How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Printable View

Show 100 post(s) from this thread on one page

09-04-2008, 10:33 AM
Sinizter

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Fat 32 partitions deliver data faster than NTFS partitions. So it should give a double benefit using the first 32gb of your drive for your OS formatted as FAT32.
09-04-2008, 05:07 PM
Steve

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

How much faster?

I'd rather stick with NTFS myself.
09-04-2008, 05:31 PM
Agent

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Its no where near as much as people think.

Besides, you'd be insane to be using FAT32 on the huge drives we have today.
09-04-2008, 05:32 PM
Sinizter

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agent

Its no where near as much as people think.

Besides, you'd be insane to be using FAT32 on the huge drives we have today.

Its only a percent of two faster. Using it for the first 32gb wouldnt be a problem. I certainly would not want the whole drive formatted in FAT32.
09-04-2008, 05:47 PM
Agent

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

I wouldn't want *any* of my drive formatted FAT32. I just can't see the point :)
09-04-2008, 06:32 PM
Main

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Interesting...

Have some more data:

This is a now 3.5 year old PATA 200Gb 7200rpm 8Mb cache Maxtor drive with a windows install that's just as old. The disk manager shot is to show the order of the partitions, which I only really did to keep the windows install away from everything else.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...peedssmall.jpg

Re-testing varies the numbers but the system partition is always faster than the larger one.
09-04-2008, 06:57 PM
j.o.s.h.1408

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TooNice

It's worth noting that only the 1TB F1 is on 333GB Platters. The 750GB version is said to be 3x250GB. Western Digital has also announced 320GB platters, and and I am one of many who are waiting to see who will first release the first 640GB drive (2 platter).

so to use zaks partition, just forma the os has 333gb?
21-04-2008, 11:24 PM
farooqm

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Whats the best way to format a 1Tb Samsung F1, bearing in mind that this will be in an external eSata casing and that I will not be booting from this.

3 equal partitions? or some other config?
21-04-2008, 11:45 PM
Rosaline

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Try using HDTach to get a profile of how the access rates deteriorate as you get further 'into' the disk. That is the best way to determine the best positions, in my opinion.
27-04-2008, 12:45 PM
farooqm

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rosaline

Try using HDTach to get a profile of how the access rates deteriorate as you get further 'into' the disk. That is the best way to determine the best positions, in my opinion.

Here's my HDTach & HDTune - taken from 1Tb Samsung F1 in an external Icy Box 390 enclosure connected to my XPS M1530 via eSata expresscard.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ach-eSata2.jpg http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...sta-eSata3.jpg

I'm not really sure what I should be looking for in this to help me set the partitions right (bearing in mind I won't be booting from this and it will be a data drive only). Recommendations / Advise more than welcome... :rockon2:
27-04-2008, 02:36 PM
Rosaline

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

I don't have HDTach on here, but I think there might be a setting change available to get more readings, and hence a more clear trendline.

What sort of data are you intending to use the drive for? If it is just for regular storage of assorted files, then there is little real point in following Zak's guide. The benefit only really comes when you require extremely rapid access to some files, such as with an operating system or with heavy video and music editing work.
27-04-2008, 08:24 PM
farooqm

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rosaline

I don't have HDTach on here, but I think there might be a setting change available to get more readings, and hence a more clear trendline.

What sort of data are you intending to use the drive for? If it is just for regular storage of assorted files, then there is little real point in following Zak's guide. The benefit only really comes when you require extremely rapid access to some files, such as with an operating system or with heavy video and music editing work.

Mainly Vmware, creating DVD video files (transferred from MiniDV using Sony Vegas) & as a backup for data from my desktop machine.
05-08-2008, 03:38 PM
NovaSphere

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

As I'm getting the Western Digital 640GB HDD pretty soon (when my new PC arrives ;o)

I'll be running Vista Ultimate 64-bit on it. I was thinking to make the first partition arround 100GB for my OS and other Applications (like MS Word etc...)
My second partition the games of like 240GB and the third partition the data/files drive of arround 300GB.

Would this be a smart thing to do? If not, what else?
I'm ok to test something, aslong as my OS and my games run fast lol :)
05-08-2008, 03:50 PM
j.o.s.h.1408

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

seems good. thats how i did it but on a 250gb though, i used around 60-80gb for the first partition and split the remaining into two partitions. i gotta buy at least a 320gb before i head off to philippines this xmas
12-09-2008, 11:00 PM
Koolpc

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Interesting thread. Might try this.
13-09-2008, 12:18 AM
Az00123

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Is this like matrix raid for 1 drive? or am i totally mistaken?
13-09-2008, 12:41 AM
Agent

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Az00123

Is this like matrix raid for 1 drive? or am i totally mistaken?

Totally mistaken :)

The idea is that data is read faster from different parts of the disk. By using this part for OS data, it should make your system feel more responsive.
13-09-2008, 06:51 AM
Koolpc

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Might be worth having a poll to see who has tried it and the results?
13-09-2008, 11:12 AM
inonefly

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

the 1st 40gb partition on my 150gb raptor has lower access time (6.7) but i cant really feel its quicker
13-09-2008, 03:28 PM
Az00123

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agent

Totally mistaken :)

The idea is that data is read faster from different parts of the disk. By using this part for OS data, it should make your system feel more responsive.

So it is like matrix raid where you take the inner parts (fastest) of each disk for OS and then use the outer for storage, except it's with 1 drive?
13-09-2008, 03:38 PM
Webby

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Umm I think you will find that the outer parts of the drive are the fastest...
13-09-2008, 03:44 PM
Agent

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Az00123

So it is like matrix raid where you take the inner parts (fastest) of each disk for OS and then use the outer for storage, except it's with 1 drive?

Nope.
Matrix RAID allows the drive's to be split into different forms of RAID - For example, RAID 1 and 0 on the same 2 drives. See http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets...storage_sb.htm

AFAIK, Matrix RAID does nothing to ensure the data is positioned on the fastest area of the disk :)

Bottom line is that Matrix RAID = Speed through a RAID solution
This = Speed through using your disk efficiently, hopefully :)
13-09-2008, 06:14 PM
Az00123

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

Oic, I might have a go with this when i get a new wd 640gb
13-09-2008, 06:37 PM
a124265

Re: How to Speed up your Hard Disk :-) (Zak's Partition Theory)

This is a good post. I can't wait to try it^^ for my PC
:):):)

Show 100 post(s) from this thread on one page