Recently, most computers are installing the new Windows 10 operating system. It is already installed on all new laptops, also on tablets. In this regard, many are interested in how much does Windows 10 weighhow practical and nimble she is.
How much does Windows 10 weigh in gigabytes
Even before the release of this operating system, disappointing data were voiced - they say, it will weigh either 40 or 30 gigabytes. But in fact, the data how much does Windows 10 weigh, completely different:
- The 32-bit version of "Home" is 13 gigabytes;
- 64-bit - 16 gigabytes.
Thus, even if you have a small hard drive installed on your computer, the system will not burden it.
If we say, how much does Windows 10 weigh on the drive, then this figure is much less than in the case, for example, with Windows 7, - the 32-bit version will take 2.37 GB, the 64-bit version - 5.46 GB. That is, a flash drive with an 8 GB image is enough to install the operating system. If one bit is initially selected, then a drive for four gigs is enough.
It is clear that the weight of "tens" for a mobile phone is even less, as well as for a tablet. At the same time, as practice shows, it works very quickly.
Windows 10: saving memory
It should also be noted that considering the issue, how much does Windows 10 weigh, you must also take into account the fact that it allows you to compress system files as much as possible without losing information.
True, let's say for the sake of justice that not all users like the interface of the operating system. "Seven" is simpler and more practical, many argue. But in any case, in a year the “ten” should replace other operating systems.
Among the advantages of Windows 10, one can note not only low weight, but also the fact that it is very easy to organize system recovery in it. No special updates are required.
To free up space after installation, just go to the "Start" menu, click on the "Find" line, enter the phrase "disk cleanup" and run the function that appeared. Next, you select disk cleaning "C" and the files you want to delete. Then the system will do everything for you by itself, removing unnecessary information. It scans system files itself and determines what exactly can be compressed or removed without data loss.
Updated: October 5, 2017 by the author: Punisher
Recently, Microsoft has a new goal that will help owners of laptops and tablets with small drives save space on the gadget. The developers of the new OS have already answered the question of how much space the files of the Windows 10 system take up, and this information should please many device owners.
As you know, on a tablet with 32 gigabytes of memory, the previous version of Windows takes up more than half of the free memory, but in Windows 10 the situation is completely different. This time, Microsoft took care of its users, and now there will be much more free memory to store their data and other information after installing the updated version of the operating system. How much space will be taken after installing Windows 10 and what minimum system requirements are required for this will be discussed in this article.
How does Windows 10 save device space?
First, Windows 10 test version saves space by compressing system files. With the built-in Cleanup Utility, you can effectively clean the disk of unnecessary information without losing the necessary files.
As the developers of the system themselves say, on gadgets with 32 gigabytes, this innovation will help save about 1.5 gigabytes of free space and space, which will definitely not be superfluous, because information about the space occupied by the top ten is not very comforting for many gadget owners.
In devices with 64 gigabytes of memory, this option will help free up about 2.6 gigabytes. There is only one drawback, which for some reason the update developers are silent about: data compression can negatively affect the operation of the system as a whole, however, how this will affect Windows 10 is not yet known.
The tenth system will gradually be installed on the vast majority of new devices, so it will independently assess the amount of built-in and additional memory on the gadget, the power and speed of its processor. Based on this data, the operating system will assess the situation and, if possible, will use the files that were compressed. In addition, compression will be activated, but only if the system capabilities of the gadget allow it to be done.
Changing the way the system recovery images work is another innovation that turned out to be available in the tenth version of the operating system. It is noted that all devices based on Windows 10 will be delivered without a special disk with a system recovery image, which can take up about six and a half gigabytes of memory on the built-in drive.
System Restore can now be achieved by collecting the operating system from files that are already on disk. The main advantage of this method is that even a reset or system restore will not require downloading special updates, since all the necessary files will already be in the updated tenth version.
Thanks to this, the owner of the gadget will be able to save on it (from 6 to 12 gigabytes) and leave them for their needs. It is not difficult to guess how much space will be occupied by Windows 10 system files on the computer's hard drive. A large number of installation files for the new OS will require about 30-40 gigabytes on a PC.
The well-known company Microsoft carried out calculations and said that the total space on the gadget that the OS occupies can be reduced by almost 45 percent. Of course, a lot depends on the capabilities of the device itself, but according to preliminary data in a 64-bit gadget or a personal computer with a powerful processor, the savings can be about 15 gigabytes. This is undoubtedly a big plus for Windows 10.
Minimum requirements for installing Windows 10
Quite recently, Microsoft has posted on the network the necessary minimum system requirements that a device must have to download and install the new tenth OS. It should be noted that there is no big difference from the requirements for version 8. As you know, the requirements for the eight are completely identical to the requirements for Windows 7 and Windows Vista.
Based on this, we can conclude that to install the updated Windows 10, you need a single-core processor with a clock speed of one GHz or more.
In addition, installation requires only 1 gigabyte of RAM. As you can see, the requirements are pretty standard. Of course, at the time of the release of Windows Vista, this seemed excessive, and not every PC owner could afford to install a new version. Now such numbers are acceptable for all owners of modern gadgets. The eighth version of Windows can be installed even for a mobile device, therefore, a dozen is no exception.
Windows 10 features
Windows 10 Home is capable of updating automatically. When a new update package appears, Windows will notify the user on its own and later download the necessary files, so you can feel calm and not think about the fact that you need to constantly monitor updates for the proper operation of your gadget.
Owners of Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise will be able to delay downloading and then installing updates for a while, which is also very convenient. But it's worth noting that Windows 10 Pro has a limited time to debug downloading updates.
The advantages of the new version can also be attributed to the fact that the owners of gadgets with a small amount of memory will also be able to install the "top ten" without any problems. To complete the update, the user may need additional memory, so for such cases, the developers have compiled instructions that will appear on the installation screen of the updated OS.
Following the instructions, you can independently free up space on the gadget and install an updated version of the operating system. But it is possible that the system during the installation period may require an additional source of free memory, for example, a USB drive, which will help bring the update to the end.
Thanks to the ability to customize the storage system, the user can easily delete temporary files and even the previous version of the operating system. This will be especially useful for owners of devices with hard drives, the volume of which does not exceed 32 gigabytes. Naturally, after installing the "dozen", the user's gadget may need cleaning and additional memory, so this will not be difficult.
