Partitioning for performance in Win98SE?

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Fri Apr 27, 2001 11:51 pm

I'm having some problems with partitioning my drive. I used FDISK to make 3 partitions...one for the swap file(C) one for my OS (D) and one for data (E). C was 512MB's..D was 50% of remaining and E was 50% also. So the Primary Dos was C and the extended dos had 2 logical drives of D and E. After I got everything up and running with Win98 on the D drive, I put the swap file on C. I have 256 MB's of ram so that is why I put it at 512 both min and max values. I didn't have any problems until I started installing software. Some apps and games will not let me specify any other drive but C or they will let me use a different drive or directory but during the install process they fault because they say that they are putting stuff on C which is full!

What in the heck am I doing wrong? I thought that this would have been the best setup...3 partitions, one for swap, one for OS and apps, and one to backup to in case of malfunction or operator error which causes a crash. Any help would be great!

onetrueday · Post by **onetrueday** » Sat Apr 28, 2001 12:05 am

Please dont take offense to this... but that sounds insane!! I've never heard of anyone setting up a partition just for a swap file. Here's my advice. I would reformat and setup your partitions like this:
c-windows, programs and docs
d-downloading, multimedia etc
e-games and backup

I dont know how everyone else does it, but that's how mine is setup and is works fantastic. I keep my c drive at 6 gigs and I'm very happy with it. I would suggest getting a better defragger then windows and using that. With norton's speeddisk, for example, you can set your swap file in the very front. After you have set a firm size, it works out very nicely. There is another reason not to split up things too much. Hard drive latency. For example, if you split up your programs, windows and swap file on different partitions; then the head of the hard drive has to move all over the place of different dll's etc. So, in trying to speed it up so much, you ended up slowing it down. Good luck!

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Sat Apr 28, 2001 12:15 am

no offense taken at all...we're all friends here! the reason I created a partition for the swap file is for speed and efficiency. It is known that if you set a permanent swap file, data isn't fragmented as much because windows doesn't constantly resize the file! Also it does make your system a bit more robust. As far as defragging try VOpt...it is a helluva prog and really works great...email me for some inside info on that one!) If you go to the techtv site and search for partitioning, you will se an article there by Leo Laporte which details this process and explains the benefits better than I can here. It just so happens that my system isn't agreeing with this setup for some reason so I must have done something wrong! Right now I am using the same setup as you cause I gave up on it but want to go back to it. It's all about speed baby!!!!

pewa · Post by **pewa** » Sat Apr 28, 2001 1:02 am

uod2001, why don't you use (C)-primary Dos partition for your OS, and then for your extended Dos partition 2 logical drives, (D) and (E). (D) can then be for your data, and (E) for your swap files.

That's how mine is set up! (C)-2000MB, (D)-5750MB and (E)-250MB. Works like a gem for me!

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Sat Apr 28, 2001 1:10 am

OK, this is the heart of the matter at hand! I researched this and it says to make the swap file the first partition because this is at the head or front of the drive where it will get accessed the fastest. So that is why I'm confused. If you partition it the way we did, logic tells me that the first partition is at the head of the drive and should be the quickest part of it right? So this is what I'm confused about. If you have yours set at the end of the drive then my next question is how do you know your performance has increased as a result of this. I don't know but lets just say that you had 3 partitions, the first two are filled almost completely with data, and your swap is at the end of the drive, doesn't it make sense that access time is going up rather than down because it has to go to the very end of the drive to do it. I'm so friggin confused right now but thanks so much for the help! I don't know what to do!

pewa · Post by **pewa** » Sat Apr 28, 2001 1:38 am

Ok uod2001, I see your point, and it makes sense to me!

You are right! I can't really tell whether there has been any significant increase in the performance of my O.S ever since I created a separate partition for my swap files.

Every little thing I do now has been so fast ever since I used 98litepro to dis-integrate my web browser from my desktop,and uninstall those Windows features that I don't need!

Anyway, I think I need to do some more research of my own on this 'swap files' thing!

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Sat Apr 28, 2001 1:53 am

pewa, I'm looking at this 98litepro thing right now on another site and it looks like a very interesting prog. funny how that damn browser slooooows you down...maybe IE is really built in spyware! Who knows! Why else would they force it on you the way they did? I think it was to track you when you do an update...to see if you have a pirated copy of their OS, or another app like Office. I'malways a little paranoid when it comes to this stuff. better to be safe than sorry.

pewa · Post by **pewa** » Sat Apr 28, 2001 2:21 am

If you want to try out 98litepro but have difficulty finding the software, let me know!

onetrueday · Post by **onetrueday** » Sat Apr 28, 2001 6:14 am

Okay, I'm really confused. I like the idea of disabling unused windows functions and can see how that would speed things up. However, I'm still lost on why you would create a seperate partition for your swap file. I have a 300meg min/max swap file. I used speeddisk to optimize it and put it at the beginning of the hard disk. So, there is no fragmination because it is locked at the begining. I currently only have 128megs of cheap ram, so i use the swap file alot. I've had 6 hotline clients, aol 6, 3 IE windows and winamp visualazation running... and saw no lag at all. So, I know the swap file is working fantastic.

