Hdd. Install New Assy.

[Den]

When Installing a new 60 gig Maxtor hdd. in a new assy. Is it better to use system disk or Maxblast software to format and partition. And are there any advantages or disadvantages to making one large or several small partitions.Thanks
Den

[Mr. C]

Personally I prefer to use a system disk - boot disk actually, I've had occasion to use manufacturers utilities and then go through the whole process again 'cause the OS didn't recognize the partitions. Honestly, I haven't tried MaxBlast though.

I would reccomend you make at least 1 smaller partition for your Operating System, that way when you format and reinstall the OS you can keep all your data safe on other partitions.

Most folks would probably reccomend at least 4;
1 for OS (2G should do fine)
1 for Programs
1 for Data
1 small one for a swapfile

But there's a lotta' ways to get the job done, it's entirely up to you.

[bigjackusa]

I have used Maxblast several times and have found that it has worked fine every time. It is also many times faster than fdisk and format. I usually recommend recommend only 2 partitions; one for the os and programs (if you have to re-install the os from scratch, you will have to re-install the programs too!) and one for data. The size of the partitions will depend on how much data you expect to accumulate (thousands of mp3's or gigs of movies for example might mean a bigger partition for data than the os partition).

[ReSpAwN DeMoN]

ya then you get into problems like.....formatting the first partition you lose the data in the other partitions and it just becomes an infinite tree of garbage.
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My brother had two partitions setup on his computer C for win98 and D for win2k. Now I formatted his C drive not even thinking about D because he had backed up everything from C on to D. I formatted and D became that infinite treet thing. Its probably just me but if its not.......then its something to look out for.

[Den]

Thanks for the replys everyone. Then 2 gig is plenty for the op.sys. Would that be the same for xp as 98. I haven't decided for sure yet which to use. Although 98 has never caused me any problems yet. Sure makes it hard to decide. I have more than 1 comp. and I don't see buying more than 1 copy of an operating system at $150.00 each for my own computers.
Den

[Wiggo]

For 98 yes 2GB* is fine but for XP you'd be better off with 4GB* (*with swap file included). :smokin:
<center>:cheers:</center>

[E^vol]

See, I hate partitions, I don't know why, but I do, so I just have 2 hard drives all the time...The 1st, a small one, for the OS and progs, and the 2nd, a larger drive, for all my data and media.
But that's my preference, and I'm willing to pay for another hard drive.