In addition, the user can revert to a previous version of Windows, but for this, all files of the version that was installed on the computer, phone or tablet before the system upgrade must be saved in advance. For example, transfer them to a flash card, since after a month all the files of the previous version will be automatically deleted. Hence, the memory on the device will also be freed.
It should be noted that the system requires Internet access to receive and download important updates. This is not a novelty, however, in this case it is important to consider one point. Windows 10 is a large file, which can be about three gigabytes in size. Therefore, some ISPs may charge fees, so in this situation, you should check with your ISP.
System updates can also be influenced by many other factors. For example, this might include driver and firmware support. The compatibility of some applications also plays a big role, as does the support for various special functions.
Even if the device fully meets all the system requirements, it is very important to consider all of the above factors as well. In addition, during the OS upgrade, some applications, settings and files will be automatically transferred, although it is likely that some of them will remain in their original place.
And finally, a little about antiviruses and their compatibility with the new Windows 10. If the antivirus installed on the device earlier turns out to be incompatible with the tenth version of the operating system, the system will automatically remove it, but all protection program parameters will remain saved.
It is possible that after downloading the new version, the antivirus developer will inform Microsoft about the release of his updated product, which will be compatible with Windows 10. In such a case, the owner of the device will immediately be aware of this Windows and will be able to install the latest version himself.
Opinions differ regarding the size of operating systems. Some believe that the OS have become incredibly bloated and this point of view is well founded. Indeed, early versions of the operating system with a graphical interface fit into several tens of megabytes.
At the same time, it was quite comfortable to work for them. There are also modern distributions that fit on one floppy disk (flexible storage with a capacity of 1.4 MB) - just remember the OS "Kolibri" or numerous microscopic clones of Linux. Others believe that you shouldn't skimp on the size - they say, the volumes of the disks are such that any extravagance is quite forgivable. How much does a Windows 10 distribution weigh?
How much space one or another Axis takes depends not only on the initial volume of the installation. Constant updating of the configuration can significantly increase the initial volume.
Care must be taken to ensure that the free disk space is not exhausted after the next update has been made. Therefore, it is desirable to understand the question asked in the title for every advanced computer or laptop user.
How did Microsoft decide to fight itself?
The world leader in increasing the size of its products, each update of which increases the amount of programs on the disk by at least tens of megabytes - decided to fight for savings. “The economy should be economical” - apparently they thought in the Microsoft sales department and started the battle for every byte on the disk. We decided to start with Windows 10, setting the limits for the "thickness" of distributions at 1.5 GB for 32-bit and 2.6 GB for 64-bit OS versions. This is supposed to be achieved by compressing the system files on the disk.
The pros and cons of this technology are pretty obvious. They are in the plane of the age-old volume-performance dilemma. The less space the system takes up due to compression, the more resources will be consumed to process such archives.
With this in mind, a compromise decision was made: during the installation process, Windows determines the hardware configuration, makes assumptions about its purpose (game or work computer, mobile device, etc.), and only then chooses whether to use compression technology or not. Another update is the so-called. There will no longer be a "system partition" for resetting the OS to its initial state.
Is the factory reset over?
Yes and no. That is, the technology itself will not go anywhere, but a special system partition with installation files is no longer required. The developers believe that this will save a lot of space. Now, updating the system after failures will require 4-12 GB less disk space than usual.
For installing OS on smartphones, this problem is not relevant, but for other types of equipment, incl. and tablets - even very much. It should be borne in mind that such an update of the concept will not affect everyone to the same extent. Although the beginning itself is very rewarding. After updating the 64-bit versions of the system, you need to count on a significant increase in the memory resource (up to 15 GB) - their owners are the luckiest ones. If you are not a fanatic of everything new and fashionable, then you can calmly stay on your favorite "Piggy" - the topic under discussion is not for you.
Windows 10 is the latest operating system from Microsoft. The OS was first released in the fall of 2014 and since then has undergone many changes, both functional and external. At the moment, the latest version is the Fall Creators Update. The Ten combines desktop computers and mobile devices with its versatility and ease of use, both with the help of classic input devices and a touch screen.
Below you will find out everything that every user needs: system requirements, distinctive features, existing versions, update methods and many other useful information. All data presented in the article is fully consistent with the information from the developers website.
As before, Microsoft's OS is not too demanding on computer resources. The configurations differ slightly depending on the 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
Let's highlight the minimum requirements for starting a computer on the top ten for 32-bit versions:
- processor 1 GHz or more;
- 1 GB of RAM;
- video adapter with support for DirectX 9 and higher;
- 16 GB of free space on the hard drive;
- screen with a resolution of 800 by 600 pixels minimum.
For a 64-bit OS, the requirements differ only in the increased amount of RAM up to 2 GB minimum and 20 GB on the hard disk for system files.
- processor with 1 GHz frequency or higher;
- 4GB of RAM for 32 and 64-bit versions;
- 16 GB and 20 GB for installing 32 and 64-bit OS, respectively;
- minimum resolution 800 x 600 pixels;
- directX 9 and higher support.
The required input equipment may vary depending on your device. For personal computers and laptops, these are the keyboard and mouse / touchpad. For touch tablets and laptops, this is the screen. You can always track official information on hardware requirements at.
Additional requirements
In addition to the basic hardware requirements, you must take into account the presence of some components and capabilities for the full operation of the operating system. For example, English versions of the OS require a supported microphone to activate the Cortana voice assistant. Windows Hello only works with a dedicated infrared camera for facial recognition. To install all applications, you need an account in the Microsoft Store, as well as Xbox Live. A complete list of what you need can be found on the official website for.
What bit depth to choose
Let's consider the main differences and the concept of the system's bit depth, without going into technical details, but focusing on what will be important to the average user.
The bitness is the ability to process commands by the processor in a certain bit mode. In technical terms and on the hardware side, 64-bit operating systems and processors work much faster and solve more tasks per unit of time, in contrast to 32-bit.
However, for the average user, the difference is not so noticeable. First, the bit depth changes the maximum amount of RAM. For a 32-bit OS, this value is 3.75 GB, and for a 64-bit OS, it is more than 4 GB. Secondly, old hardware and software does not support modern 64-bit programs and hardware. Thirdly, x32 OS is capable of working only with 32-bit programs, while x64 is compatible with both 32 and 64-bit applications.
Accordingly, choosing the correct bit depth depends on your needs and equipment. If we are talking about an old PC with a small amount of memory, which is used for simple tasks (Internet, office programs), then a 32-bit operating system would be appropriate. If the OS is matched to a computer with a modern processor and a lot of RAM, then install x64.
