On 5/26/15 11:51 AM, Ken Blake, MVP wrote:
On Tue, 26 May 2015 11:00:14 -0600, Ken Springer
wrote:

On 5/26/15 8:42 AM, Ken Blake, MVP wrote:

Some people have multiple partitions because they believe that it
somehow improves performance. That’s not correct. The effect is
probably small on modern computers with modern hard drives, but if
anything, the opposite is true: more partitions mean poorer
performance. That’s because normally no partition is full and there
are therefore gaps between them. It takes time for the drive’s
read/write heads to traverse those gaps. The closer together files
are, the faster access to them will be.

This is where I have some disagreement. :-)

For the systems belonging to my friends that I reinstalled the OS and
such on, with one partition for OS and programs, and one for data, they
all said the computer ran faster than when it was new.


If the system ran faster after a new Windows installation, there are
many possible reasons why. Whether you are right or I am, do not
assume that the reason why is the partitioning scheme.

I know, and I've no way to check it out, either.


--
Ken
Mac OS X 10.8.5
Firefox 36.0.4
Thunderbird 31.5
"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
and it's gone!"

Ken Blake, MVP wrote:

snipped article

*So How Should I Partition My Drive*

If you've read what came before, my conclusions won't come as a
surprise:

1. if your backup scheme is to image the entire drive, have just a
single partition (usually C;

2. if you just backup data, have two partitions–one for Windows and
installed application programs (usually C, the other for data
(usually D.

Except for those running multiple operating systems, there is seldom
any benefit to having more than two partitions.


I for the most part agree with the article and the 'how should I.." yet
I differ in opinion but only based on the following:

Windows 7 and later user installed or OEM installed by design has more
than one partition (I prefer calling them volumes but for this
discussion I'll stick with the same terminology)
- At the minimum there's a System and Boot Partition in a single disk
sytem.
- OEM's often include other partitions on the single disk (Recovery
partition, Software and/or Drive partition).
- Win 8 and later users and OEM are gradually migrating to GPT instead
of MBR. GPT when done to design intent has 4 partitions.


For desktops with available drive bays my recommendation has always been
to install a second hard disk and create one single primary partition
and divvy it up into folders for personal data (e.g. Documents,
Software, Music, Pictures).

For laptops, create a similar folder structure on the main disk but if
free space is available there is nothing wrong with an additional
partition with a similar data folder structure.

Both approaches creates a behavioral and methodical approach to storing
data external to the o/s.

No matter which approach or type of device (desktop, laptop) it is
obviously necessary to back up the data and the o/s.

Imo, its much easier for folks to understand and execute the need to
backup or image the operating system and backing up (not imaging) the data.

In fact most users (so-called-learned, great unwashed, john doe/mary
janes) will never image their operating system....relying on OEM created
recovery disks or if Windows is clean installed the original Windows
media or Microsoft provided (free) downloadable media for Win7 and
Win8.1. Not always what some of us would do (we'd backup, image
redundantly, run Home Server, try multiple backup software, etc.) but
the majority of us in this forum are not the average user.

Which leaves the primary efforts as noted before to back up their
data..and folks just understand that backing up by copying one or more
folders to external media or even use of included external media
configurable software (e.g. Western Digital Passport tools) is a whole
lot more easy to facilitate.....thus a unique and separate partition
from the operating system's default 'Documents/MyDocuments folders that
deliniated user personal data form the o/s chosen folders may just offer
better understanding on protecting personal data than trying to
understand the ever changing MSFT nomenclature of
C:\Users\usernameDocuments-Music-Pictures-Downloads...add Libraries
and more confusion is introduced.


--
...winston
msft mvp consumer apps

Char Jackson wrote:
On Fri, 22 May 2015 07:30:44 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

On Fri, 22 May 2015 07:30:40 +0100, Mike Barnes
wrote:

Char Jackson wrote:
In the beginning, I remember seeing lots of "balance your checkbook!" and
"organize your recipes!" types of claims. :-)

I don't need a computer to help me with either of those tasks, so I'm glad
that more uses were realized over time.

I've been balancing my accounts using Quicken for probably 25 years,


25 years is about the same for me too.


and
while "need" is slightly too strong a word, I really wouldn't want to be
without it.


Ditto! It makes it *much* easier and faster.

I'm mildly amused. :-) Are we still talking about adding some numbers and
then subtracting that total from another number, or is there more involved?

