I need to learn about partition management

Anyone know of any good info on these topics?
I'm sure there is a lot I need to learn about disk management before I dive into this. I would like to use a freeware partition management program IF THEY ARE DEPENDABLE. Otherwise I will buy one, it's just that I'm a member of the poor people's club. I am open to recommendations by BC members about good programs and how-to articles.

I've recently begun using Acronis True Image Home 2009. I'm just getting familiar with it, it does have some quirks, but I think once I get used to it it will be dependable. Now that I can do partition images to my spare HD, I want to divide my main drive into at least a couple of partitions to seperate my data files from the XP SP3 OS. I need to read about recommendations and ideas about how to best do this. I have one restore partition that came on the main drive, which I think I don't really need anymore since now I have my own recovery software. Or should I keep it?

While I'm at it, I ran into some problems using DVD+RWs for automatic small file backups. there is obviously some things I need to know about using this media. I keep getting corrupt files and lockups when using them. So I guess that's on my list of things I need to learn more about.

Thanks,
Rusty

Here are a few links...One is for information...The other two are for installing and managing partitions....Price is right (FREE)...A lot of members here use Acronis and swear by it (I don't use it personally so I can't help you there)...Another option would be to do a fresh installation of XP and let the set-up organize partitions for you (you just have to do a little math when it asks you about the size of the first, second, and so on but it is pretty easy to do).

As for the DVD/RW media used for back-ups...Again I don't use it..I back-up to an external HD so I don't have any viable solutions for you there...

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/understanding-hard-disk-partitions/
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/index.php
http://www.compuapps.com/download/Swissknife/swissknife.htm

Edited by jgweed, 15 March 2009 - 08:51 AM.
removed quotation of preceeding post.jgw

Thanks OGB, that was a good read about partitions in a nutshell. Both of those programs look like they would do the job, I'll just have to download and look them over to decide which one to keep.

If I set up my OS (Windows XP Home SP3) and data in seperate partitions, do you just move the whole Documents and Settings over to the data partition, then set some kind of shortcut to point to it? I keep several folders on the desktop too, as well as "My Documents", so do they just need to be changed to shortcuts? I know the desktop is just a folder too, but I'm not really sure how it works.

This machine only has one user profile, so that may simplify things too.

Hoping these kinds of questions don't make you Grump out too badly.

I personally wouldn't move the whole documents and settings file to a different partition...I move picture files and video file to a different partition as well as music files....but again that is personal preference...As for shortcuts on the desktop, You can have as many or few as you like and can direct them pretty much any where that you want so that shouldn't be a problem...I suggest that you play around with it a little until you find what works for you best...

OGB