Many people are worried about the question: which version is better for games? If we are talking about undemanding projects and games released 5-6 years ago, the difference will not be noticeable - they all require no more than 4GB of RAM.
Modern games often run only on Windows 10 x64. The Forza Horizon and Motorsport series are prime examples. If you are a fan of Microsoft games, then the 64-bit version is a must for you. For games Sims 3 or Sims 4 (as well as similar ones), 32 bits (from the official system requirements) are also suitable.
How to see the bit depth
To check the bit depth of the installed "tens", you need to do the following:
- Right-click on the "This PC" shortcut on your desktop and select "Properties".
- In the line "System type" you will see the corresponding inscription.
- If you have a 32-bit assembly, but want to upgrade to 64, then you need to check if your processor supports this bitness. To do this, open the "Run" window using the combination Win + R and enter the command "cmd", then press Enter.
- In the command line, type "set" and press Enter.
- On the screen, you will see information regarding hardware and software. The line "PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE" should contain x64 or AMD This means that your processor supports 64-bit systems.
Now you know how to choose the correct bit depth and what it affects. Let's move on to choosing an assembly.
Assembly
The first working version of Windows 10 was the Technical Preview. It was not created for everyday use, but for testing and showing to the public. Now it makes no sense to install the Technical Preview build, since it is full of bugs, flaws and most of the current functions are missing.
The final OS release is the Fall Creators Update, released in 2017. Until mid-summer 2016, Microsoft was distributing free licensed copies of the "dozen". However, a license is now required. To download Windows, you need to go to and download the Windows 10 installer.
How much does the installed OS weigh?
The size of the operating system will depend on the version you choose. The main current versions of the top ten are presented below:
- home. Basic version installed on laptops and laptops;
- professional. Supports small business features;
- corporate. The version has expanded functionality for business and increased security.
To find out how much your system weighs, follow these steps:
- Go to the system partition of your hard drive.
- Right-click on the "Windows" folder and select "Properties" from the menu.
- In the General tab, you will see the size of the operating system on disk.
How much memory is needed for the system partition
When allocating space on your hard drive, it is important to consider the ability to install OS updates, third-party programs and the paging file. Therefore, it is not recommended to create a 16 GB or 20 GB system partition as specified in the system requirements. Be sure to leave free space of 15-20 GB minimum. So you will not face a problem when you have little space on your hard drive for installing software.
File systems
By default, when installing, Windows 10 creates a partition with the NTFS file system. However, all the latest versions of the Top 10 already support ReFS, which is distinguished by increased reliability, high speed of work with large amounts of information and the ability to quickly recover data. ReFS will be useful for those who store a large number of large files on their hard drives. The FS itself will take about 700 MB of storage space. You can format a hard disk in ReFS using standard operating system tools:
- Right click on the non-system partition of the hard drive and select "Format".
- Install ReFS in the "File System" line.
As a result, you will get a completely empty partition with the ReFS file system. In the near future, it will be possible to use this file system on the system partition of the hard disk.
Moving from a previous version of Windows
If you do not want to completely reinstall the operating system, then use the upgrade tool. For this:
- Open up. Click the Update Now button.
- Start Windows 10 Upgrader.
- After scanning, the program will prompt you to download the latest OS version. Click on "Update Now" to agree.
Using this utility, you can find out if your OS supports the transition to Windows 10. The matrix of updates to the "ten" looks like this:
| Windows 7 | Home, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate |
| Windows 8 | 8.1, 8.1 with Bing, 8.1 Pro |
| Windows Phone | Phone 8.1 |
All systems presented in the table support upgrade toWindows 10 without complete reinstallation.
Comparison with previous OS
In addition to innovations and different chips, there are functions that are no longer available in the top ten. Let's list the main changes that will affect the average user:
- removed "Viewer";
- removed Media Center;
- changed the panel and menu "Start";
One of the national peculiarities of Runet users is the tendency to allocate a small section for the system. Today we will talk about where this tradition came from and analyze the main mistakes of such a strategy. You will also find out my approach to work on each item.
For many years now, I have read all the forum threads that discuss the modern Microsoft operating system. And I see people very often with a small system partition. Whether it's Windows XP, Vista or 7, the same picture is observed over and over again - the system is unnecessarily squeezed into a cramped frame.
Why is the system placed on a separate section
Once upon a time, back in the days of Windows 98, a friend of mine (the one who got me hooked on Total Commander) struck me with his layout of disk partitions. He proudly showed me how everything was clearly optimized for him - one partition for the bootloader, the second for the system, the third for the swap file, the fourth for programs, the fifth for films, the sixth ... He had probably 10 of them, and all on one physical disk!
Let not everyone reach such insanity, but in fact it has become a rule to allocate its own section for the system. And I did this, guided by a simple logic: if you have to reinstall Windows, your head won't hurt about where to put your files and documents. At the same time, the system wanted to allocate as little space as possible so that it would not be wasted.
Note the convention - if a have to reinstall! But this is not the case for those who know how to tune the system to do without reinstalling. Are you afraid your Windows 7 will crash? 
photo credit: Capture Queen ™
Meanwhile, Microsoft, which takes into account the interests of business in the first place, has operating systems tailored for the use of one partition. This is due to the well-established strategy for managing user data and settings, which is to place a profile on the system partition.
This approach makes it easier to move and back up user profiles across your organization. As a consequence, many of the system's functions are built on this foundation. So, backing up files in Windows 8 (and in Windows 7 too) can be configured as quickly as possible when using libraries that contain documents, music and videos stored in the profile.
System requirements…
When it comes to system requirements, you need to clearly understand what they indicate minimum parameters that are sufficient to install and start the system. For long-term and comfortable they are not good for work.
Windows XP did not impose serious requirements on disk space - a modest figure of 1.5 GB was announced for "Gold". This, of course, was not enough for normal operation, but a 15 - 20 GB partition allowed free space for the system and programs.
Over time, hard drives have become larger and larger, and the price per gigabyte of space has continued to decline (flooding in Thailand is a temporary exception). Windows XP has been replaced by Windows Vista, which already needed 40 GB. Let's skip it, as many users have done, and go straight to Windows 7.
Then Microsoft made a knight's move and said that the system needs at least 16 GB of disk space, although Windows 7 required no less space than the previous OS.
