you can test the clone to see if
>it actually works.

I've been using various version of Acronis True Image for quite a few
years now and haven't had a problem with it.

My principal objection to cloning as a backup strategy is that it
requires more hard drives than it deserves. I can place multiple
backup images on a given backup drive, but that same drive would only
hold one cloned image, unless I'm misunderstanding you.

--

Char Jackson

On 12/25/2011 10:52 PM, Char Jackson wrote:
> On Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:37:21 -0600, BillW50<> wrote:
>
>> I personally gave up with backup and restore myself. You don't know how
>> many times I have backed up and later discovered that it won't restore.
>> The worst is with Acronis True Image with some USB interfaces. So
>> nowadays I just clone hard drives and you can test the clone to see if
>> it actually works.
>
> I've been using various version of Acronis True Image for quite a few
> years now and haven't had a problem with it.
>
> My principal objection to cloning as a backup strategy is that it
> requires more hard drives than it deserves. I can place multiple
> backup images on a given backup drive, but that same drive would only
> hold one cloned image, unless I'm misunderstanding you.
>
Sucks....... !

On 12/25/2011 4:25 PM, Stefan Patric wrote:
> On Sun, 25 Dec 2011 07:28:46 -0800, BeeJ wrote:
>
>> Other than an organiational tool, what use is partitioning? Is it any
>> different on Win7 than previous?
>
> Safety. Security. Expandability. Like the old adage: "Never keep all
> your eggs in one basket." Or partition. Or hard drive.
>

Or computer, or building, or city?