HDD configuration

[shupola]

i have a bit of dilema.

i just built my new computer and am having problems installing the os. the reason probably being because the hdd and os came from an old gateway that i no longer use. it is a 20gb, and i have another 10gb that doesnt have anything on it. my g/f was planning on using the gateway when she goes to school this semester. my question is: should i just put the 20gb back in the gateway and put the 10gb in my new one and get a copy of xp? another thing is that i am gonna order a 250gb hdd from newegg by the end of the week, but that means it will not be here until at least next week. since i am off this week, i planned on doing some hardcore gaming so i was gonna pick up a copy of xp locally for 100bucks. that way i wouldnt have to wait a week to start gaming.

also, would windows run ok if i have only it on the 10gb and all my other data on the 250gb? would it run the same as setting up a partition?

sorry for so many questions. thanks in advance.

 

[dragon2309]

should i just put the 20gb back in the gateway and put the 10gb in my new one and get a copy of xp?

Yes you should

also, would windows run ok if i have only it on the 10gb and all my other data on the 250gb?

Yes, thats an ideal solution really. If windows is fcked then your data is still all fine, sounds 100% to me.

would it run the same as setting up a partition?

Well, it would appear the smae inside windows, but its a lot more secure and nice if its on seperate drives.

dragon2039

 

[shupola]

awesome......thanks dragon. that is what i thought. just wanted to check and make sure.

im pretty sure 10gb is plenty of room for xp, but exactly how much space does it take up?

 

[dragon2309]

Direct from the microsoft site to you..... WinXP Pro System Requirements....

According to that link as little as 1.5Gb could be used, ive always though it was around 3-5Gb after you get everything sorted with the OS. so the 10Gb drive would be perfect for the operating system. And perhaps a few crucial backup files could be on there too. Remeber that if your data is on a secondary disk. It is near impossible for a virus to travel across disks, or this was the case a few years back, m not usre if they can now, most probably can, damn virus authors are clever.

 

[krimson_king]

its kind of ironic, because yea, windows xp takes around 1.5g, but it only needs something like 32 mb of RAM (SUGGESTED.....), however, the very banal windows 2000 requires like, twice as much. microsoft crapola...the computer im on right now has a 12.6gb and its running windows xp pro just fine.

 

[randruff]

I would suggest setting your system partition to no less than 20gigs. The additional 10gigs is not going to make or break your storage capacity and can only offer you the security of knowing you may not come close to filling that partition. With different updates, service packs, etc, I would imagine this takes up additional space. Also, the more full a partition is, the slower it will operate. Of course, this is IMO.

 

[ceewi1]

This is all assuming that the 10GB drive is reasonable quality. If it's an older 5400 RPM (maybe even ATA/66) it may run extremely slowly, resulting in increased load times and slower performance. There are certainly some advantages to having a seperate drive for the OS though, and getting the page file off your main drive is one of them. Also, if you ever need to reformat and reinstall windows you have all your data on the 250GB drive, and don't need to back it up to CD/DVD (but this could have been done using a partition as well).

 

[shupola]

I would suggest setting your system partition to no less than 20gigs. The additional 10gigs is not going to make or break your storage capacity and can only offer you the security of knowing you may not come close to filling that partition. With different updates, service packs, etc, I would imagine this takes up additional space. Also, the more full a partition is, the slower it will operate. Of course, this is IMO.

my cousin partitioned 40gigs for his

This is all assuming that the 10GB drive is reasonable quality. If it's an older 5400 RPM (maybe even ATA/66) it may run extremely slowly, resulting in increased load times and slower performance. There are certainly some advantages to having a seperate drive for the OS though, and getting the page file off your main drive is one of them. Also, if you ever need to reformat and reinstall windows you have all your data on the 250GB drive, and don't need to back it up to CD/DVD (but this could have been done using a partition as well).

well, its an older drive.....dont know what speed it is, but i will try to find out soon. hope it will work, because its the only drive i have available right now. how much of difference would i see in a 5400 ata/66 drive verses a 7200 ata/100 for example?