BleepingComputer.com: Re-partition HDD.

Hi,

I'm about to embark on re-separating my HDD partitions for protection against viruses/spyware/etc but im not sure which approach to take...

I was thinking i should have the 1st partition for the OS, the 2nd for programs and a 3rd for all my data. then i would put the pagefile on the first.

however i am aware that if i ever get a virus and i try to re-image the 1st partition i would be unable to load programs because of the registry changes and such.

so should i just have 2 partitions, 1st for OS and programs and the 2nd for data?

Also i have a question that i hope someone could answer: when your computer is infected with a virus/spyware/etc does it put itself in C:\WINDOWS or C:\Program Files?

if it is C:\Program Files, is that why people say its better to install programs to another folder and/or other partition?

My 2nd question is how do i make the default documents folder something other than "My Documents" folder?

Thanks in advance to anyone that answers!!!

<<...so should i just have 2 partitions, 1st for OS and programs and the 2nd for data?>>

Well...if a hard drive fails...it sometimes eliminates access to all partitions, depends on type of failure. My suggestion would always be...have at least two hard drives, one for the O/S and programs installed...one for data files.

Theoretically, having multiple partitions on a single hard drive may offer protection of a sort against hard drive failures that are confined to a limited area of the drive...I've had one or two of those, but I took the time to find out just where the bad ended and the good began on that drive and then ignored the bad portion (left it unformatted) and started farther on (used just for storage).

But (IMO) the more valid reasons for having partitions instead of a single partition...probably relate more (these days) to hard drive size and the ease of maintaining (chkdsk/defrag) smaller partitions as opposed to humongous partitions that take forever to get anything done.

<<...when your computer is infected with a virus/spyware/etc does it put itself in C:\WINDOWS or C:\Program Files?>>

I can't really answer that...but I don't believe that infections have a favorite locale to start. Even if they did, the fact that malware can do so much to modify the system...says to me that the damage done cannot be reduced to a specific folder. You might visit one of our malware forums and ask that question.

http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1666

<<...is that why people say its better to install programs to another folder and/or other partition?>>

In general (IMO)...those who recommend installing programs on a partition other than the system partition...do so because they believe that the system operates better if that is done.

<<...how do i make the default documents folder something other than "My Documents" folder>>

I don't know how to change the "default" folder, but if I want documents saved somewhere else...I just save them to that particular system location (desktop seems to be my favorite for everything initially, then I later move them).

Louis

I got a new acer with two partitions:

1st OS with installed programmes
2nd for my documents and installers

Personally i think seperating programmes from OS is useless for the reason you mentioned, they would not work

However if you want a third patition you could use it for programme installers preventing any virus installers from affecting your documents partition

This post has been edited by gully786: 01 November 2009 - 09:41 AM

Good idea about the program installers...I just keep a copy of every program that I ever install (including drivers) on storage partition for safekeeping, along with all my license data/keywords for those programs.

Louis

Just a thought which might interest Hellonikki

I have a start up recovery with the pc, when you do a partition will that recovery only affect the C drive or the partitioned drives as well

i have a pc that is about 9/8 years old and am considering partitioning it.

Quote

You can move your My Documents folder to anywhere you want to.

Click Start, right-click My Documents, and select Properties.
Click the Target tab, if it's not already selected.
Click the Move button, click where you want to move My Documents to, to highlight it, then click OK.
Click Apply.
This will start the move, and leave "pointers" behind, so the Operating System will know where the files are.
After the move, when you click Start / My Documents, it will open the file from the location, where you moved it to.

You might want to consider making a folder, to move My Documents into.
One with your username on it.
If you just move it to a partition/drive, My Documents will occupy the whole partition/drive.

By creating it's own folder, My Documents will only occupy, that folder.
The folder with your name on it will be considered the My Documents folder, for you.
When you click My Documents, that's the folder that will open.

An example:
Say you're moving My Documents from C:, to G:
In G:, create a folder with your name.
G:/user

If you have other user's on the computer, you can do the same thing.
Just go to their accounts, and move them the same way.

thanks to all those that responded.....

<<You might visit one of our malware forums and ask that question.>>

will do, thanks hamluis.

So far i have moved my documents folder, and it took more than one go for some stupid reason. plus i hadnt read the thing about saving it into a user so it occupied the whole damn folder and i got confused as to what was put in and what was originally there.

On a good note, i already save program installers on my second partition so i feel kinda smart .

But the main reason i wanted to organise my partitions is because i wanted to create an image of the C: drive but with all my data it came to about 40gb after moving my documents its now 16gb.

still too big to burn on dvd though

thanks again!!!

This post has been edited by hellonikki: 01 November 2009 - 01:39 PM

Thanks for the input, hellonikki.
After your comment, and re-reading my post, I realized I should have put more emphasis, on creating a separate folder.
Due to your "problem", I've modified the instructions.
Hopefully, it might prevent someone else, from making the same mistake.