Install question

[Celticsfan]

Just wondering what you guys do when you get a new hard drive and put a new OS on them. Do you just install the OS on them or do you use some sort of software to format it then install the OS?

thoughts?

thx

 

[eyeCpc]

For a brand new hard drive the term "raw" is used there to describe an unpartitioned and unformatted drive not ready for use. You first need to partition the drive according to the way you want it like one single OS primary with Linux generally seeing a second swap partition for virtual memory or a second storage partition as often seen for Windows or Mac.

Once the drive is partitioned the one or more partitions are formatted for use with the file system used by the OS to be installed. For NT cored Windows 2000, XP, Vista, and presently 7 in beta form that would NTFS 5.0. The OS installed will then assign a logical drive letter to each partition.

 

[Remeniz]

I've always installed the OS onto a fresh drive without using any additional software.

During the install you choose to format the drive anyway.

 

[worshipme]

I just put the OS disc in and install, I don't really need partitions.

 

[Neodude1123201]

Yeah,When you insert the OS Disk,You will be able to format your drive through that.

 

[Celticsfan]

Well, some people on other forums suggested partitioning a HD for the OS only and putting personal data and things on a different partition is a better idea. Do you not agree with this?

Thoughts?


thx

 

[Atomic Rooster]

If you have a large drive, then it would be a good idea to partition it for separate OS and data parts. That's how I have my 250GB drive. The first half is for the OS and programs, the second part is for files, pics, downloads, etc.

 

[Celticsfan]

Is it a better idea to separate programs from OS when d/l and installing?

thoughts?

thx

 

[Kage]

I do agree with the partition idea.

Some people buy a very small but reliable hard drive for the Windows installation, which stays as drive C, and then buy a bigger hard drive for media.

Others prefer to buy one big drive, and partition, which is basically what I have got with 2 drives set to RAID 1 to mirror each partition onto both drives just incase one drive dies.

So its up to you. You'll always want a back up either way, but its said that things will run faster if you split the two, and will make programs/media easier to sort from one another.

In the end, keeping the OS partition seperate is a good idea, because something I forgot to mention, is that if something ever happens to the Windows partition, you can just wipe that clean and still keep all your data.

 

[Atomic Rooster]

Is it a better idea to separate programs from OS when d/l and installing?

thoughts?

thx

Not really. If you ever have a problem and have to reinstall the OS, your going to have to reinstall your programs too. I typically have a download folder on the second partition (D) that I d/l all my stuff into. When you run program installers, they will install to the C: drive from wherever you downloaded them to.