Best Partition for video and music editing...

Which is the best way to partition for video and music editing

I will have a new HDD this week and need to partition it wiselly.
I would like to know how you do it if you edit video/music(sequencer).
For instance, do I have one partition for the OS alone; another for the programs; another for sound files...
I'm not talking about partitions for the purpose of fastest defragment - but for an efficient running editing session.
This question is more aimed to those of you who use editing software; Adobe Photoshop/Premiere/After Effects, Cubase and programs alike.

 

It's totally a matter of personal preference. I guess I'd say the best option would be to have your video files and music files on one partition say D. And your windows files and editing software on another partition say C. So that if you have to reformat, you can keep your files and just re-install the OS + software.

 

Well that's how I have my current setup right now - which is not efficient enough. I have read different articles on this, but can't really remember them or locate the sources. Cause faster defrag or risk of loosing files is not my main concern - only an efficient setup which will create the least amount of interruptions while editing.

 

In that case, you might want to set up a OS on a partition with the minimal non-editing software on it. Even if it's the same OS as on another partition.

EX:

HD1: Windows XP, Main use Parition

HD2: Storage (No OS)

HD3: Windows XP, Edit Software Only..........Minimal install, No antivirus or other programs not related to Editing. Uncheck all Startup programs in MSCONFIG. Uninstall any unused windows apps....ETC ETC:
SHOULD BE THE SMALLEST SIZE PARTITION.


A partition for the Programs without another OS, Alone won't do the trick if you are using them VIA your OS partition. That why I recommend the above. To use apps VIA with minimal reg and processes from other apps.


That seems the most efficient. Otherwise disable ALOT of processes and cut the net off in your main OS.

 

I have been doing this for years and recording to a SEPARATE HD works best.
OS on HD 1. That said you can record to the same HD as the OS depending on the size of files.

I would try that first and see if you run into issues, You can always add a drive.

 

It is up to you there is no better

 

There is no need to partition drives unless you are using more then one OS. There is no longer a performance gain from it.

 

ALWAYS a better idea to use a separate partition as storage. If your OS crashes you still have your storage files.

 

i agree with jeffmd.

there is no advantage other than convenience.

for music, video, etc., you should run a 2nd HD.

 

Hey well this is what I normally do:

C: OS
D: Applications
E: Music/Videos Work Files etc.

Its true if your OS partition crashes its easier to recover files from your other partitions.

 

the problem with the above scenario is that you actually make the system work harder as it traverses partitions to acces the system data and application data.

again, for OP's needs, a 2nd HD is really the only viable solution

 

This is exactly how I used to set it up but now I just keep OS and Applications on the same partition because if I had to do a reinstall, I would most likely need to reinstall all my applications as well. It is well worth having a separate partition for data and other documents which means you can easily do a reinstall and still have all your important files to hand.
With regards to intensive encoding practices, a separate dedicated drive is the best bet as this drive can purely do the streaming aspect of the job while your OS/Application drive can handle the background and Application processes. This should allow you the optimum hard drive performance.

Basically, if you only have one drive, partitioning is really only a convenience.
Two physical drives and I would use one for the OS and application and the other for the source and target data. If you have three drives then use one for OS/application, one for source data and one for target data.

 

Second drive.. But I'm using a laptop, I can't install a 2nd HDD - or do you mean an external drive in an enclosure. Isn't USB2 much slower than a 2.5" HDD?

By the way, if I just use two partitions how big should the OS partition be? I'm running Windows MCE 2005.

 

If you only have a single drive then this will still do the job - it is just more optimal to use a physically separate drive for this purpose.
If using a single drive, I would use a separate partition for the source and target data as it makes life easier to manage.
The size of your OS partition really depends on what else will go on there. On my 120GB drive, I created a partition of 25GB for my OS but that is also where I install all my applications. You need to remember that this partition is typically used for temp files as well so say you are using nero to create a DVD-ROM with up to 4.5GB of data, you will need at least 4.5GB of free space in this partition to allow nero to create its temporary DVD image of the files it will burn to DVD. In light of this, it is best to over estimate your usage.
Typically, I would allow for at least 10GB (better 15GB) for XP Pro install and the page file and temp space and at least double that if you will be installing your applications into this same partition as well. Remember that you may also be installing additional applications in the future that you hadn't accounted for hence the practice of over estimating your disk usage. A final note to consider, defragging is only really effective when there is sufficient free space on the drive to allow the files to be moved around and reorganised - Windows defragger needs 15% free space on the partition to do its work optimally.