Yes, more is involved. I match every transaction on the statement (which
stretches over several pages) with my own records. Recent transactions
will be missing from the statement and have to held over for the next
one, and obviously the two balances will differ. In some cases the exact
amounts need some work because my records are in foreign currency and
the statement is in sterling.

And then there are the transactions that my wife forgot to record. :-)

I'm just thinking that by the time you fire up Quicken, you probably could
be done already.

Hardly. Firing up Quicken takes approximately one second.

[I'm principally talking about credit card accounts, not "balancing my
checkbook", if that makes a difference.]

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

.. . .winston wrote on 5/26/2015 6:50 PM:

I for the most part agree with the article and the 'how should I.." yet
I differ in opinion but only based on the following:

Windows 7 and later user installed or OEM installed by design has more
than one partition (I prefer calling them volumes but for this
discussion I'll stick with the same terminology)
- At the minimum there's a System and Boot Partition in a single disk
sytem.
- OEM's often include other partitions on the single disk (Recovery
partition, Software and/or Drive partition).
- Win 8 and later users and OEM are gradually migrating to GPT instead
of MBR. GPT when done to design intent has 4 partitions.


For desktops with available drive bays my recommendation has always been
to install a second hard disk and create one single primary partition
and divvy it up into folders for personal data (e.g. Documents,
Software, Music, Pictures).

Do you do this by relocating the shell folders of the same names?

I.e., is there a relationship between E:\personal\Documents and
C:\[username]\Documents?

On Wed, 27 May 2015 23:23:34 +0100, Mike Barnes
wrote:

Char Jackson wrote:

I'm just thinking that by the time you fire up Quicken, you probably could
be done already.

Hardly. Firing up Quicken takes approximately one second.

[I'm principally talking about credit card accounts, not "balancing my
checkbook", if that makes a difference.]

Makes no difference to me. I balance my bank accounts and my credit card
accounts in near real time.

Char Jackson wrote:
On Wed, 27 May 2015 23:23:34 +0100, Mike Barnes
wrote:

Char Jackson wrote:

I'm just thinking that by the time you fire up Quicken, you probably could
be done already.

Hardly. Firing up Quicken takes approximately one second.

[I'm principally talking about credit card accounts, not "balancing my
checkbook", if that makes a difference.]

Makes no difference to me. I balance my bank accounts and my credit card
accounts in near real time.

What does "in near real time" mean?

BTW I suspect that what you mean by "balance" isn't what I'm talking about.

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

| I'm mildly amused. :-) Are we still talking about adding some numbers
and
| then subtracting that total from another number, or is there more
involved?
|
| Yes, more is involved. I match every transaction on the statement (which
| stretches over several pages) with my own records. Recent transactions
| will be missing from the statement and have to held over for the next
| one, and obviously the two balances will differ.

I do that as well. I have a slip of paper in a draw.
When it gets full I tape a new piece at the bottom.
After making charge purchases, I fire up my trusty
penta-digit computer, feed it a ball point pen, and
write down the price, store and purpose of for the
item. I daresay that firing up the penta-digit also takes
about 1 second, from start to having pen in hand.

My list doubles for my business purchases,
so I like to record customer names under the "purpose"
column in that case. The nice thing about my
penta-digit is that it can easily handle multi-defined
columns and creative notes in margins, which most
database-type tools choke on.

When I get my credit card bill I then fire up the
old penta-digit once again. It write a small check mark
next to each item that matches the purchase list.
Brilliant, don't you think? Best of all, aside from providing
3 meals a day (which I'd eat anyway) my penta-digit
only requires a pen from Staples once every few years.
So it's nearly cost-free and never requires buying
"upgrades".

I do use one "non-organic" machine for my extensive
recordkeeing, however. It's a solar powered, Texas
Instruments calculator that I bought at CVS drugstore
in May of 1985, for $10. I remember the date because
I bought it for my then-new business. To this day I
still don't use a computer for my business, except for
graphics and printing: receipts, business cards, images
of design ideas sent to customers via email, etc. My
business records and receipts are mainly on paper. If
I send a bill it's a PDF created in Libre Office. If I give
people a bill on the job I do it using a sheet of carbon
paper, so that we both have a copy. (I've also had the
same pack of carbon paper for years. Just because new
technology is available that doesn't necessarily mean it's
better.)

