Boot vs. System

[cjkenworthy]

I'm about to install windows 2000 on an 18Gb disk.

How large would you recommend the Boot partition to be? Is this where the actual \winnt directory will be?

How large should the system partition be?

Whats the difference?

Ideally I want to make the place where windows sits to be large (as this will only be a Domain controller) with enough space for installing management Apps such as content filtering software.

An extra partition of the left over space may be useful.

 

[jfk8680]

According to Microsoft 2Gb is enough for Windows 2000 but I personally give it a bit more room. On a 18 Gb disk I normally give the system partition 4 Gb. Unless you install it differently the boot partition and the system partition are the same (C:\). You can make C: the active partition (boot partition) and install Windows on another partition or disk but I see no reason for doing so. So in a normal situation the boot and system partition are the same...

Jeffrey Kusters

MCSA, MCSE, CCNA

 

[cpb72]

just an advise.Atleast make 2 partition.Install the o/s on one partition.And install the application and the downloaded application on to second partition.In the case of a system crash you have the data and application intact.

 

[wolluf]

I'd just use the whole drive - you can always add another disk if you have space problems - 18GB is not a lot nowadays.

 

[GlenJohnson]

cpb72 is correct, but you have to be using ntfs for this. To be honest, I can't see not using it, but some of the old die hards like fat32 because you can get into things using dos, where you are limited if using ntfs. wolluf is correct also. I'd look into getting another hard drive, put the os on the 18 gig, and use the applications on the other. Good luck.

Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin check out Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.

TTinChicago

 

[jfk8680]

I totaly agree. Keep the system partition clean with only Windows on it. Never place apps & data on the system partition and even consider placing the swapfile en memory dump on another partition. Windows 2000 server will dump the entire memory to file in case of a server crash. If you have got 2Gb of RAM ander there is only 1.5 Gb of free room then you will not have a complete memory dump. I have to admit that I have never had to debug a 2 Gb memory dump though

Jeffrey Kusters

MCSA, MCSE, CCNA

 

[rfnit]

I agree with JFK, you should make a partition that is 4 - 6 gigs (remember, if you want to upgrade to win2k3 or anything else later on, it is going to require a minimum of 4 gigs, this doesn't include service packs or patches or anything like that). And if you create an active directory, it is always a good idea to put the sysvol and other files associated with it on the c: drive. Something else you should look at using (on the seperate partition) is MSUS (microsoft update service.)

Goto microsoft.com and do a search for that. It is an awesome tool that lets you control the patches that are installed on all your workstations. All you have to do is add a policy to the domain that sets the automated download and install of the patches (from your server) to the workstations.

The documentation that microsoft created for it is easy to understand and to configure the service is cake. The one downside is IIS has to be running.

Jason