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Minimum partition size needed for Win2k

Discussion in 'Legacy Windows' started by Chris H, 2004/07/20.

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  1. 2004/07/20
    Chris H

    Chris H Inactive Thread Starter

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    I currently have quite a few programs installed on my PC. Office 2000, Visual Basic Enterprise and a few other hefty size ones. Right now they're using about 2.5GB of space along with the WINNT folder and Documents and Settings folders.

    Since I've discovered the easiest way to fix a problem is to reformat the partition and reinstall a daily image backup I'd like to make it as small as possible. Worst case scenario if I run out of space on the boot partition I can always make a new backup and resize it.

    Does 15GB seem like a large enough partition? I can't really see needing anymore space than that, since all my home movies and projects will be on a separate disk. The 15GB partition will be dedicated to Win2k pretty much.

    Looking for some issues I may not have considered.

    Thanks
     
    Chris H,
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  2. 2004/07/20
    Newt

    Newt Inactive

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    15Gb should be way more than enough for 2K-pro or 2K Server/Advanced Server.

    In fact, given what you want to do, you might want to consider putting your pagefile on a partition other than the system one and maybe even moving Documents & Settings to another partition as well and keeping the system partition to about half that size. It will still be way larger than the minimum you need but defrag works lots better with the extra room.
     
    Newt,
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  4. 2004/07/21
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    If You use Norton Ghost to image the system partition, it includes used space only. It also excludes "one session files" from the image. "One session files" are among others pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys (the large ones).

    My system partition is 12GB, currently used are 3.5 GB, the Image is 2.75GB (used space less pagefile and I have hibernation disabled).

    So, if moving the pagefile to a different partition is in order to reduce the size of the Image, then it's not necessary if Ghost is used.

    My "Documents and Settings" folder is ~100MB (less the folders mentioned below) which is not too much to worry about. When I first started using XP, I tried to figure out how to move this folder off the system partition but I gave up ...... :eek: ...... it's not that easy ...... :confused: ...... or is it, Newt?

    I did find out how to move certain subfolders though, My documents, Favorites, Address book and E-mail storage.
    Take a look at RADIFIED Guide to Norton Ghost for tips on how it can be done.

    Keeping the size of the system partition down is a good idea since the OS has a tendency to spread files all over it. Keeping the system partition small will reduce seek times and speed up the OS a bit. Not so much with modern fast harddrives as with older harddrives but ...... :) ...... when I reinstalled XP-home for a friend on a partitioned harddisk (it was previously in one single partition), he noticed a crisper system.

    Christer

    Edited:

    Only now do I notice that I'm in the Win2K forum but the fact that I'm a XP user doesn't change anything ...... :eek: ...... I think.
     
    Last edited: 2004/07/21
    Christer,
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  5. 2004/07/21
    Chris H

    Chris H Inactive Thread Starter

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    I'm using Acronis True Image 7.0 since it can image from right within Windows. How do I go about relocating the Pagefile?
     
    Chris H,
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  6. 2004/07/21
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    If I remember correctly, it's the same in Win2K as in WinXP, which is:

    Right-click the My computer icon on the desktop > Properties > Advanced > Performance - settings > Advanced > Virtual memory > Change

    Highlight the partition where You want the pagefile > change the settings > Apply

    It is recommended to leave a small pagefile on the system partition. Windows say minimum 2MB but some people say more ...... :confused: ...... maybe 50-100MB.

    Let's hope that someone who have done it chimes in. Reduce the size of the pagefile on the system partition according to their advice!

    Christer
     
    Last edited: 2004/07/21
    Christer,
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  7. 2004/07/21
    Chris H

    Chris H Inactive Thread Starter

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    Not trying to get off-topic but I really wish Windows would use ALL of my available RAM before going to a swap file. I've cut the swap file down to 200MB and Windows complains but meanwhile it's only using 200MB of the 700MB+ I have installed.

    Aside from that I think I'll move the pagefile to my other drive which is just as fast as the main one.
     
    Chris H,
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  8. 2004/07/21
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    The way I understand it is that Win2K and WinXP manages virtual memory by using the pagefile quite a lot.
    When an application is loaded, it requests a certain amount of virtual memory. Windows knows that it is not likely that the application will use all of it and assigns some of it to the pagefile. If all virtual memory that an application requests is assigned in RAM, then it would be a waste of RAM.
    WinXP actually wants to see a pagefile of 1.5 x RAM because the way it manages virtual memory dictates that.

    I assure You that if You use a memory intensive application, all available RAM will be used and if not enough, Windows will complain about it.

    I laborated with a reduced size pagefile until I started working in PowerPoint. Creating a ppt presentation, using a picture editing software simultaneously, convinced me that 512 MB RAM and a pagefile of 768-1536 MB may not be enough. With 256 MB RAM plus a pagefile of 384-768 MB Windows squealed like a pig!

    I read a good article on Windows virtual memory management and if I find it, I'll post a link.

    Christer
     
    Christer,
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  9. 2004/07/21
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Sometimes I'm pretty quick ...... :rolleyes: ...... :

    Virtual Memory in Windows XP

    Don't let the fact that the article is about WinXP and not Win2K distract You. It works in more or less the same way.

    Christer
     
    Last edited: 2004/07/21
    Christer,
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  10. 2004/07/21
    Newt

    Newt Inactive

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    The way you did it by moving the big pieces is the best bet. In theory it should be fairly simple to move whole thing and leave only a shortcut in the system partition but most folks who try report the same issues as I remember you having so IMO it really isn't worth the effort but pieces like My Docuuments can certainly go elsewhere to reduce the amount of stuff in the OS partition.
     
    Newt,
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  11. 2004/07/22
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    My aim was to make the system partition free from user data to make it easy to use Imaging Software (I didn't mention Ghost ...... :D ......).

    My documents, Favorites, Address book and E-mail storage are user data but the other folders in Documents and Settings are either system or application related and I think that they belong on the system partition.

    I still have the TIF folder on the system partition but by moving that folder off the system partition, fragmentation would probably be reduced to more or less zero. However, it is limited to a few MB and is really not a problem.

    When I was on WinME, it was fairly simple to move the temp folders off the system partition but I gave up with WinXP ...... :eek: ...... do You know how many temp folders are embedded in there?

    Christer
     
    Christer,
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