Max number partitions

[JohnnyHodges]

I bought a new desktop machine and, to make backups simpler, want to create a large data-only partition by contracting the C: drive that has the OS and also the data. But I have read that there is a limit on the number of partitions. Here is a diagram of the drive:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2067151/partitions.JPG


Can I shrink the main partition and create a new one? This disk came with 5 partitions. I don't actually know what the first 3 are for.

 

[ArtPog]

The first three partitions were basically created by the OEM that are best *not* manipulated in any way by you, the user. They take up only about 2 GB of disk space and since you apparently have a 2 TB HDD, that 2 GB amount of disk space is rather trifling.

The fifth partition contains system recovery data set up by the OEM. Let it be at least for the time being.

The partitions on your drive contain the GPT partitioning scheme so the amount of partitions you can create is virtually unlimited.

But do you really need to multi-partition your current C:\ partition? By & large there's really no advantage in setting up another partition to contain your programs. Your system will not perform any faster "boot-wise" or any other way should you have one partition containing your OS and another partition for your programs & other data. And there's really no added system security you truly gain through this multi-partitioning scheme.

But if your heart is set on multi-partitioning the current C: partition, it's easy enough to do this. You would simply access Disk Management, right-click on the C: partition's graphic and select the "Shrink Volume" option. Then proceed through the various windows to shrink the partition by whatever amount you desire (subject to a minimum as the process will inform you). Be extremely careful with this procedure. Make sure you've selected the C: partition and entered the correct amount of disk space to shrink. You don't want to make any mistakes here.

Following the C: partition shrinking, Disk Management will reflect "unallocated" space, i.e., the remaining disk space of the original C: partition, which you can then create a partition (volume) and format it.

But do you really need to create a partition simply to contain your program data? Give this a bit more thought.


EDIT...
I think *I* should have given this more thought. There may be a valid reason why you SHOULD multi-partition your C: partition. By & by there's a good chance you'll be thinking about adding a SSD to your system that will serve as your boot drive. Given the cost of those large-capacity SSDs the likelihood is you'll probably purchase a SSD with a more modest disk capacity, say, 256 GB or maybe 500 GB. So perhaps at this early stage when your PC is new, perhaps it would be wise to create a rather small partition to contain your OS + some additional disk space to contain a reasonable amount of program data - perhaps a total of 500 GB or so. That way if & when you do purchase a SSD it would be a relatively simple matter to clone the contents of your partition containing the OS to the SSD. (The disk-cloning is only effective when the total data cloned does not exceed the disk space capacity of the destination drive, i.e., the SSD). In that way (the disk-cloning way) you wouldn't have to go through the onerous - even tortuous - task of reinstalling all your programs.
Anyway, I thought I would amend my original response.

 

[JohnnyHodges]

The first three partitions were basically created by the OEM that are best *not* manipulated in any way by you, the user. They take up only about 2 GB of disk space and since you apparently have a 2 TB HDD, that 2 GB amount of disk space is rather trifling.

The fifth partition contains system recovery data set up by the OEM. Let it be at least for the time being.

The partitions on your drive contain the GPT partitioning scheme so the amount of partitions you can create is virtually unlimited.

But do you really need to multi-partition your current C:\ partition? By & large there's really no advantage in setting up another partition to contain your programs. Your system will not perform any faster "boot-wise" or any other way should you have one partition containing your OS and another partition for your programs & other data. And there's really no added system security you truly gain through this multi-partitioning scheme.

But if your heart is set on multi-partitioning the current C: partition, it's easy enough to do this. You would simply access Disk Management, right-click on the C: partition's graphic and select the "Shrink Volume" option. Then proceed through the various windows to shrink the partition by whatever amount you desire (subject to a minimum as the process will inform you). Be extremely careful with this procedure. Make sure you've selected the C: partition and entered the correct amount of disk space to shrink. You don't want to make any mistakes here.

Following the C: partition shrinking, Disk Management will reflect "unallocated" space, i.e., the remaining disk space of the original C: partition, which you can then create a partition (volume) and format it.