But while solid-state drives (SSDs) were just starting to gain traction, they were still small and terribly expensive. Redmond could not allow the latest operating system to be incompatible with the current storage technology, so it had to mislead users. You can, of course, install Windows 7 on a 16GB partition, but that's akin to installing XP on a 1.5GB partition.
... and user habits
And then it turned out that many users who missed Windows Vista are trying to squeeze Windows 7 onto the same partition as XP, or similar in size. But after installing the system, it suddenly turns out that there is very little space left on the partition!
Of course, because the size of the distribution has grown 3-4 times, from 600 MB Windows XP to 2.1 - 2.4 GB Windows 7, depending on the bit depth. But this is not so bad! The amount of RAM has grown from 512 MB, which is "luxurious" for XP, to 2-4, or even 8 GB, which immediately affected the size of the swap files (1.5 RAM) and hibernation (0.75 RAM).
Swapping and hibernation are usually handled quickly, but very soon they find that there is still not enough space.
The operating system is constantly being updated, increasing in size to the point of obscenity. Popular anger turns to the winsxs folder, which is punished by especially indignant users through castration (while part of the executions falls on the system already cut off by someone's hands).
But that doesn't help either! Over the years, distributions of your favorite programs have grown fat from Big Macs, and after installation they gobble up precious space. Office 2003 cost a modest 400 MB of disk space, while Office 2010 already requires 3 GB, brazenly storing the installation files in the gigabyte MSOCACHE folder.
It would seem that in such a situation, the thought suggests itself to allocate as much space for Windows on its disk as it needs, since terabyte drives allow it!
Even in netbooks one and a half to two years ago, they already installed 320 GB disks. What can we say about the desktop storage market, where the 1 TB and higher segment is dominant for 7200 rpm drives (the offer of the leading American online retailer newegg.com is shown)
Common mistakes and how not to make them
But for some reason, a number of users feel sorry for space for the system, and begin to limit Windows in every possible way so that life does not seem like raspberries to it. Next, I will describe the typical mistakes that such greed or simply illiterate approach to work in Windows. You will also learn how I prefer to use the system in each of these cases.
1. Disable system protection
Error: Windows Degraded Resilience.
You know this is my favorite topic! I have a system installed on an SSD with a capacity of 120 real gigabytes, and I absolutely do not mind giving 5% of the space to guarantee its stability and the ability to pull accidentally deleted files from shadow copies.
Reading the forum, I see a lot of people who have deprived themselves of an alternate airfield. Don't be one of them!
2. Disable Windows Update
Bug: Reduced security and reliability of Windows.
By preventing the system from updating, you can save several gigabytes of disk space. But exactly until the next reinstallation, caused by the exploitation of an unpatched vulnerability.
Trust me, this is the most convenient approach I've tried. I know that you can:
- do not update the system and it will work, but I find it unprofessional and extremely insecure
- download updates manually from the Microsoft website or immediately with sets from folk craftsmen, but I don't want to waste time on this or trust this intimate process to someone else's hands
- set up notifications and install updates selectively, but I don't want to mess with it because I will select all required updates anyway
I spare no disk space to keep my system safe and reliable.
The fully automatic update saves me time, and it works flawlessly since the first installation of Windows 7!
Yes, I have seen problems with applying updates from other people, but it is extremely rare that the cause is precisely way installation.
3. Disable hibernation
Mistake: Using your time inefficiently and decreasing battery life.
Failure to use hibernation does not lead to tragic consequences, but it is fraught with ineffective use of Windows.
When working on the network, my home laptop goes to sleep after half an hour, and after another half an hour - into hibernation. On battery power, these modes are activated even faster.
Slow down Windows experience
By enabling hibernation, you will be able to get up and running faster than normal startup. Note that with a very large amount of RAM, a reboot may take less time than exiting from hibernation.
However, the acceleration occurs due to the fact that hibernation allows you to immediately get the system in exactly the same form in which it was at the time of termination of work.
And this means that not only all your programs are already running, but you can also immediately resume, for example:
- document editing
- watching a movie or listening to music
- web surfing
Reduced battery life
By using hibernation on your mobile devices, you can manage power more efficiently and thus extend battery life.
Unlike sleep, power consumption during hibernation is minimal and the system can be in this state for weeks.
But it's not only that. The launch of the system and programs is always accompanied by a load on the processor and hard disk, which results in a waste of precious battery power.
4. Disable paging file
Error: Difficulty diagnosing when crashes
With a lot of RAM, it seems logical to completely ditch the paging file in favor of faster RAM. However, if your tasks require a lot of memory, it's better to let Windows breathe deeper. If necessary, the system can write rarely used data to disk, freeing up memory for more important tasks.
One way or another, completely disabling the paging file leads to the inability to create a dump of the memory occupied by the kernel processes if a failure occurs (example |). In other words, you will not be able to identify the driver that caused the BSOD.
Instead of disabling the paging file, it is sufficient to reduce it, at least to the size required for writing dumps.
I have 8 GB of RAM, of which I rarely used more than five before. I didn't need the 12 GB swap file recommended by the system the old fashioned way, so I set it to 200 MB for writing mini-dumps.
Now I'm hitting the ceiling, so I created two swap files on different drives for maximum performance. Let me remind you that it makes sense to transfer FP. As far as SSDs go, if you don't have too much memory, like I have in my netbook, the swap file will be on the SSD itself.
5. Moving the Program Files folder to another section
Error: meaninglessness of action and reduced security of the system.
Let's start with the fact that moving the Program Files folder to another section cannot be completely correct. This folder contains hard links that do not support links between different sections. But I will not dwell on this, since you are unlikely to run ancient Windows programs.
The meaninglessness of action
More importantly, the transfer just doesn't make sense. It is much more correct to keep programs on the system partition, as this makes it easier to back up the system and restore the familiar environment.
When the system is fully synchronized with the installed programs, you start working right after restoring from the backup image.
I create incremental Windows images once a week. Since I have a well-established set of programs, the differences between them, as a rule, lie in the installed updates.
If there is no image, the presence of programs on a different partition means that after reinstalling the system, you will have to reinstall many applications that require:
- registering libraries and components (example - Microsoft Office)
- installation of drivers (example - Alcohol)
- association with file types and protocols (example - Opera browser, and no, manually will not be faster)
And do not forget that you detach programs not only from the system, but also from their data, which is stored in the% UserProfile% \\ AppData folder.
Reduced security
It would seem, what does this have to do with it? It's all about the rights to the folder! Only administrators can write to the Program Files and Program Files (x86) folders. The rights to a folder created on another partition are inherited from its root. At first glance, the Users group does not have write permission, but it is granted to the Authenticated Users group.
