Re: NOT an advertisement - just my methodology

From: R. McCarty (PcEngWork-NoSpam__at_mindspring.com)
Date: 02/27/05 

Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 14:52:35 GMT

Richard - Very well thought out process. Taking care of customers
is what small(er) IT/PC shops can do that the OEM's cannot.

Here's another reason to segment/partition data, Multimedia content.
Keeping Pictures, Songs and videos on the same drive/partition with
XP can be a real issue. Today it's not uncommon for users to have
Very large multimedia content. Including that in a System Image is a
real time/size issue. Best to segment that data away from XP and even
normal user data (Email, Favorites, My Docs). The underlying reason
for segmenting data/partitions or separate drives is to allow for users
to have data protection and varying backup strategies. You don't
need to backup your Music collection as often as your XP install.
The personal data needs to be on a "Readable" type of media like
CD-R/DVD-R and should be isolated from Windows.

It's like having a Grab-Bag of candy - You only want a Junior Mint,
but have to search through the whole bag to find one.

"Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:e279poNHFHA.2156@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> *****And that's just your opinion.*****
>
> I have been building/repairing and setting up computers for a very long
> time. EVERY computer I deliver to, or back to, a customer/client has at
> least 3 partitions.
>
> The operating system, programs and utilities are on partition C:
>
> Personal Files (My Documents, Favorites, Temporary Internet Files, Address
> Book, E-Mail Repository etc., etc., etc.) are moved to partition D:
>
> A hidden Primary DOS partition contains an image of drive C: as it was
> when I delivered the computer back to the customer/client.
>
> I also install, and CONFIGURE, all those free, and for cost, apps and
> utilities that are needed to help keep a system safe and clean. When they
> receive their computer from me it has installed ZoneAlarm Free, a full
> blown version of a quality antivirus program with a 1 year subscription
> (configured to run a scan of their choice on a daily/weekly basis),
> Ad-Aware Free, Spybot Search and Destroy, the latest versions of CW
> Shredder and Stinger, a full blown backup program, a decent de-fragmenting
> program, a good CD/DVD burning program and others - all preconfigured. The
> customer/client has to do nothing, unless they want to.
>
> Many times in just the past year, I have instructed customers how to bring
> their computer back to the condition it was in - the day I turned it over
> to them. In every case, all of their personal information was instantly
> available for their use.
>
> Yes, it will cost the customer/client significantly more to allow me to
> set up the computer in this fashion, as they pay for the programs I
> install. It also increases my setup time by at least 100 to 200%. I could
> be like others and just install the operating system and turn the computer
> over to the customer/client - leaving them on their own from that point
> on.
>
> For those who wish it I will also configure their computers for dual
> booting. I install an identical 2nd copy of Windows XP (for emergency use)
> on a second Primary DOS partition and install a good boot manager program.
> The two operating systems are isolated from one another so what happens to
> one, excluding hard drive failure, will not happen to the other. This 2nd
> O/S is restricted in that the customer must initially logon to the boot
> manager with a different name in order to get into this O/S. This prevents
> inadvertent usage, and accidental corruption, of the emergency operating
> system. This partition is also imaged to the hidden partition. The
> customer also pays for "these" programs.
>
> The end result is that if one operating system gets screwed up the
> customer can boot into the alternative operating system to perform their
> work until they have an opportunity to repair the primary operating system
> or restore the primary operating system from the supplied image.
>
> Just recently I have begun to also copy the operating system partitions to
> one of my external USB 2.0 hard drives. I fully plan to keep this
> information for three years. This covers my customers/clients if there is
> a hard drive failure. Their personal files are covered through the backup
> program that is configured to backup partition D: once a week, and is
> "their" responsibility (you can lead a horse to water etc,) Yes, there is
> a one time charge for this service!
>
> So, continue to work with just one drive and one partition. It is your
> choice!
>
>
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
>
> aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard :-)
>
> If you knew as much as you think you know,
> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>
>
> "perris" <perris.1l4567@no-mx.forum.osnn.net> wrote in message
> news:perris.1l4567@no-mx.forum.osnn.net...
>>
>> microsoft is recomending to manufacturers that the os ship with one
>> partition...for the vast majority of users, computing is much faster
>> with one large partition then a bunch logical partitions.
>>
>> and forget that "it's more organized"...folders server the same purpose
>> for "organization" as logical partitoons
>>
>> as far as data being lost more often because a user didn't partition,
>> no.
>>
>> data should alwasys be backed up off the disk...if a user knows enough
>> to use their partition to backup, they should definatley be
>> partitiooning off the box.
>>
>> the partition as a backup gives a false sense of security, and people
>> like myself who think partitions are a waste of time, ALWAYS has off
>> dislk backup.
>>
>>
>> --
>> perris
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> perris's Profile: http://forum.osnn.net/member.php?userid=17
>> View this thread: http://forum.osnn.net/showthread.php?t=59361
>>
>
>

Relevant Pages

  • NOT an advertisement - just my methodology
    ... The operating system, programs and utilities are on partition C: ... I delivered the computer back to the customer/client. ... Their personal files are covered through the backup ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: NOT an advertisement - just my methodology
    ... EVERY computer I deliver to, or back to, a customer/client has at ... > The operating system, programs and utilities are on partition C: ... > up the computer in this fashion, as they pay for the programs I install. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Hard Drive Replacement
    ... are on my 'D' partition. ... you want to restore you have to restore two images, ... Remember even after a couple of days your backup is that much behind present ... is deeper and you may have to reinstall or restore the Operating System. ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.general)
  • Re: Hard Drive Replacement
    ... All my application programs are on my 'E' partition. ... Do you mean that when you do a backup or create an image it will take about four minutes more time to do a larger OS image? ... So now instead of having everything on one image you have to create two different images every time you want to back things up and if you want to restore you have to restore two images, I can't see what good that does. ... As for the system not being changed often, or left just as it was when installed then I suppose you never tweak the operating system to your likings, not to mention that you don't do any security updates, even if only a few times a year. ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.general)
  • Re: When and how to partition drives
    ... that the operating system takes one part and all other data takes the other. ... dangers by backup to external media. ... Separating it in a partition by ... You do *not* have an unpartitioned disk. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
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