But do you really need to create a partition simply to contain your program data? Give this a bit more thought.


EDIT...
I think *I* should have given this more thought. There may be a valid reason why you SHOULD multi-partition your C: partition. By & by there's a good chance you'll be thinking about adding a SSD to your system that will serve as your boot drive. Given the cost of those large-capacity SSDs the likelihood is you'll probably purchase a SSD with a more modest disk capacity, say, 256 GB or maybe 500 GB. So perhaps at this early stage when your PC is new, perhaps it would be wise to create a rather small partition to contain your OS + some additional disk space to contain a reasonable amount of program data - perhaps a total of 500 GB or so. That way if & when you do purchase a SSD it would be a relatively simple matter to clone the contents of your partition containing the OS to the SSD. (The disk-cloning is only effective when the total data cloned does not exceed the disk space capacity of the destination drive, i.e., the SSD). In that way (the disk-cloning way) you wouldn't have to go through the onerous - even tortuous - task of reinstalling all your programs.
Anyway, I thought I would amend my original response.

 

[JohnnyHodges]

Thanks very much, ArtPog -- just what I was looking for.

I use my computer intensively, but I cannot keep up with all the hardware and software changes and news. So I have to re-educate myself when I have a problem.

I first heard of GPT when researching partitioning this week. I assume that I don't need to be concerned provided that I maintain all the existing partitions, and I agree, the sizes are trivial, even the Lenovo recovery partition. As I recall, Lenovo in it's original description of the system said this was a hybrid drive. If so, would I get any benefit from booting off a pure SSD?

I wasn't totally clear about my intention. I want all the program files to stay on the c: partition and only documents, probably the Users folder, to be on the new partition. Then data backups to outboard USB drives won't have to include all program files. Perhaps that isn't worth worrying about since most program files don't change?

On the SSD subject, how exactly would I do that? Could I use Clonezilla (I've used it to clone a Linux drive, and I understand that it is reliable) to clone each partition except the data partition and write them to the SSD in the same sequence?
--JohnnyHodges

 

[ArtPog]

1. Insofar as your first question re the performance of an SSD (as compared with your hybrid drive) in terms of boot time - while there probably won't be a heck of a difference in that area between the two, it's virtually certain the "pure" SSD will boot the OS (+ any startup programs) quicker. It's impossible (at least for me) to give you any precise time comparisons.

2. However, the SSD will substantially outperform a hybrid drive in general performance - accessing programs/data, read/write functions, and the like. There's simply no comparison between the two types of drives in terms of general performance.

3. Before I respond to your question involving the possibility of adding a SSD to your system and the further possibility of using the Clonezilla cloning program for "data migration" purposes, I'd need to have the following information...
A. What size (disk-capacity) SSD would you contemplate purchasing? I suppose another way of asking that question is what is the outside limit of the $ you could afford?
B. What are the present TOTAL contents of your C: drive? Naturally this partition currently contains the OS (aside from the 260 MB System Partition), but are there other programs that you've already installed on that partition?
C. As to that 500 MB "OEM Partition"...do you have any idea precisely what that partition contains? Do you know whether it would it be necessary to transfer whatever data is on that partition to a boot drive? Or does that partition just contain the usual bloatware provided by the OEM?

 

[JohnnyHodges]

Art, I think I am not serious about getting a SSD at the present time.
I have about 70 gigs on the disk at the moment--more than I expected, since I have all my media--tunes, videos, pdfs and text--on an outboard drive for the moment.

But if you woudn't mind continuing the discussion, My current setup replaces a 7-yr-old Vista machine, so I am pretty pleased with the performance that I am getting.

As for that 500 mg OEM partition, it doesn't show up in Windows Explorer, so I have no idea how to look at it, short of going to a live Linux distro.

john

 

[ArtPog]

Re: your "outboard drive" (a USB external HDD?) that apparently contains the bulk of your total data contents...in GB, what is the total data on that drive? I assume all your programs are installed on the C: drive (that contains about 70 GB of data), right?