In practice, this means that normal rights are sufficient to make changes to program files.
In other words, malware that infiltrates your system can do whatever it wants with your applications, even without administrator rights.
For example, it can modify the code of executable files or replace dynamic link libraries (DLLs), and UAC will not warn you about this.
By the way, this is precisely the flaw in the security model used by the Google Chrome browser, whose folder is located in the user's profile. In this case, Google chooses, in its opinion, the lesser of two evils, since such a location of the browser allows you to discreetly update it without your participation and quickly close vulnerabilities.
Are you still moving the Program Files folder to a different partition?
Of course, you can set up ACLs for a program folder on a different partition. But in reality, few people are puzzled by this. Do not bother yourself with unnecessary actions and place the programs in a standard way - along with the system.
6. Inefficient use of disk capabilities
Mistake: Lack of space negatively impacts productivity.
When the system is installed on hard disk (which was true for 92% of my blog readers at the time of this writing), it takes at least 15% free space to properly defragment. The less space you allocate for the system partition, the more likely you are to pass this threshold leading to ineffective defragmentation.
I worked for almost three years on a laptop with a 120 GB HDD, and it was not easy for me to keep 1/7 of the disk free. An external USB drive helped to solve the problem.
As a proud owner of an SSD, you don't have to worry about fragmentation. But for solid state drives, the issue of free space is also relevant! And if you transfer personal files and documents to another disk partition, then you simply slow down your work with them. After all, this way you lose the ability to quickly navigate through folders, as well as instantly find files and open documents.
All my personal files, with the exception of movies and music library, are stored in the profile on the system SSD. After all, I bought it in order not only to speed up the work of the system and programs, but also to increase my productivity.
Poll and discussion
You have seen the typical mistakes that lead to allocating too small a partition for the system, or simply a misunderstanding of how Windows works. To counter these mistakes, I have outlined my approach. Now you!
Since the survey (results lost) does not give a complete picture (for example, the total disk size is left behind the scenes), I really hope to see it in the comments! Write how you are doing:
- specify the size of the Windows 7 partition and the total disk space on which the system is installed
- add a link to the full screen screenshot of the disk management snap-in (diskmgmt.msc)
- explain why you have such a breakdown by sections
- admit which of the following mistakes you make (and if you do not consider them mistakes, prove it!)
Tell us about other bugsassociated with inefficient use of disk space, if you are aware of such. This will serve as a good background for the next post and its discussion.
And I want to emphasize that the discussion will benefit greatly if we limit ourselves to the technical aspects, without diluting them with the flame of increasing the price of discs. After all, your approach and the current alignment took shape earlier!
You can mark you interesting snippets of text that will be available through a unique link in your browser.
about the author
I still store the My Documents folder on another physical disk. This is really more reliable, and also allows for more flexibility in organizing backups. I back up my documents every day, and the system partition once a week. Considering the large volume of both, there is a significant gain in the volume of the partition backup. Yes, and My documents can be painlessly transferred to another DSK by means of Windows itself.
Ivasilievich
on a two-year-old beech HDD 320 GB, split under the C: \\ 50 GB system, everything else under other data, while the user profile folders, my documents, images, music, video, downloads, favorites, contacts, desktop are on the other section (with data - D: \\)
a9lex3
In the days of XP and 80Gb HDD, I allocated 30 for the system.When Windows Vista came to my PC, the partition size was about 40.
Now on a PC with 2 * 250Gb HDD for WDP 150Gb is allocated, and on a laptop with 320Gb HDD - 100Gb (also WDP).
Previously, on a PC under Windows 7, I allocated about 50Gb, but at some point the size of free space reached ~ 200Mb and had to be increased due to the neighboring partition.
freetushkan
I have WDP now, Windows along with all files are always located on the same partition. Auto-update is disabled, I regularly run it manually, I always avoid installing anti-malware tools, because why don't I start up malware? I back up the files only when reinstalling (if there is a stable system, then this process does not occur more often than once every two years; reinstallation is often carried out by me in order to get rid of a cloud of rubbish - too radical and unprofessional, I know, but I am a pathological lazy person). I do not touch hibernation with pumping. Sometimes I turn off UAC, at times it interferes terribly .. Windows lacks such a feature as in linux, with the placement of directories on different partitions (there is, of course, the ability to connect a volume as ntfs-directories, but this is crutches and a little wicked ..).
maxx
System partition 100GB, disk 1TB, when reinstalling windows 7, I stupidly delete the partition and create it again, all the data is on disk D. Example - Steam, after reinstalling the system and installing steam to the old place on disk D: it automatically picks up all the old settings and relieves from the mass of trouble.
Of the mistakes I made only disabling the swap, I lost a little, to be honest, since in those bsods that occurred, I still could not overcome the reason. By the way, some very smart programs require a swap, and no less gig, which is very infuriating (if memory serves, the game Warhammer dawn of war 2 is an example).
Sergei
Vadim, hello.
From your article, I did not quite understand whether you need to place the system on a separate disk partition?
And if not necessary, if you store the system image on the main disk partition, then how can I restore the system in case of a failure?
Andrei
I knew people who once created a small system partition because they installed a pirate system that crashed at an enviable frequency or just started to glitch and slow down to such an extent that it was impossible to work. For them, reinstalling the system was a mandatory ritual several times a year, without even delving into what was buggy and whether it was possible to somehow fix it without reinstalling. I think there were many such people at one time, so this universal tradition has gone to make a small system partition, and keep everything else on a separate partition.
DreDa
The system is on a separate 120 GB SSD, everything else is on 2x HDD.
Vladimir
i have 7x86 - a working one, on which programs are installed, etc., 70GB is allocated for this. also 7x64 - game, installed only what is needed for games, located in the root of the 300GB section for games. only 1tb screw.
Alexander
There are not so many pro users, more and more systems with store installation on the entire disk. I allocate an average of 50-60 GB to the system. This is enough for me + I do not have a licensed Windows 7 x64 Professional, I do not need most of the updates, and I download the drivers from the manufacturers' websites, since the seven partially retained the whist disease,
the system has determined that a driver update is not required
because the drivers from Microsoft are installed, which is not good. I AM never I do not put toys in the system partition. Well, I don't think it's reasonable to store music, photos and videos in documents, after a complete installation of the system, drivers and programs, I have about 50% of the hard disk space free for temporary files, and the music I listen to in FLAC format takes about 40 GB. Yes, and for drawing in Photoshop, I allocated a place in another section, since processing a picture with a resolution of 30000x40000 pix also takes a good chunk of the section.
