Partitioning New Hard Drive

[Cabbage42II]

I'm getting a new computer this summer and I'm probably going to format and reinstall Windows immediately so I can get rid of the bloatware. I'm thinking about partitioning the hard drive so that I have a separate partition for data. Particularly, I was going to mount it as the My Documents folder.

Is there any reason why I should or shouldn't do this? Or is it just a personal preference thing?

I'm asking because I've never done it before but my friend (who has a desktop) has a separate drive that he has mounted as the My Documents folder and I thought it sounded like a slick idea. Thanks.

 

[Elvandil]

It really boils down to personal preference. I too have My Documents on a separate partition (and drive) just because it is then easier for me to back up just My Documents or just my OS partition. Partitioning can be useful for specific purposes, but overpartitioning gains little except complication.

Ideally, having a second drive allows you to image your main drive to a second drive so that in the case of drive failure, you can easily restore your entire system from the remaining working drive.

 

[drifterrr]

I agree its just personal preference. Having 2 partitions, one for windows and one for your files works for me. Windows on the other my files on the next. Keeps my files safe even if I get the blue screen of death