On 5/28/15 6:17 AM, Mayayana wrote:
| I'm mildly amused. :-) Are we still talking about adding some numbers
and
| then subtracting that total from another number, or is there more
involved?
|
| Yes, more is involved. I match every transaction on the statement (which
| stretches over several pages) with my own records. Recent transactions
| will be missing from the statement and have to held over for the next
| one, and obviously the two balances will differ.

I do that as well. I have a slip of paper in a draw.
When it gets full I tape a new piece at the bottom.
After making charge purchases, I fire up my trusty
penta-digit computer, feed it a ball point pen, and
write down the price, store and purpose of for the
item. I daresay that firing up the penta-digit also takes
about 1 second, from start to having pen in hand.

My list doubles for my business purchases,
so I like to record customer names under the "purpose"
column in that case. The nice thing about my
penta-digit is that it can easily handle multi-defined
columns and creative notes in margins, which most
database-type tools choke on.

When I get my credit card bill I then fire up the
old penta-digit once again. It write a small check mark
next to each item that matches the purchase list.
Brilliant, don't you think? Best of all, aside from providing
3 meals a day (which I'd eat anyway) my penta-digit
only requires a pen from Staples once every few years.
So it's nearly cost-free and never requires buying
"upgrades".

I do use one "non-organic" machine for my extensive
recordkeeing, however. It's a solar powered, Texas
Instruments calculator that I bought at CVS drugstore
in May of 1985, for $10. I remember the date because
I bought it for my then-new business. To this day I
still don't use a computer for my business, except for
graphics and printing: receipts, business cards, images
of design ideas sent to customers via email, etc. My
business records and receipts are mainly on paper. If
I send a bill it's a PDF created in Libre Office. If I give
people a bill on the job I do it using a sheet of carbon
paper, so that we both have a copy. (I've also had the
same pack of carbon paper for years. Just because new
technology is available that doesn't necessarily mean it's
better.)

+1 on the last sentence. G


--
Ken
Mac OS X 10.8.5
Firefox 36.0.4
Thunderbird 31.5
"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
and it's gone!"

On Thu, 28 May 2015 06:21:36 -0600, Ken Springer
wrote:

On 5/28/15 6:17 AM, Mayayana wrote:

Just because new
technology is available that doesn't necessarily mean it's
better.)

+1 on the last sentence. G


I also agree. However, as far as I'm concerned, new technology is
better than older technology the great majority of the time.

Mayayana wrote:
| I'm mildly amused. :-) Are we still talking about adding some numbers
and
| then subtracting that total from another number, or is there more
involved?
|
| Yes, more is involved. I match every transaction on the statement (which
| stretches over several pages) with my own records. Recent transactions
| will be missing from the statement and have to held over for the next
| one, and obviously the two balances will differ.

I do that as well. I have a slip of paper in a draw.
When it gets full I tape a new piece at the bottom.
After making charge purchases, I fire up my trusty
penta-digit computer, feed it a ball point pen, and
write down the price, store and purpose of for the
item. I daresay that firing up the penta-digit also takes
about 1 second, from start to having pen in hand.

My list doubles for my business purchases,
so I like to record customer names under the "purpose"
column in that case. The nice thing about my
penta-digit is that it can easily handle multi-defined
columns and creative notes in margins, which most
database-type tools choke on.

When I get my credit card bill I then fire up the
old penta-digit once again. It write a small check mark
next to each item that matches the purchase list.
Brilliant, don't you think? Best of all, aside from providing
3 meals a day (which I'd eat anyway) my penta-digit
only requires a pen from Staples once every few years.
So it's nearly cost-free and never requires buying
"upgrades".

I do use one "non-organic" machine for my extensive
recordkeeing, however. It's a solar powered, Texas
Instruments calculator that I bought at CVS drugstore
in May of 1985, for $10. I remember the date because
I bought it for my then-new business. To this day I
still don't use a computer for my business, except for
graphics and printing: receipts, business cards, images
of design ideas sent to customers via email, etc. My
business records and receipts are mainly on paper. If
I send a bill it's a PDF created in Libre Office. If I give
people a bill on the job I do it using a sheet of carbon
paper, so that we both have a copy. (I've also had the
same pack of carbon paper for years. Just because new
technology is available that doesn't necessarily mean it's
better.)

Very nice. I used to do things that way, but the computer does it so
much better. No new pens required either, and as for upgrades, the last
was in about 1995.

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England