Thanks everyone for the answers. I will comment on some of them. So far, no one really admits mistakes - apparently, everything is done according to science :)
Nikitin Lev, and what is the more flexible organization of the backup when storing documents outside the system disk?
maxxso you still have to rearrange Steam. Isn't it easier to keep it together with the system and make a backup image?
Sergei, and the article was not intended to answer the question whether it is necessary to place the system on a separate section. It was about its too small size.
We will talk about this in the next posts, but in general, and so it is obvious that the system backup will be smaller if you do not include video and music in it. And the backup must be done.
Andreithat's right, it's handy for those who regularly reinstall the system. But such a minority among my readers :)
Sphinx114, my notes provide a topic for discussion, and polls help me understand how my readers are doing.
Sphinx114 (deleted comment): Voted 8 (or more) times for the option “I don’t have Windows 7 ″, and then the IP addresses ran out: (Apparently, now through a proxy you need ...
Your manipulation of the survey distorts its results, thereby depriving me of a valuable opportunity to see the alignment in my audience and prepare materials of interest to her.
Thus, your actions, unfortunately, indicate insufficient intellectual development. I think you don’t need to read my blog, let alone comment on it.
Nikitin Lev
Vadim Sterkin
The fact that you do not need to back up My documents twice (I have a lot of them). Perhaps I was not quite clear about it.
I use Acronis for backup. I make a backup of the system partition exactly like a partition - once a week. Incremental backup of My documents - at the end of each working day. If you do not move My Documents to another partition, they will be backed up along with a backup copy of the system partition.
Another reason in favor of storing My documents on another partition is that I have it on another physical disk with increased reliability (WD HDD RE series).
And finally, my system partition is located on a 120 GB SSD. It is not possible to place My documents there, and the reliability of the SSD is not yet up to the mark.
In general, I agree with your recommendations, except that for the reasons listed above, I believe that storing documents on a separate partition on another physical disk is not a mistake at all. This solution has a number of advantages (the ability to place the system on a fast SSD, do not increase the volume and time of backup, do not put all eggs in one basket, placing the system and documents on different physical devices).
Moreover, the OS allows you to transfer My Documents to another section by its own means while preserving all system links.
Nikitin Lev
Vadim Sterkin
In general, you write everything correctly, I fully support.
I don’t understand those “gurus” who advised me at one time to “be sure to split” the physical disk into several logical ones: “for the system, for games and for distributions”.
With the advent of NTFS, I completely abandoned the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating more than 1 logical disk on 1 physical disk. If a physical disk dies, it doesn't matter how many logical ones there were. And in order for the section itself to die, it is necessary to do a number of strange experiments, which, for example, I do not carry out on combat vehicles ...
And I don't see any point in leaving less than 100-120 GB for the system either.
Alexander
On the laptop, a 320 GB hard drive, a partition with a 50 GB system, and purely for the system and programs, all personal data (music, photos, videos) are stored on an external hard drive. Now, in general, I plan to use the entire hard drive on the laptop for the system, and store everything else on an external hard drive.
Anton
I was fundamentally mistaken with the space, when I took the B7, then the characteristics said that 16 GB was enough. I allocated 25 GB for the system and made 40 GB for backup.
Now, out of 25 GB, 6 GB of free space is left. For six months, I did not notice a single jamb, (well, except that the task scheduler service does not start), backups are made every week.
I am now more careful about updates, Vin XP was enough for me when I installed all the updates automatically, and one day I got an update of a folk craftsman, after a reboot the OS did not rise, only backup saved.
I've been thinking about interrupting the disc for a long time, but I really don't want to mess around with copying again.
DreDa, I have the same, only one HDD - only two disks can be placed in a laptop :)
Alexander, you shouldn't think Microsoft drivers are bad :)
In fact, the device drivers supplied through WU are created by the hardware manufacturer, not Microsoft. They undergo additional compatibility checks and are therefore the most reliable.
And those versions that, say, AMD rolls out on the site, are often experimental and not so stable.
Nikitin Lev, your approach is clear, thanks for the detailed description of your strategy.
Nikitin Lev: I think that keeping documents on a separate partition on another physical disk is not a mistake at all. This solution has a number of advantages (the ability to place the system on a fast SSD, do not increase the volume and time of backup, do not put all eggs in one basket, placing the system and documents on different physical devices).
Technically, this is not a mistake, of course. But as I said in the article, access to your working files should be as fast as possible. I do not call for storing gigabyte archives of music and films together with the system. But I will keep all mine documents and frequently used files on the SSD, along with the system.
My philosophy is that the speed of work consists not only of fast hardware, but also of the productive actions of the user.
You have the same layout as mine (SSD 120 Gb + HDD). This allows me to easily keep the system and basic personal data together, which I can access at the highest possible speed.
arinoki
I have 320gb-hdd. Section one. Even if the system crashes - only the system and software on the disk - it is more efficient to reinstall it.
Transferring program files (and program files (x86) in the case of a 64-bit axis) really does not make sense even with several hdd - I did not notice the increase in speed.
And, well, I also transferred the folder of my account to the third screw - also zero sense.
system - seven.
Why I tried to transfer - I thought that such a unix-way separation would have a significant advantage.
At the same time, there were no problems with the software - I made all the links through WinPE.
Nikitin Lev
Vadim Sterkin:
My philosophy is that the speed of work consists not only of fast hardware, but also of the productive actions of the user.
And where is the loss in speed? Perhaps you have a different scenario of work. I mainly work in Office, Project and Visio. Files of these formats are almost instantly opened from the HDD (5400). I never even had the idea of \u200b\u200bbuying a hard drive faster. The opening time is subjectively close to zero.
But, probably, you just have other working files, and from the HDD they open much slower.
Hector
System partition - 50 Gb, total size 320 Gb
about the alignment:
FROM - system (I still keep the system on another partition)
D - documents and personal files
E - toys
F - video
G - before I learned about the existence of virtual machines, from time to time I installed different Linux distributions on this section
i seem to have avoided the errors listed here (or read it inattentively)
Vladimir, 70 GB is enough for the OS and programs, but you must take into account the number and size of the installed software.
But it's not just the size of the distributions. I remember that I freed up space on a section of a friend of mine, and there some software from Nokia took 200 MB in the program folder and\u003e 1 GB in AppData.
