Partitioning Question. How does it affect Windows, programme

[Major_Disaster]

Hey, im new to this forum with a question... (can be quite complicated - for me anyway - so bear with me).

I have 2 x 250GB Harddrives in RAID Mirror.
It is a Dell computer and so my C drive is partitioned by Dell into a couple of secret small drives, for Dell Symnatec System Restore, that are not visible in My Computer.

I want to partition my hardrive, how does this sound...
50 GB Windows (C)
100 GB Files, Programmes, Documents - Storage (D)
100 GB Backup - Image of D (E).

The thing is... Will this affect the MBR (Master Boot Record) and so make the Dell System Restore Utility not work - ive heard it can be quite picky.

Would this partitioning actually work? I mean i plan on getting Acronis True Image, so i can turn E into an Acronis Secure Zone for images of D.

Now say i get a virus and reinstall XP.

So i wipe C and D. Reinstall windows on C and restore D from E, will the programmes retored to D still work, i mean what about the registry?

Arent programmes intergrated with windows (ie HP software, Panda software as examples to what ive got in my windows folder now)?

So when i wipe C (and presumably the registry and all other files that my programmes have installed in there) and restore programmes they wont be able to find the files that were in windows folder and so not work?

Also where should the page file be?

As a help, could you tell me setup you have?

Sorry about soo many questions.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Proximon]

Some programs are independant of the windows registry... in other words, they can live on D drive while C is reformatted, and still run fine. (They may automatically re-write settings to C, or they may not need to.)

Other programs must be re-installed.

Setting up a pagefile seperate from the windows XP drive does nothing for performance, and can actually slow things down, or so I have been told... I don't know for sure, but would suggest that as long as C is kept defragmented, the pagefile should stay there.

I can't really answer as to what the Dell restore utility wants.

 

[Major_Disaster]

Thanks for the response.

But how do i know what these programmes are that do need windows and dont?

I thought all programmes wrote something in the registry?

Am i going to have to install my apps on the C Windows? But that kinda defeats the point.

Im wondering how others have got around this..

Ok thanks, so ill keep page file with C.

Any more ideas?

Thanks again

 

[g-paw]

If you partition your hard drive, it should not affect the hidden partitions. Second, if you don't want to format the drive and partition before you install Windows, suggest you use a program like Partition Magic. Third, I don't think it makes sense to put the OS on one partition and the programs on a second because if you have to re-install Windows, you'll likely have to re-install the programs anyway. At leaat the reason I partition is to be able to put all my data on a second partition. When Windows has to be re-installed, I just format the C drive, where the OS and programs are, and the data on the other partitions isn't affected.

 

[Major_Disaster]

Thanks.

I dont mind whether i have to reformat the parition or not, but i shouldnt have to with Acronis.

Ok, and by data you mean your my documents folder, music, pictures, right?

How long would you say that it takes you to get back up and running as usual after a windows reinstall then?

 

[g-paw]

Yes, by data I mean, pictures, music, and documents. First, if you don't have your data on a separate partitian or backed up on anther dirve, you'll lose it when you format. Second, you should be able to install Windows and do the updates in an hour to an hour and a half. How long it takes to install the other programs depend on how many programs you have and what they are. e.g., Office 2000 or higher will take a while given how long it takes for the updates. When you do the re-install, you'll have to update your drivers as well. All toldl, I figure about 3 to 4 hours to get everything set up but I have a lot of programs.

 

[Proximon]

An example of a program that will run is World of Warcraft. After my last reformat, I simply went to D drive, made a new shortcut to my desktop, and I was back in buisness. This works for other programs for me as well... but certainly not all. No easy way to tell... you just do it and discover what works when you are done