Multi-partition setup. Still useful?

I know there's a couple of posts here about this but I couldn't find them.

I have my comp set up with large applications installed on a separate partition, and only a 10Gig partition for XP system. Most data files are on a different disk as well. After reading here it looks like some people have done away with this when using FDISR. So I thought about growing the XP partition and doing the same. But I'm low on HD space at the moment and this would make the snapshots and archives too big (until I can afford an external HD) to store.

However, I'm thinking that leaving the setup as it is for now, wouldn't really hurt. I mean, if corruption occurred on the "Apps" partition, reinstalling the corrupted program will probably fix it. If a corruption occured on the XP partition, then FDISR should fix that. Am I overlooking anything here? Will it create trouble eventually or should I be OK?

I should mention that I intend on backing up the "Apps" partition regularly to DVD as well, until I can save for an external HD.

 

Janger,
I have this setup :

1. Internal harddisk [C:] System Partition = Windows + FDISR + Applications, but no personal files
2. Internal harddisk [D:] Data Partition = personal files, bookmarks, email and email-address-books
3. External harddisk [E:] Backup Partition = images and archived snapshots.

The system partition, only requires a backup, when it changed.
The data partition, requires a daily backup or a backup time of your choice.
Important is that you are able to backup them separately and with the SAME Image Backup Software.

Another advantage of storing you data separately is that your data files are constantly UP-TO-DATE until TODAY, even when your system partition is corrupted seriously.
If you keep everything in one partition and this partition needs to be restored completely with an image of yesterday, you will lose all your updatings of TODAY and it can be worse, if you don't backup every day.
This won't happen if your data is stored on a data partition.

Another advantage is that your data partition is INDEPENDENT from your system partition, which means that you have total freedom on your system partition, because your data is somewhere else.
If I zero my system partition it doesn't affect my data partition and I can restore my system partition, while my data is still there and UP-TO-DATE until TODAY.

Another advantage is more psychological, it gives you a very reassuring feeling, that your data is somewhere else, when your system partition is so corrupted, that even FDISR can't fix it and that you need an IMAGE to restore your system partition.

Putting your data partition on a second harddisk is always better, than putting your system and data partition on ONE harddisk, but you have to decide this for yourself.

To separate my data, I use only softwares, which allow me to store their OUTPUT-files (= my hard work) in my data partition. Most softwares have a specific folder in their settings for their OUTPUT-files.
The difficult part is your browser and email-program.
I only know how to do it for Firefox and Thunderbird and it works, because I'm doing this already one year and it doesn't affect the upgrading of both. It isn't difficult, but you have to know how to do it right.
The procedure how to do this, is described on the Mozilla website.

If you have many graphical files, like movies, photos, ... I recommend to create a third partition, because these files are always a pain for backup. I recently had the movie "Godfather-2" = 11gb on my data partition and this increased my backup time significantly.

Everything happens automatically and I don't even notice, that I'm working with a data partition on another harddisk.

 

Thanks for the tips everyone.

Yeah, I still like multi-partition setups. Especially for data files and stuff. I'm picking up a Samsung 250Gig drive tomorrow. Heard good (more good than bad) things about them and can get one cheap. Racking my brain to figure out whether to use it as my master drive or not. My plans are to buy an external case soon and use it as backup and permanent data. But it's ATA133 whereas my current WD master is only ATA100. Probably better to switch them round but the 80Gig WD isn't big enough for what I had planned.

I'll have to do some brainstorming tonight and work out a strategy. FDISR usage is so "plastic" and malleable, it makes it hard to work out what is the best solution

 

You are right about that.
But moving your data to another partition was already a smart move, because it reduces the size of your system partition and you don't have to anchor your folder "My Documents".

I have a WD Raptor of 80gb for my system partition, which is in fact only 70gb, but it is sufficient for me.
My on-line snapshot is frozen, so I can use it to test new softwares without needing additional snapshots.
My off-line snapshot doesn't need protection, because it has no internet, so it has no troubles and I also use it to save my system, when my on-line snapshot is corrupted.

Using archived snapshots as rollback snapshots is IMO the best way.
It's also not so easy to keep both snapshots MALWARE-FREE, that's why I keep two kinds of archived snapshots :
CLEAN ones, which I really trust and DAILY ones, which I consider as possible infected.

 

Yep. I have started doing similar. When XP was first installed I put FDISR on before any drivers. As I try drivers and necessary software, if they work without a hitch for a week or so, I'm going to add them to a copy of that fresh system. But will turn off my router before doing so. So I've got my "everyday" snapshot that I don't care if it goes up in flames. Eventually I should have a system that is very stable and includes what I need.

I will probably also make a snapshot just for games. Since online gaming isn't a hobby of mine, I'll remove all networking and anything that'll slow it down. Also, I have prepared an nLited XP which only takes up a few hundred MB of space for my secondary snapshot. It's only purpose is for restoring archives. So I'm getting there.

As far as swapping the drives over, I think I'll leave my 80Gig for system, as I don't do a real lot of heavy work. May as well wear it out until it dies.

You people have helped a lot. Thank you very much.

 

Have to echo my own appreciation equally too for all the help. Every so very often and few between comes along only one, a single performing program unequalled in it's mastery to securing complete confidence for a user in all this flood of programs for this and programs for that.