Alexander, right off the bat, I would say that a 320 GB disk can be left unshared. Here, arinoki and did so. But this is a topic for the next conversation :)
Anton, 25 GB is not enough for Windows 7, there are no options here.
Nikitin Lev, logical drives are not needed at all, I think (but I will justify more fundamentally in the blog post :)
Loss of speed - in navigating through folders and finding the files / documents you need (I actively use saved searches).
Since along with the SSD I have an HDD 5400 rpm installed, I can see the difference in speed with the naked eye.
boris
I currently have two hard drives in my system: one for 500GB and one for 1TB. I put the system on a 500GB disk, programs, of course, there. On a 1tb disk I store all documents, music, films, distributions and more. Then in Win7 I change the location of the standard folders music, video, downloads, etc. to my folders on the second hard drive.
Horuss
For example, I have Windows 7 on a 16GB partition, while there are no programs installed that take up a lot of space, for example, such as Office or Photoshop. Hibernation is disabled, because I think it is useless on a regular computer (if there was a laptop or not, then I would think about using it). Backup is disabled because there is no particularly important data or settings. I download updates about once a month. With all this, 4.5-4GB of free space remains constantly free on the disk.
arinoki
Vadim Sterkin,
yes, even in comparison with the hdd of the Velociraptor series (it seems to be correct) there will be a difference in comparison with ssd.
i am just breaking off with the fact that 256GB options are still very expensive.
Salen
I have Mac OS X Lion and FS ext journaled. I am very glad that I left Microsoft :)
But this is my main workstation. And the portable one - I'm completely satisfied with my HP laptop on Windows, so far I don't need a MacBook (although I'm waiting for 2012 and mega line updates), and on it - win7. I allocated 50 GB on the disk - quite enough, even 13-15 free ones.
I store all files on D, with features like My Documents - I do not use it. ;)
By the way, the poppy comes with a preinstalled system, and for this reason / home did not allocate to a separate logical disk (analogue - D: \\), this is strange for me because sat on Windows all my life and min. 2 log. disk is usually. But no matter how much I load the poppy, I cannot kill him. Even the light blinked once - he calmly rebooted himself and, as if nothing had happened, restored all the processes that were, in the same places where he stopped. And Windows would be buggy for 5 minutes while it would come to itself :(
So that's it. The article is efficient. When I read about the update, I remembered the joke:
I bought a poppy. I bought a PS laptop.
Mac - setting, updating, minor adornments - adyn hour.
Windows - setting - adyn hour; update-reboot-update-reboot-update-reboot-update-reboot ... (185 more) ... - scored.
: D and this dude had no place to throw money away (he took himself a professional x64 distribution)
I hope I didn't hurt anyone, for the grammar and the meaning of sorry, Monday is a harsh day :(
Novel
I have a Win7 partition of 50GB on a 500GB HDD. There is a second HDD 320GB, but in Winows it is disabled for me - I gave it to Linux. I connect it only if I need to backup data from someone else's PC.
Link to full-screen screenshot of the Disk Management snap-in.
Why the tradition can't really explain exactly this alignment, probably :) Yes, I have never experienced problems with free space and defragmentation on the system disk, and so far I am not going to change its size. On another section, I have everything that can be connected through the Win7 libraries, I put games there and save all the garbage from the Internet. Programs, the paging file are with the OS.
Of the listed errors, I did not find a single one (I was glad for myself already :)). A long time ago, I rigidly set the size of the paging file (but not less than 1.5 RAM) and turned off hibernation, or as it is correctly called in WinXP, I already forgot. Now I do not suffer from this and do not advise anyone.
But people especially often come across to me disabling system protection and updates. If I can still understand disabling updates (pirated operating systems are used), disabling protection / restoring sometimes just kills ...
Hector, thanks for the picture and the layout. I think I'll use this point in the next articles. 5 partitions for 320GB? Nu-nu :))
boris, storage of the system and data on different physical disks are a good idea, but that doesn't replace the need to make backups. I would keep the OS and data together and the second disk is a backup.
arinokiThe 256GB SSD is tempting but see no need. Depending on your needs, 90-160 GB can be enough for the OS and basic personal files. I have enough 120 hooks.
Salen, after installing Windows 7 SP1, all updates rolled with one reboot. The joke is outdated :)
Horuss, i.e. I have not convinced you of anything? :)
Novel, thanks for the screenshot, I'm glad that you have everything without errors :)
microamper
System partition 80 GB, HDD 320 GB. When choosing the size of the system partition, I followed the recommendations from different forums. At the moment, out of 80 GB, free 36, (games and other useless applications, did not clog the system). I update the system manually, selectively. I practically don't use folders (My Documents).
baw17
Wester Digital Caviar Black 2 × 640GB
C: ~ 50GB - Raid 0
D: ~ 1150 - Raid 0
Caviar Green
E: ~ 2TB
Default paging file. memory 8gb
Anton Pleskanovsky
Good afternoon to all blog readers!
I'll start with a description of the characteristics of the system:
a) The size of the system partition: 42.6 GB. Formatted storage capacity 111 GB (Configuration: 5-year-old laptop)
b) http://s011.radikal.ru/i317/1112/c3/3255d3036a20.jpg
c) I believe that the OS, figuratively speaking, “should live its own life” and at least Photo and Video files should be saved on its partition and backed up in a separate image. Probably, it happened historically: when a 40 GB hard drive was a luxury item, and the user littered the system partition with games, and as a result, the system had to be reinstalled due to the fact that the space on the partition was trite. Since then, this stereotype has taken root in the mind :)
And even purely subjective, sometimes it just infuriates if the "service-men" beat the partition like this: 40 GB for the system, 460 GB for a big dump, which a newbie can do within 3 months. Partitioning into several logical disks is very often a kind of crutch, necessary at first to teach the user to order on the hard drive :)
Although it will be very interesting to read how the data should be organized so as not to create logical partitions at all.
Let's go through the errors:
1.Disable system protection
Earlier (that year 2004), on XP, I turned it off immediately. In the cherished folder “RegTweaks” there was a mega-tweak to “improve”, probably everyone had such a collection at one time ... I did not make backups regularly, sometimes with Akronis - right after setting up the system, and “at will” once every six months. Yes, such a strategy is fraught with a sudden and very offensive collapse, but, fortunately, nothing bad happened - I did not cut the living system with a scalpel, I tried to test everything on the virtual machine first.
