So you're saying that even my current way of separating boot from games and downloads is good?

What about programs like Photoshop and others? For the moment they stay on my boot partition, but would it be good to think about making a different partition for them or put them with the games?

Fundamentally, the less cluttered your boot partition is (and ultimately Windoze itself), the faster it will boot, the faster it will shut down, the faster it will defrag and the faster it will RUN. Your CPU may very well be the heart of your computer but the OS is the brains. Without it, you've got nothing more than an expensive door stop.

Keeping applications (games, programs, downloaded files, etc.) segregated from the boot partition and effectively categorized, as such, into their own partitions, keeps things nice and simple. If you've got all your games, for example, on a "Games" partition, then when/if you decide to back up all your saved game and config files, they all come from the same partition and the CD or DVD burning software doesn't have to perform seeks to other partitions or drives, which greatly speeds up the process and makes it more efficient and reliable.

In the case of games or applications that create directories in my boot partiation, I use a program called AppMover http://www.funduc.com/app_mover.htm to move those directories where I want them. It updates ALL the registry entries for those directories and works like a champ.

We're talking about efficiency here and how efficient a logical approach to drive partitioning and file layout really is, when it comes right down to it.

Think of it from the perspective of your desk or a dresser where you arrange things logically in order to access them more efficiently (quickly). You put all your socks in one drawer, you skivvies in another (in the case of a dresser), your paper clips, pens, pencils, etc., in a draw, paper in another, files in a file drawer, etc., so that when you want one or of those things, it's always in the same place and you don't have to go searching around for any particular item.

All of this explanation also builds a very good case for defragging your drives on a regular basis. I'm sure you know enough about file fragmentation for me NOT to have to built a case in favor of this practice so I'll just leave it at that. Suffice to say that if your applications are scattered all over several drives or partitions along with other files that are changing or getting updated frequently, things can get very fragmented rather quickly.

To answer your first question, YES --- your current way of separating your boot files (the OS) from games and downloads IS a good idea. I've been doing exactly that for many years and it works, it makes sense and it's very efficient. You CAN take it a step further though.

As I wrote before, I try and avoid putting ANYTHING on my boot partition and keep applications (like Photoshop, Premier, MS Office, etc.) on their own "Applications" partition or drive. I've even gone so far as to move my "My Documents", "Temporary Internet Files" and the "../Local Settings/Temp" directories onto a different partition just to keep to a minimum the storing of "crap" onto the boot partition. Those directories, by their very nature, inevitably end up with more fragmented files and junk than any other locations on a system and managing them in the same way/method as any other set of files just makes sense.

What you end up doing is PAYING ATTENTION to your options during the installation of applications, games and utilities. Where most people just take the default installation path (C:\Program File\Name of Application), YOU decide where any given piece of software and the corresponding files end up going. You arrange those files in such a way that they are efficiently accessed when you decide to run or use them.

Here's a good example --- I have my Programs menu (Start/Programs) categorized by function. What I mean by that is I have categories (sub-menus/folders) set up (links) for everything I use. Here's my list (some are defaults put there by Windoze) -

Accessories
Admin Tools
Audio
CD Tools
DVD Tools
Games
Graphics Tools
Internet Tools
Office Tools
Startup
Utilities

Within each menu I can even create sub-menus (more categories). For example -

CD Tools -
CD Burning
CD Ripping

I think you'll get the idea from just that one example. During installation (of any particular application), I'll just type where I want a menu item to go and the same thing applies to the actual files themselves (where I want them to end up). The more organized you make things, the more efficiently they are accessed (which makes them run more efficiently).

So, to answer your second question, YES --- it would be good to think about making a different partition for them (programs like Photoshop and others) but I would not put them with your games. Instead, I would create a separate "Games" partition and install all your games there. It just makes more sense.

At any rate, I didn't intend for this RAID discussion to end up being a dissertation on file layout and management and I apologize if in the course of this discussion I suggested that there is only ONE way of doing all this. There isn't. There are MANY ways of setting things up to run logically and efficiently. This is just one way that has worked well for me and I HOPE you were able to at least get an idea of what is possible.

Later.

Don't worry, you only have about 10 years more PC experience than I do and I'll take your word over mine any day.

Actually, I've been working with computers since 1975 (Honeywell and Univac mainframes and minis). I know that dates me (on the OLD side of the scale) but that's Ok. I'm used to being called "the old fart".

Good luck with your RAID endevours.

Later.

Well I gotta buy a new processor, was thinking of the 3.0 P4's, non-prescott, as they have gone real cheap - comparatively - and will make a nice change from my 1500+

Actually, from what I've read on the subject, the P4 2.4C 800 is about the best bang for the buck these days. It'll over-clock with JUST a FSB tweak and stock voltage to around 3.0+ GHz and will easily hit 3.6 GHz water-cooled. I'd call that a bargain (at around $155). Then again, with good DDR and the motherboard to support it, the price starts to go up rapidly. I'm sure though that 3.0 P4 is just loafing along at 3.4-3.6 GHz so maybe that extra $50 is worth it. Guess there's only one way to find out :o

You still gonna do the RAID thing?

Later.

I have just build up RAID system .... I will post a little guid / report later in this forum .... gn8 lads

RAID will definately come as a upgrade choice after the processor - and maybe some good RAM, because PC2700 just won't cut it with a P4

Old_Fart, do you have a seperate partition for your paging file? Seperate from your Windows partition.

Also, when installing Windows XP..... after hitting F6 and getting my drivers set up and everything, will the setup see Two 120gig drives or one 240gig drive?

there is only 1 hard disk ...
all transfer will go through the RAD controller ... card or onboard ... and the controller reports you one HDD you can do anything with this HDD like you want just as if it is a normal drive

putting pagefile on another drive does not gain any performance since windows wait the data to be written it is only an advantage if the paging file disk is faster then the windows one ... but that would be really stupid put windows with pagin on fastetst one