Partitioning, help quick!

i'm installing o/s for first time on new custom built computer (by me =P, first one). i have to option to create partitions now, what should i do for optimum performance.

i have 80gb hdd

i was thinking

20gb for downloads and shared stuff on network
10gb for o/s and some software
45gb for games and other software

thats 75gb.. i have like 76303mb to divide... i atleast want 2 partitons, one for shared stuff and one for rest...would it be better (performance wise) to create seperate for games and o/s ??

I wouldn't recommend you use multi-partitioning, unless you are dual booting between OS's. Although the theory of splitting everything, so to keep the system running smoothly is good... in practise... it's easier to keep everything in one place.

It's hardly worth splitting an 80gb anyway... when you start touching 200Gb's, you need worry.

Regards,

Paul.

well I too, have a 80 gb hdd:D The problem that I had a whlie ago was that it got fragmented. I had so many files and games on it that I had only 3 GB free space:D
I think it's better if the os runs on a separate partition. that is, if you are going to be moving/installing files ALOT, like me. You could run a defragment every once in a while, but that usually takes a while on my hdd. I'm not sure aobut this, but I think if your os is on a separate partition it's better, because if you install too many stuff, your os partition doesnt get fragmented. That's just my opinion

i use 3 partitions and find it very effective,

i have a os partition (ntfs), stuff partition (ntfs) and an image parition (fat32) when my os gets clogged up i just image the fresh install back on from the image parition which is readable from dos :)

every so often i do put the second image on which just has the os + os patches and install everything else as my app tastes change...

i dont like having a single parition becuase if you screw youre os and have to format you end up messing about backing up you're data.... by having 2 major paritions i can just image a fresh install back on in 10 minutes :) i used to work in a company where it was standard practice to have 2 paritions for this exact reason...

If you do have a massive HD like htat, but ONLY one hd for the computer, its best to partition about 15 GB for O/S and programs, and the rest for Media, games, downloads, etc etc.

that way if you want to reformat its very easy....no backup required as you just destroy one partition and remake it.

One bad point though is that if you're moving files from one partition to the other, its going to be very slow as hte drive head has to keep moving from the beginning to the middle/end of hte drive and back. two hds solves that handily and gives much higher transfer rates.