[SOLVED] Windows 10 OS, Program & Data Separation SSDs or HDDs

[SimiGuy]

Hi.. I have just built a new Windows 10 PC with a 250 GB SSD (OS + ?) , 1 TB SSD ( User Data Files), 7200 RPM HDD & 5400 HDD (Flex Server Video)
Originally I only had 1TB SSD & the HDDs, but research seemed to indicate I should have OS on a single SSD and the rest on the other.
My old system total Windows and data totals around 500GB.
I suspect I have over killeded things a bit not by GB certainly or TB, but having two HDD as well.
My goal for the system is the have the OS separated from data and easy to restore if necessary in the future and data separated for ease of backup. I have used automated backup to both extra internal and external drives with reasonable success. I tend to fill drives due to bad strategies.
I would love some clear recommendations as to how to split my OS, programs and user data files given my current hardware.
My concern now that I have added the 250GB SSD is that it is not enough, but I hope that is not the case. Many articles indicated it was optimum, but I am finding more now suggesting 500 - 1 TB.
Thank you.

 

[Lafong]

That's a pretty good idea.

250 gb may well be enough for Windows and all of your applications. I use a 128 GB SSD for that and have NEVER used more than 48 GB. Right now using 43.

It's up to you to determine if 250 GB is sufficient in your case.

How large are these folders on your C drive?

C:\Windows

C:\Program Files

C:\Program Files (x86)

On my C drive, those total about 32 GB, with C:\Windows being the largest at 26 GB.

Do yours total 40? 100? 150? 200?

 

[Bob.B]

Hi.. I have just built a new Windows 10 PC with a 250 GB SSD (OS + ?) , 1 TB SSD ( User Data Files), 7200 RPM HDD & 5400 HDD (Flex Server Video)
Originally I only had 1TB SSD & the HDDs, but research seemed to indicate I should have OS on a single SSD and the rest on the other.
My old system total Windows and data totals around 500GB.
I suspect I have over killeded things a bit not by GB certainly or TB, but having two HDD as well.
My goal for the system is the have the OS separated from data and easy to restore if necessary in the future and data separated for ease of backup. I have used automated backup to both extra internal and external drives with reasonable success. I tend to fill drives due to bad strategies.
I would love some clear recommendations as to how to split my OS, programs and user data files given my current hardware.
My concern now that I have added the 250GB SSD is that it is not enough, but I hope that is not the case. Many articles indicated it was optimum, but I am finding more now suggesting 500 - 1 TB.
Thank you.

A common way to split this is to have the OS and apps on a ssd and data on a hdd.

Ssd size?.....unless you have a boat load of apps or super- sized apps 250GB will be fine.

Hdd?.....some folks use one some folks use many.....your call.
Some folks will use a ssd instead of a hdd.....your call.

There's no one size fits all answer we all run our machines different.

 

[SimiGuy]

That's a pretty good idea.

250 gb may well be enough for Windows and all of your applications. I use a 128 GB SSD for that and have NEVER used more than 48 GB. Right now using 43.

It's up to you to determine if 250 GB is sufficient in your case.

How large are these folders on your C drive?

C:\Windows

C:\Program Files

C:\Program Files (x86)

On my C drive, those total about 32 GB, with C:\Windows being the largest at 26 GB.

Do yours total 40? 100? 150? 200?

My old system is a Mish Mash Rebuilt hardware originating from Old Vista machine that fried, revived to Windows 7, Intel Core2 6400, 4 go ram and have many many years of data restored to the drive. That said, here are the Win 7 numbers.
C:\Windows. = 51.5 GB
C:\Program Files = 26.3 GB
Total. = 77.8 GB
Documents, Pictures, Music & Video = 95GB
Total = 173 GB

System Disk Stats indicate 329 GB Used, leaving 156 GB unaccounted for, but the Downloads are 32 GB and I am going to be very selective what I bring over. I will likely archive things on CD and external drive, before shutting down the old beast.
Thanks for the replies.

 

[USAFRet]

OS and applications on one drive, other stuff on other drives.

Size is all on you.
A 250GB as the only drive is fine for my wife, would not be enough for my OS+application drive.

 

[Lafong]

Do you have anything at C Program Files (x86)??

Do a "Disk Cleanup" including system files on C.

That may reduce stuff significantly.

Offhand, it looks like you will be fine with 256 for OS and apps.

What is the grand total under:

C:\users\your user name whatever it is

??

Do you keep all of your docs, pix, video, music there?

Or elsewhere?

Up to you to find out where all that stuff lives.

I save nothing on C and don't use C:\users\my user name deliberately at all. I don't use "libraries" and save to D direct. Use whatever protocol you are familiar with

 

[SimiGuy]

My old Windows 7 system is 32-bit, so no Programs (x86). It is my understanding only 64-but machines running 32-bit apps would have this. So, my total Documents, Pictures, Music & Video = 95GB, I am sure I have a bit of other stuff I will find such as faxes, etc., but it should not amount to much and it is my understanding I will be putting those things on my 2nd 1TB SSD?
Not using C:\users\my user name and “libraries” sounds interest, but wondering if it might be biting off more than I can chew related to future Win 10/11 OS, App and Backup Program implications. I would be interested in further thoughts on this. Some reading I did on this seemed to indicated some registry changes necessary and a hand full of Windows Settings to do the work arounds.
Thanks for the feedback.

 

[USAFRet]

My old Windows 7 system is 32-bit, so no Programs (x86). It is my understanding only 64-but machines running 32-bit apps would have this. So, my total Documents, Pictures, Music & Video = 95GB, I am sure I have a bit of other stuff I will find such as faxes, etc., but it should not amount to much and it is my understanding I will be putting those things on my 2nd 1TB SSD?
Not using C:\users\my user name and “libraries” sounds interest, but wondering if it might be biting off more than I can chew related to future Win 10/11 OS, App and Backup Program implications. I would be interested in further thoughts on this. Some reading I did on this seemed to indicated some registry changes necessary and a hand full of Windows Settings to do the work arounds.
Thanks for the feedback.

Windows, from Win 7 and later, have gotten really good at using different locations for your "files".

You do NOT have to save things to the default Libraries.
Most applications, and WIndows itself, will default to the last place you saved to.

So...Save something to a folder on the D drive.
The next time you save something with that application, it will default to that same location.

It used to be you needed to cause the Libraries to be somewhere else, but no more.