Optimum Hard Drive Partition

[Guest]

I'm currently using a 30GB Seagate Barracuda II drive. What is the most efficient way to partition a drive of this size? Will smaller partitions make any difference in seek time?

 

[Guest]

It won't help the drive's seek time, but it'll make the filesystem more efficient. Partitioning a drive so that you keep the OS, apps, and data separate also helps prevent fragmentation.

Assuming Windows 98 or Me, I usually set up a drive with a 2 GB FAT16 partition up front for the OS (FAT16 is faster than FAT32), then a big partition for programs, then a partition for data (make this one small if your data is word processing/e-mail/personal productivity; if you're into MP3s and other huge files, then make this one big at the expense of the data partition).

If you do a lot of Internet stuff, I usually add another partition at the end and redirect Web browser cache there, since that's extremely fragmentation-prone data.

The result will be a drive that doesn't get fragmented nearly as often, and when it does, it'll defrag a whole lot faster, which adds up to increased system performance, though it won't necessarily benchmark any faster. How the system feels and how often it has to get maintenance is more important than its benchmark scores.

---
Dave Farquhar
author, <i>Optimizing Windows for Games, Graphics and Multimedia</i> (O'Reilly)
<A HREF="http://thesiliconunderground.editthispage.com" target="_new">http://thesiliconunderground.editthispage.com</A>

 

[Guest]

I may be wrong, but I doubt that WinMe would run on a FAT16 partition, I dont even think that Win98 would

 

[Guest]

you are wrong

***Hey I run Intel... but let's get real***

 

[Guest]

Win98 and WinME will run on FAT16...

 

[Guest]

OK I stand corrected, actually Im sitting at the mo.

 

[dre]

Off the subject, I also have a Seagate Barracuda II 30gig drive. I just purchased it and I'm a bit concern about the drive noise. I have 2 other drives. One is an IBM Desktar 75GXP 46.1Gig 7200rpm and the other is an old WDW 5400rpm. My new Seagate is noticebly louder than my other drives. When ever I transfer files, render, or run bench marks, i can hear the drive chirp away like the old ATA33 drives. I like to refer those drives as "coffee grinders". Benchmark results are fine. The drive runs at a good speed, but it's just so loud. My other drives are so much quieter. Is your drive loud too, or do I have a faulty drive.

 

[Guest]

dre: If the only thing you are complaining about is noise created from drive access, and not drive whine while sitting idle, than it may be the way you have it mounted! Try removing the hard disk from the mounting and rest it on something, like a small towel, or book, but not metal, and see if the noise is still as persistent. If it is quieter than try a different mounting method, may only 2 screws in one side, or one screw in each side, all 4 or 6 is not necessary. You might also try mounting in a different location. If the noise is still as bad, I can tell you that I have that same drive, but in a 20gb version, and it definitely louder than my IBM 75GXP 45Gb drives, but not horribly different, though you can hear it and the IBM's are harly detectable.

 

[dre]

Thanks man, Can I leave it on a towel? Will static be an issue? I guess the drive is working as designed if your drive is definitely louder than your other ones as well. Thanks for the input, I will try diff mounting techniques.

 

[smn198]

I also keep the temp directories and "mydocuments" on a seperate partition

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=1686" target="_new">System spec.</A> Ideas appreciated.

 

[Guest]

Your harddrive requires nothing from the computer other than the IDE and power connection. The case just serves as a mounting place to protect. I have in the past left harddrives laying in the bottom of the PC, if room was available, and run them that way. I have a 10k rpm SCSI drive the is very loud, and when I used it as my primary drive I had to leave it on something like a towel, otherwise mounting it something hard just amplified all of the noise, but on the towel, you could barely hear it.

 

[bighead111]

Hi DaveFarquhar,

Interesting writing!! Could you be a little specific about install the apps eg how to put web cashe into the different partition ect?? Or if you give some link, you can save time. Thanks in advance!

 

[Guest]

you have to be able to partition your drive..

make a small partition (I'd advise in the middle or at the back of the drive).. go into your web browser and point it's cache or temporary internet files folder to that partition..



***Hey I run Intel... but let's get real***