Partitioning main internal SSD: Where to save things and how to partition?

[FoxSay]

Hey guys!

I have a 500 GB SSD internal hard drive. I set the OS partition for just over 50 GB. I plan to partition it like this:

• 
  Have another 50 GB partition for my favorite games and most used programs
  A 150 GB partition for programs and other games, or 75 GB partition for programs and a 125 GB partition for other games
  A 200 GB partition for documents and files
  50 GB left over space for recovery or whatever I might need

My question is:

Is this a good partition scheme? If not, what would you recommend?
Where should I save or install programs and such?

Is there anything I will need to save on the main OS partition? I save everything else on the other partitions?

 

[Wamphryi]

Worst thing you could do really to no advantage. Games and programs often default to location when installed. Programs meant to be on C: may or may not work on D:. If you have to reinstall you will have to reinstall your programs anyway. If the drive fails you will lose the lot regardless. The normal method is to use the SSD for everything and use a HDD to back up what is required.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I have partitioned every storage device (HDs, SSHDS)on every build we've done over the last 20+ years so I am a big fan of partitioning. I generally don't partition SSDs tho as most users aren't buyinmg them big enough to make worthwhile. However 50 Gb is way too small.

With modern games at 40 GB, two gaming partitions is a bad idea

50 GB is too small for backups recovery.

500 GB is too small for everything

Scenario 1 - A 120 GB SSD and 2 TB SSHD:

Remember 120 GB = 112 GB of actual space, 95 GB after leaving 15% free space. Here we put the OS and drivers / utilities on the SSD. In time your OS footprint will grow to 80GB if you are astute windows user. I am asked to clean the junk off 120 Gb OS Only SSD drives all the time.

The SSHD gets partitioned to user needs and usually the 1st will be a gaming partition as the outer edge of the drive is twice as fast as the inner. Sizes vary by user but the most common choices are:

Games
Programs
Data
Backups

On a 2 TB drive with equal partition sizes, each partition would hold 465.72 GB of files. This works extremely well as the games on the SSHD are on the fastest part of the drive but more importantly, the built in SSD on the drive will store your most frequently used files .... less benefit if you play 8 different games a day but if, like most, you will play say FC3 and then move on to FC4, your games will load at SSD like speeds and when you move onto a new game, the old files will automatically get moved off and the new game's loaded on.

You can repair a fudged OS by restoring it from a image file without having to worry about programs. You can even wipe the drive and install fresh. You will have to install programs over themselves to set up the registry entries for them but all custom toolbars and customizations for the programs, etc will remain intact.


Scenario 2 - A 240 GB SSD and 2 TB SSHD:

User specific and everything above applies, you could do one partition with OS and programs if it's a work and play box with everything else as above (minus programs partition of course) or if more gaming oriented, split it into 2 partitions of about 112 GB. Again, remember that since manufacturers redefined GB back in the mi 1990s, each GB of storage = 0.93 GB or actual file storage space.

So...

A. 112 GB for OS / Drivers / Utilities / Programs .... rest on SSHD

SSHD gets Games / Data / Backup partitions

B. 112 GB for OS / Drivers / Utilities + 112 GB for 2 -3 games on fav games partition .... rest on SSHD

SSHD gets Other Games / Programs / Data / Backup partitions

I'll note that on my test box, which several peeps use, I keep moving their game locations around w/o telling them. No one notices whether they on the SSD or SSHD.


Scenario 3 - A 500 GB SSD and 2 TB SSHD:

Here's I'd do the a 233 GB OS and Programs and a 233 GB "Fav Games" partition....

SSHD gets Other Games / Programs / Data / Backup partitions


If you are not going to get a SSHD or HD, then I'd make 1 partition for the OS and 1 partition for everything else.

 

[FoxSay]

I have external backup drives I use for large storage, and I don't keep many games on my PC. My goal is to have everything nicely sorted away from my OS so I don't get things dragging it down, no extra processes, program's files don't get tangled with the OS's etc. etc. Most partitoning advice I see advises around 100-120 for the OS partition. Why would I need 233GB? Even with the updates, Windows 7 OS only takes up about 30-40GB. The whole reason I am partitioning my drive is to keep as much as possible seperate from the OS and each other.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

233 suggestion was OS + programs... there now little advantage to a separate programs partition as the OS eats up so much more volume in comparison.

1. You just think you are keeping them separate .... so many programs today install "common files" on C:\ when you install the program on D:\

Autodesk 2016 is taking up 2.06 GB on my programs partition

It also installed 34 folders and 4.21 GB on my C drive

My programs partition is 14.6 GB ... by comparison, the compressed back up file for my e-mail accounts is 17.1 GB which by the way, unless you have moved it as I have, sits on your C drive.

I have been in the habit of making a separate programs folder since the time I paid $1,000 for a then unheard of 1 GB drive (windows installed off 3.5" floppies then). But even with Adobe Suites, Office Suites (two) and Autodesk suites on my drives, I noted that I eventually had these huge partitions sitting empty.

So on the last build, I put the OS (85 GB after 1.5 years) and the 52 programs (15 GB) on the same partition