Partioning Windows 7

[Mysts]

One what is the proper size to partition the OS for windows 7

[David M]

After the updates, I seem to remember W7 64 Professional taking around 20 gigs on my hard drive.

Here is the official recommendation..
Windows 7 System Requirements

It says 20 Gigs for 64 bit and 16 gigs for 32 bit. But realistically, who knows how much more drive space the future updates are going to take of your hard drive. I think you would would want to set aside at least 25 Gigs for 64 bit Windows 7....who knows how big the next service pack and all the other updates are going to be.

[MikeMoss]

If you are going to install all your software in the default location on C: make sure it's big enough.
My C:\ partition has about 200 gigs with Windows and my software.
I don't have any Data on C:.

If you are only going to install Windows 7 in it, my Widows folder is 20 gigs so I would leave a little extra.

[glc]

I would not use less than 50 gigs.

[Nuclear Krusader]

Bear in mind that Windows has a folder -the winsxs (winsux, to its friends )- that grows and grows the more you use the OS. I'd use 300 GB as the minimum size for an OS/apps partition.

More info on the winsxs folder.

[johnnywyoming]

What is the benefit of putting the OS in a separate partition? Does this happen automatically during a clean install of Win 7. If not, how do you set a second partition for data and how to you make data go to the correct partition? Is it beneficial to place your other programs on the same partition as the OS?

[johnnywyoming]

What is the benefit of placing Win 7 on a separate partition? Does this happen automatically during a clean install? Should other programs go on that partition too? How do you create the second partition for data? How do you make certain that software programs are going to one partition and data to the other...?

[johnnywyoming]

and... how do I delete a duplicate post?

[Nuclear Krusader]

You can't. A mod could, though.

By default, Windows will try to use the entire HDD as one big partition. You have to go into Advanced Options and therein create your partitions and tell Windows which one it has to install to.

[renowilliams]

As Krusader has stated,you have to tell windows how big you want to make the partition. My advice would be to make at least a 50-60 gig c: partition for Windows 7 and all the programs you normally use. Get all you drivers working for your hardware and do all the windows updates. Then use an imaging program like Acronis True Image to make an image backup to another partition or drive. Also ensure that all data,music and downloads are put on a partition other than C:. This way,if you happen to get a virus that takes the os out,you can recover quickly and have no loss of important data.


P.S. You may need to make the C: partition larger depending on how many programs you like to run.