Windows 7 Is a 1 TB partition too big? Advice on re-partitioning requested

tazenda · Oct 31, 2012

On my 64 bit Windows 7 desktop, I used to have two Western Digital 500 GB drives, each with one partition (C: and D: respectively). But recently those two drives both started failing their self-tests; so I am replacing them with two 1 TB drives.

So then I'll have two partitions, C: and D:, each of which is 1 TB in size.

Would you recommend splitting each drive into two or more partitions (so I would end up with at least four partitions total)? Or is a 500 GB partition for C: considered rather small with the advent of ever larger Microsoft bloatware?

I guess in general I don't know what the pros and cons are for having more or fewer partitions.

Saltgrass · Oct 31, 2012

As you know, 1 TB partitions are not legally too large.

But how you partition would need to meet your work habits. One thing I consider is system recovery. Will you be making a backup image to restore your system..if so you might think about what would actually need to be in the image and what type of data could be stored elsewhere.

Other than that, your drives are basically just a filing cabinet and you just need to consider what would be more efficient for you.

Joe S · Oct 31, 2012

Depending what you use the computer I'd suggest about a 100 gig partition for system and programs and leave the rest for data. That makes imaging the system and restoring it simple without messing with the data.
Joe

tazenda · Oct 31, 2012

Yes, as it turns out, I'm now having to make image backups of C: and D: both for safekeeping and in order to move those images to the new replacement hard drives. (I use Paragon myself.) And yep, since each partition is 500 GB in size, those image backups are taking quite a while.

Joe S · Oct 31, 2012

If you shrink the system to 100 gig like mine it only takes less than 20 min to image or restore with USB 2.0 drive. It's even faster on a second internal drive.
Joe

cliffordcooley · Oct 31, 2012

The answer you are asking for depends upon user preference.

tazenda said:
Or is a 500 GB partition for C: considered rather small

To answer this question, I am currently using a 60GB SSD for my Windows 7 OS partition. The smaller you can keep your OS partition, the easier it is to store OS recovery images.

shubhamstunter · Nov 3, 2012

cliffordcooley said:
The answer you are asking for depends upon user preference.
To answer this question, I am currently using a 60GB SSD for my Windows 7 OS partition. The smaller you can keep your OS partition, the easier it is to store OS recovery images.

I somehow disagree with your comment.
my opinion is that less partition more size easy working and finding.

cliffordcooley · Nov 3, 2012

shubhamstunter said:
I somehow disagree with your comment.
my opinion is that less partition more size easy working and finding.

Nothing is easier than never looking for files on the OS partition. The only files I need to look for are the ones I place on the Data Partition. How much easier can you make it?

Windows 7 Is a 1 TB partition too big? Advice on re-partitioning requested

tazenda

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Saltgrass

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Joe S

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tazenda

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Joe S

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