Windows MEGA GUIDE- Super Partitioning and Special Folders

MEGA GUIDE!!!



This may get moved to Software, but I think it's more of a Modification.

I have been running my system with 7 partitions re-directling windows folders such as C:\program files and C:\My Documents to seperate partitions. Keeping my Windows, Programs, Games, Media, Setting, and Such apart from each other.

The result is MUCH Faster speeds,
Nearly ZERO fragmentation
Better organization
Faster access to files
Easier to back-up
Re-format and reinstall windows without loosing any of your programs, settings, or media.

I was up till 2:45am writing this guide, so READ IT!
(Whole thing done in less than 4 hours though)

The guide it for Windows 2000 but can be adapted to XP

http://www.zapwizard.com/Partitioning

 

i cant wait till someone manages to get the whole alphabet

 

*cough*Linux*cough*

Well done for doing it in windoze though

 

Nice ZapWizard! But where do you store all your non Kazaa downloads? I have mine in a data partitionin a folder called internet but the data partition contains mp3s and movies aswell.

Also is it nessecary to use X-Setup and TweakUI to change the folder paths? I searched the registry and found a key which seems to contain the paths for all the system folders:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

do you think simply changing these values and restarting would do the trick? Also do you need to mount all the drives or is it just for the system folders like Program Files and My Documents? Would the Kazaa folder need to be mounted?

any way cheers for the guide

 

i remember when i first moved to singapore, and buying some (then) uber drives. letters up to 'M'

 

sounds very cool, its allways been done this way with linux and bsd etc.. never thought about doing it with windows...
Will give it a go some day

 

I store all my non-kazaa downloads in the places they go:
Setting- if it's a utility or driver.
Games- if it's a demo or patch.
Media- if it's a movie clip or picture.
Projects- if it's it doesn't fit anywhere else.
There is a folder in projects called programs, that just has tons of misc install files.
--------------
You can hack the registry by hand if you wish, you dont have to use TweakUI or X-Setup, they just make it easier.
-------------
You only need to mount the folders that point to drives.
Example: C:\Program Files to D:\
C:\My Documents E:\
But I can't mount the C:\windows\temp to F:\setting\temp because it is a folder-to-folder not folder-drive.

In either case I only did it for the Program files as many programs are hard-coded to this folder and ignore the registy.
But there is no documents folder on my C:\ drive and I haven't had any programs re-create it.

 

Excellent guide Zap, been meaning todo something similar for ages but laziness always got the better of me.

Quick question though:

How well does moving the program files to another patition work? Because I've always thought that programs are coded to install to default c:\program files\. Do you have to change the path everytime you wish to install something?

 

When I make installs for programs using an install maker called Inno Setup I use theparameter "{pf}" which detects the program files directory. {sys} finds the system folder etc. I guess that's not how all of them work but I hope so. Anyway even if they don't the mounting thing should automatically copy files to the correct partition if something tries to install to C:\Program Files\.

 

As stated Mounting the drive makes the C:\Program files directory automaticaly write to D:\

Programs still install to C:\Program files but Windows automaticaly re-routes them to the D:\ Drive.
(Or you can change it to keep things in order)

Even the command prompt shows the contents of D:\ when you do a dir search for C:\Program Files

The only down side is that Virus scanners and such will search the program files twice.

 

when did ya come to SG? I reside here... hehe

I did this to my current system and the result :: SLOWER SPEED!!

My system files and drivers are in my I drive, which is only slightly more than 2 GB .. have to clean that drive every now and then so that I can download large files.

My Program partition (C) is doing fine. My C drive also works as a temporary downloaded files storage drive and a KaZaa drive. That leaves me with D and E, which D stores MP3s and backups while E stores movies and downloaded stuffs.

I'm running outta space.. HELP!!

NOTE :: I'm ready to receive money anytime, anywhere.

NOTE 2 :: Sorry for hijackign this thread, Zap. I hope u dun mind.

 

just thought of this. If you are using one large drive say 40GB than your performance will be degraded slightly will it not? Hard drive seek times are greatest at the edges of the disk, and if patitions are physiclaly created in chunks from the edge in or viisa versa, your OS would have the slowest seek time, while whatever is in the middle would have the shortesr. You might be able to gain some performance, albeit small by, if you can, putting your most used files in the partitions at the middle of the disk. IE OS, Proggies, and leave the partitoions at the edges for file archival...

 

Nice guide Zap. Might hafta give it a go after I get my new HD and do a clean install.

 

dreamie, lived in singapore from 93 to jan 97, lived in hougang and went to st. gabriels secondaryu school.

still miss the food


i ahve to say, although ive been using this method of hdd spacing for years, this is the best guide ive seen, and a good read to boot


boot, geddit?

 

hmmmm
GREAT idea.....

but I have a question....



ok let say i have my "My Documents"
in drive d: ( disk 1)

and would like windows to do a mirror to drive e: (disk 2)

is there a way I can do it?
using win2k ......


its like raid mirroring.....(if i am not mistaken) in case disk 1 or 2 fails i have a backup....

anyone able to provide help?

 

does ME, as in windows ME act like a maimedllama in this respect. Do you think this could be doem with WindowsMEand a sutiblay decent reg hack?

 

Sure, the only thing that wont work is the Mounting of the Program files directory.

Although you may be able to find third party software that can do what you need. Or you can just change install programs to the right directory each time.

You should still be able to use TweakUI and X-Setup to make the reg hacks easy.

I would search www.download.com for software that can do this.
Windows wont do it by its-self

 

ok I'll try that

 

i know u said not to ask questions about winxp, but for the past 72 hours, i have been without internet as i attempted to install win2k, corrupted both windows bootup files, ended up having to install linux and transfer files i needed to a new partition, then do a clean install of just winxp, so as to avoid this mess again, i am here to ask u about winxp, i am not sure if this happens with win2k, but with winxp, if u have more than one user, it creates another folder under documents and settings, this is where there favorites, history, etc. are stored. i have done a search for every file in the registry containing C:\Documents and Settings, and replaced them all with the correct path, i restart and try to delete all folders in documents and settings, but get the error that it is a system file and cannot be moved/deleted, i go back into the registry, there are like 5 entries that have been reverted to the folder, i have tried doing this in admin account, and almost any other way, is there a way to get winxp home without any users, and do the hack, then create users, and have them appear in the new partition, or any way to do it after users are created, as i have edited over 5k registry entries, my fingers are swollen, and i am getting tired, so any help would be appreciated

 

I dont know about WinXP
But on my system it will make the documents and settings directory for new users, but it seems to keep my stuff in my custom folders.

I have it set to Auto-login my user name on boot.

It still has a documents and settings folder in my C:\ but if I search it, there is nothing new, so new/custom setting seem to go the my new drive.

I have re-stored my system five or six times since I have done this, and eveything stays in-tack, I just have to re-customize the directories.