FD-ISR trancends the age-old trend of common recovery programs by a huge margin IMHO. What i find particularly useful with it, is being able to created unlimited archives from which to either CORRECT a distressed snapshot or simply adding vital programs/settings to a good one's configuration with a simple Copy/Update which literally can take only seconds in some cases. I have strategically done just that and dispersed those archives in several alternative drives formatted with NTFS of course. My way of kind of stockpiling the complete inventory of installed software for recovery purposes in event of some sudden and unexpected failure of the everyday working system. I really don't fear the possiblity of surprise misfortune as experienced before with FD-ISR's capability to secure matters as well as it proves it can do.

 

So true, Easter.

When I first heard about FDISR, I thought there was no way it could be anywhere near as reliable as proper imaging tools. But now after playing with it, I think it will handle about 99% of the work I used to rely on imaging programs to do. I was getting some errors at first but this forum helped me figure it was to do with Comodo. There's no need to have to stop working while you restore a backup. Just do it to a separate snapshot in the background, and boot to it when you're ready. And you still have the original system a single boot away in case you forget that important bit of data.

Life WAS meant to be easy afterall. Hallelujah!

 

Hi.. I have a raptor 74gb partitioned to c,d,e 15gb, 40gb and remaining space on e... I'd like to know if fdisr can store its snapshots on e rather than c.. and be bootable on the fly

i guess that means $ISR will be in E instead (if $isr is where current snapshots are stored)

 

FDISR works only on partition C:, the partition were it is installed.
I have two raptors of 74 gb : one for system [C:] and one for data.[D:] + external harddisk [E:] for backup

I would resize your C (34gb) and D (40gb) and remove E.

 

I was thinking... wouldn't having able to set the snapshot on another partition or even drive, can actually increase performance if on different partition. drive c since its on the outer platter should be reserved for system / program files only, no?
and if on another drive... copying snapshots to and from primary (drive c) should be a lot quicker, right?

 

Probably, but that's NOT possible and what is not possible isn't worth to talk about and certainly not when you can't do anything about it.
You can't move snapshots to another partition and if you find a way to do it, tell us about it.
Otherwise you have to find another Immediate System Recovery software, like Deepfreeze, ShadowUser, ... which require less space than FDISR.
FDISR requires space for EACH snapshot and the absolute minimum is 2 snapshots. If space is your problem, buy a second harddisk.

 

With the ARCHIVE feature of FirstDefense isn't it rather unnecessary anyway to say EXPORT or copy a snap someplace else? I mean the developers already have implimented a way to store the snaps by archive to a reserved area such as alternate disk/partition/DVD/USBthumbalina etc.

Oh, and by the way, speaking of archives, i too have a question, is it they MUST be saved to a NTFS file system, yes? Or could we simply save an ARCHIVE to a FAT/98 system but later IMPORT it back to NTFS system. I ask the same for a USB Thumb drive.

Thanks

 

I think the main idea of the export feature is to allow splitting the snapshots up so they fit on multiple cds, dvds etc.

And archives can be stored on non-NTFS file systems. They just won't be compressed.

 

That works for me. This is still very new for me but seems every advantage possible for the user is been explored and the most basic ones implimented.

If an archive won't experience any distortion by simply being placed on a fat32 storage drive then looks like i have some high GB Thumb USB's that can be put to good use now. FD-ISR ARCHIVES!

 

Hang on easter. I could have jumped the gun again. What happens to the file permissions when backing up to a non-NTFS partition?

 

We'll let Peter2150, Erik, and any other of the more refined experienced users of this masterpiece chime in on that, but i'm almost of the mind that it is more likely than not safely doable where concerns just archives.

I don't see why not? I backup XP Programs all the time to 98SE drive with FAT32 just to store them there, and thats all i'm suggesting with the FD archives, yet another WAREHOUSE for safe-keeping.

 

That's just what i summed up myself, but glad you did weigh in on this query with that confirmation to make it perfectly clear, so thanks Pete.

 

Have you thought about just changing "My Documents" to "D:\MyDocs"?

For example...

Code:

My Documents <Right-Click> Properties
<Move> browse to D:\MyDocs
<Apply> Would you like to move all… YES

Mike

 

I will do this when I re-install my computer. I need clean images and archives to improve my recovery solution and this can only be done during an OFF-LINE installation from scratch.
But there is a difference between you and me, I don't move any folder, I keep my system partition untouched, I create "MyDocs" myself on partition D.

But you are right, it was stupid of me to use the same name "My Documents", but this is just a detail. I designed my setup in rough lines, now I'm polishing it to make it even better.
In other words, I took care of the wood first, now I will take care of each tree in the wood. LOL.

I have a goal to get to my final dream, but I'm not going to tell about my final dream, because I didn't do any testing until now and members at Wilders like only facts.
In the past I had trouble with too many members due to my theoretical approach.

 

Gotcha... really a bad thing to move that folder.

I have noticed lots of the software I mess with will create folders in "My Documents".

So, if I reboot to my archive snapshot to reset my work snapshot, those extra folders will still be there!

So, I think your method of tweaking each program is actually much better.

What do you think?

Mike

 

Most softwares have settings to change their default folders for OUTPUT files and you only have to change this folder in "D:\........"
I don't like to move files MANUALLY from C to D, that's a very annoying solution. It has to be automatic or I don't want it.

If I ever meet a software that doesn't allow me to move their output files to another partition, I ditch the software, but that didn't happen until now.

The biggest problem in separating data from system is your browser and email program. It took me awhile to figure that out.
I use Firefox and Thunderbird and I know how to split them over two partitions, but I don't know how to do it for other browsers and email-programs. The procedure to do this is described at websites of Mozilla.
Most users don't like this separation, they prefer to keep EVERYTHING on one single partition.

FDISR doesn't touch your folders or files, it keeps them like you created them.