Why Partition Drive Prior to Windows Installation?

[Ph0enix33]

Hello all,

I am installing windows on a new computer, and was watching the series of videos newegg has on the matter. I got to the third episode - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxaVBsXEiok&feature=related and noticed that at about 12:30 into the video, he mentions creating a maximum size partition on the drive before installing windows. What purpose does this serve? Does it merely allocate the full size of the drive strictly to windows, so nothing else can use it? As I am unsure, I figured it best to ask you knowledgeable people, rather than take a blind stab on my own.
Thank you all in advance for any replies!

 

[mcnumpty23]

yes basically it allocates the full size of the drive strictly to windows

 

[DelroyMonjo]

Clarification. The entire partition will use Windows as the OS but you can still load other programs in that partition along with windows. Some people will make a smaller partition (Drive Cand make another partition to hold other programs to try to avoid the eventual fragmentation of Windows which can occour over a period of time when adding and deleting files and apps.

 

[Ph0enix33]

Best answer selected by Ph0enix33.

 

[Ph0enix33]

Thank you both very much! Thank explains it!

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

With Windows Vista or 7 creating a partition using all the space on the hard disk in advance of installing Windows is a bad idea.

Windows 7 will want to install a small hidden boot manager partition before the main partition.

If you mean booting up the Windows 7 DVD (or a bootable USB Windows disk) and during the installation choosing to allocate the remainder of the space for C: or C: & D: that is another matter.

Having a large hard disk divided up into a C: & D: partition is a good idea provided you remember to use D: before you run out of space on C:

If you store valuable data on D: if C:gets corrupted Windows can be restored on C: with less risk to data on D:

regards

Mike Barnes

 

[Ph0enix33]

mbarnes - I am not sure if that is what I was thinking or not. I was planning to follow the steps outlined in the video I linked in my OP. If you don't mind watching it or, more specifically, skipping to the 12:30 mark, let me know if what he is showing is a good or bad idea.
Thanks

 

[Ph0enix33]

/bump

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi Ph0enix33


The video shows the creation of a small boot manager partition and using the remainder for the C: partition.

I was worried you might use a method of creating a C: partition using all the space on the disk before booting from the Windows disk
which would require removing the partition before continuing.


On a new blank hard disk Windows installation would create a small boot manager partition then use the remainder for C: unless you decided to use the advanced option to divide up the disk space into C: & D:

Some manufacturers do this . If you do divide the disk into C: & D: partitions probably the best option is to divide the disk into half.

regards

Mike Barnes

 

[nikorr]

This topic has been closed by Nikorr