What is the best way or setup for a new drive on a newly built PC using Windows XP Pro. Please explain the advantages to the setup to help me understand why to do this. Thanks!
I create the partitions when I get to the screen to install Windows XP. I first create the partion for the OS, and I usually make that 40GB, max. I make a total of 4 partitions on my hard drive for business work, reasons, but you can get by with two. So, make the rest of the unpartitoned space, whatever is left over, if you only want two partitions. Then, you click on the first partition that you made, and this will be the partion that you want XP installed on. It will ask you what way you want the disc formatted. Click NTFS, and select Quick format. Once you install XP and get things squared away in Windows, you then go to My Computer, click on that 2nd partition you made, and format it, NTFS, also. Okay, the main reason that I do this is I put the OS on the main partition and some programs that I install, but not all. I put all of my other programs and all of my data files on other partitons. That way, I don't have to worry about them, if Windows XP becomes corrupt, and I can't boot into Windows. If I have to format that partition and install XP, all of my data is still intact on the other partition. You will still have to install all of your programs again, but you won't have lost any of your important data. Aside: I do back up my Favorites and my e-mail from Documents and Settings. I put that in a backup folder on one of my other partitions, usually once a week. If I have to reformat, I can import all of that back into my Favorites and e-mail.