I only started playing it on W7, after hearing enough about how successful and clever it is (yes, outsidethebox also made a significant contribution). Liked. I advise.
2.Disable Windows Update
On XP, the pirate was cut off immediately, with the same famous megatwick. For the license. It was updated, however, regularly, downloading updates from the network and packing in SFX. Then in the year 2006, he began to bypass the activation check to update directly from the site. It is inconvenient, and inoperative, since it was necessary to do a couple of manipulations with your hands, and only then climb to the site.
Always on now.
3.Disable hibernation
I just didn't use it before. Just shut down the computer. In addition, the power supply was strange, having experimented with hibernation a couple of times on XP, got either BSOD, or lost the session. Threw it before the seven appeared on my car (2010). I think it is an extremely convenient thing - I even taught my parents how to use hibernation, now they do not turn off their computer, but simply “hibernate” it.
4 disabling the swap file
I've never done that. For he remembered the rule about 1.5 * RAM - and always adhered to it. True, now, when the machine has 8 GB, I think that you can make 2-3 GB, no more, 12 GB for the paging file is too much ...
Addendum: I also do not see the point with one hard drive to beat the disk into two or three ... ten partitions, and put the paging file on any other, except for the system one. Always tried to share the hard disk with the system and with the paging file.
5.Moving the Program Files folder to another section
Never did that either. Let the system and programs work "in conjunction".
6 inefficient use of disk power
I can't say anything about SSD, I haven't used it.
And I always remembered about the lack of space, on XP you needed at least 12.5% \u200b\u200bof free disk space, and I always tried to keep the degree of "trash" no higher than 80 percent. Situations when there is 100 KB of free space on the hard drive have never been related to my machines.
I did not understand from kammentov: "and one fine day an update of a folk craftsman came across, after the reboot the OS did not rise, only the backup saved." - was it on Windows Update? ..
Nikitin Lev
Anton Pleskanovsky, thanks for the layout and pictures. With such a small disk, you create three partitions and justify this by separating the system from personal data?
Why did you decide that the documents should live their own lives? We made one backup of our 120 GB to an external drive and that's it. You don't need to backup anything separately, but if you want - please, Windows 7 backup allows you to archive files.
Nikitin Lev, well, this is because you have two physical disks :) And if there was one, you would split it into two. After all, you keep documents separate from the OS.
Nikitin Lev
Vadim Sterkin: well, this is because you have two physical disks :) And if there was one, you would split it into two. After all, you keep documents separate from the OS.
No, I wouldn't do that today. I have one 128 GB SSD in my laptop. I don't break it, because I don't see the point. All the same, there is only one physical disk, and there are not many documents. Here I just back up documents once a day to the cloud, and once every couple of weeks I back up the entire section to an external drive.
I keep documents on my home computer separate from the OS because: 1) this way they end up on different physical disks (this is less risky, a little faster) and 2) all the documents accumulated on the system disk do not fit. That is, it's all about the volume of these documents and the presence of a separate physical disk. If there are few documents and a separate physical disk is all the same - why not keep them together with the system? Here I completely agree with you.
But if there are many documents and it is possible to place them on a separate physical disk, then place them there correctly.
Nikitin Lev
It seems to me that the discussion somehow from the initial question "should the system be kept separate from everything on the smallest possible section" (my answer is no) was divided into several side ones:
1. Do I need to keep documents and the system on different partitions (my answer is if these partitions are on the same physical disk, then no).
2. Do I need to split one physical disk into several partitions (my answer is no).
3. Do I need to split one physical disk into several partitions separately for the system and documents (my answer is no).
Disabling system protection
I turn it off, because I think it's not perfect. Situations when the protection did not help happened, although it was still on xp, since then, I'm sure it was improved, but I never saw the functionality I needed (.
Protection cannot be fine-tuned - you can specify folders, files, registry keys that need to be monitored and which should not. That is, the system can perform a bunch of unnecessary actions and not do what was needed. If we are to allocate space for backup, then you need to be sure that every part of the system will be fully functional after recovery, otherwise there is no point in such "protection". In addition, the protection will not get rid of the garbage introduced by different programs, so from time to time I make backups manually.
Paging file
... let Windows breathe deeper. If necessary, the system will be able to write rarely used data to disk, freeing up memory for more important tasks ...
You need exactly as much memory as you need, and if there is more of it than you need, I doubt that the system will have a good mood and it will work faster), but in general the situation is similar to the Protection. There is no way to set what can and should be kept in a swap and what not, to define these most important tasks. As a result, after exiting the game, for example, the system turns into a brake, until everything that seemed necessary to it is unloaded from the swap, nothing can be done before that, and for the screw with the swap file, difficult times come with long random access). Another example is an opera minimized to the tray with a certain lesson + 3dsmax photoshop or another program that requires a lot of resources, which, moreover, itself uses the screw often + torrent and player \u003d a huge number of calls to the slowest device in the system, the result is corresponding, everything becomes slower that uses the screw at the same time. Therefore, the paging file would be advised to include only if there is not enough RAM and there is no way to increase its volume.
bsod is not a normal and rare occurrence, and if it appears systematically then turn on the swap file for analysis, otherwise it's like running around the room with a basin, waiting for the neighbors to flood, IMHO).
Partitioning and transferring system folders
I keep in another place only the desktop folder, since it contains half of the documents I work with, and nothing is stored there on which the work of programs and the system would depend. The screw is split into 2 disks, system and everything else. The size of the system partition on a laptop is 30 on a stationary 40, this is enough for the necessary programs + a small margin for defragmentation, etc. I put the games in the second section, since they weigh a lot, and you don't need to backup them.
ki1dio
Anton Pleskanovsky
Vadim Sterkin
Why did you decide that the documents should live their own lives?
The documents are on the same section with the system, because there are not many of them, as I have already said here Nikitin Lev
We made one backup of our 120 GB to an external drive and that's it. You don't need to backup anything separately
I agree, it's logical and rational, it's just that my hands do not reach the point of buying a usb hdd, and since no critical data is saved on my laptop, I prefer a file-by-file backup. Just understand that I have never used any file catalogers on my hard disk, but used partitioning for this purpose, i.e. it is nothing more than a user experience habit act.
Vitaly I often "work" with temporary saving of a large number of large files on the desktop (more convenient / faster).
The second terabyte and external are partly duplicated (the main part of the information is programs (distributions), backups, (except for video, music ... well, why not store it in droves)