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Sat Apr 28, 2001 6:26 am

onetrueday...go here to this post and thread, read all and come back and post please...great info here!

http://forums.speedguide.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&t=001322

pewa · Post by **pewa** » Sun Apr 29, 2001 2:13 am

Go to
http://home.winarchives.com/disk_and_file_folder.html

Check out 'Avoid Fragmenting and Optimizing' and 'Swap Brick' under 'Disk and File Folder'

I have not noticed any significant pick-up in performance, but I do know that my disk is not as fragmented as before!

Also go to
http://forums.speedguide.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=reply&f=4&t=002872

and read the article on 'Vcache'

onetrueday · Post by **onetrueday** » Sun Apr 29, 2001 6:37 am

First of all the winarchives.com info is EXTREMELY outdated. Read the following:

Avoid Fragmenting and Optimizing
Submitted by: Agama Computers

I have found a reasonable performance gain by separating the system drive (C

from the swap file on drive (d

which is physically different. I have 3 physical drives and C: is the system, D: is extensions and the Windows swap file, and E: is for the internet temp files and work files. A small drive, 200-300MB, can be had for a cheap price today and can be designated as both the Windows swap drive and internet temp files drive. Just think.. the heads are not constantly moving from program files to swap/temp files.

A 300meg hard drive? That whole page is at least 7 years old. I still dont understand why you would bother making a partition for you swap file when you can simply reserve the space at the begining of C? Since my games, downloads and unzip folder are on other drives and partitions; I barely ever have to defrag. Plus, I use windows washer 4; so my cache etc never build up to excessive levels. I defrag my c drive once a week and it's almost never at less then 99% fragmentation. My downloading hd has been as low as 7% before though and my gaming parititon has gotten as bad as 50% fragged. If you see some increase in preformance... good for you! I just dont think it would help me.

onetrueday · Post by **onetrueday** » Sun Apr 29, 2001 6:40 am

One more thing... here's the best and only guide I've ever understood on fdisk. It's simply amazing. I had made some terrible mistakes following other guides before and this one solved my problems.
http://radified.com/Doc/fdisk.htm

pewa · Post by **pewa** » Sun Apr 29, 2001 7:24 am

onetrueday, I must agree with you! Like I said, there has not been any significant improvement in performance after I have created a separate partition for my swap files!

I think it is because the partition I have created,(E) is right at the end of the drive, meaning the swap files are going to be accessed last and not first!

Well, I have to re-partition it again, and then set my virtual memory settings at 150MB for both maximum as well as minimum.

drdoug99 · Post by **drdoug99** » Sun Apr 29, 2001 7:51 pm

When you guys have like your drives partitioned, your talking about ONE physical drive, made into like C:, D: and E: but it's all on the same actual hard drive right?

When you have like say your C: drive at 1gig for the Windows install, and your D: drive for games and apps, do you just when you install a new game or whatever, just save the data on the D: drive, and leave the C: drive alone? I've never partitioned a drive before, just left it as one big C: drive for everything.

onetrueday · Post by **onetrueday** » Mon Apr 30, 2001 1:56 am

I actually have two smaller drives doug. My c and e drives are a maxtor 15 gig and my d is an older seagate 8gig. I wouldnt make the c drive only 1 gig for windows only... that seems like you'd be pressed for room. I've read a couple of places that the largest you should make your primary partition is 6gigs. Why 6 gigs? Well, that's really all you need for windows, basic programs, drivers etc. I'm a little tired, so I might have my numbers mixed up; but I'm pretty sure how the drive accesses the data changes after 8 gigs anyway. So, a 6gig drive is more effient too.

Another reason to partition your drive is in case you have to reinstall windows. I have all my drivers, data backed up on my E drive. Along with my unzipped folder and useful programs I've found along the way. I've gotten it down where I can reformat my c drive, reinstall windows and be up and running in less then an hour and a half. that's including installing programs and drivers. I do not have to reinstall my games either. Plus, games cause fragmentation if they're on your primary drive and increase drive latency.

I hope I explained some things for you. Good luck!

pewa · Post by **pewa** » Mon Apr 30, 2001 8:08 am

Well, I did it! I re-partitioned my drives.
No more separate partition for swap files!

C Drive - (system)
D Drive - (data,software)
E Drive - (games)

Also I tweaked some of my other settings, and it looks like the performance has picked up!

Doug, another good reason to have at least 2 drives is to be able to make an image of your system drive which is (C) and store the clone on your (D). That way should you, for whatever reason, need to put your original setup back on, you can do so in 10 minutes maybe less! There is no need to re-install Windows, drivers, software, etc.

Well fellas, thanks so much for your imput!