Need some advice ... quick

[pmhoran]

In the next few hours ... I am going to be changing the hard drive in my computer. The current ones have both (since yesterday) started loudly whining and it sounds almost like an electrical crackling at times ... so its time to change them BEFORE the thing "implodes" or something.

Trouble is ... its been a good 5 years since I've been inside "the box" and a good 7 or more years since I changed a hard drive.

The new hard drive is an 80 Gb ... which will be replacing the current 15 gig and 10 gig drives.

My computer is a Celeron 667mz with 512mb RAM.

Need opinions ... would it be best to partition the new hard drive? or leave it as one huge C Drive? If you think I should partition it ... how big do you think I should make the partitions???

Thanks for any and all input.
Peter

 

[Exon]

I like 20GB partitions personally - and I highly recommend partitioning.

What I do is all important programs (Windows, Adobe, Chat software, Office/Etc...) on C: drive

Games go on D: drive

Music/Backups on the others.

Hope that helps.

 

[pmhoran]

Thanks for the input John ...

I've figured I had best bring myself up to speed on the "current thinking" regarding partitioning hard drives. Based on everything I have read in the last few hours ... I guess partitioning is very much the suggested thing to do.

I don't get into games or music ... so have been thinking along the lines of your suggestions.

20gb for OS ... 30gb for copying programs on CD to keep on the computer for faster installs etc ... 30gb for downloaded files & programs etc ... and using an extra 15gb HD I have to use for backups.

Now I guess I just have to research my Bios a bit to see if it recognizes these HUGE hard drives or if its limited to the 32 gb limit. Such fun. The hard drive I bought came with absolutely nothing except a slip of paper detailing pin settings etc. I downloaded a utility they have that will allow my Bios to recognize the HD properly ... just in case

All this reading and re-learning is driving me :smilie3: The more I read the more I would like to just :crash:

Take care
Peter

 

[Exon]

Good luck! Keep us informed!