Windows 10: SSD Partition Help

Hi guys. Just wondering if I can have some advice please. I have a new Acer predator laptop and it comes with a 1TB SSD. I haven't really messed around with it too much yet other than installing Steam and a few games. I've been advised that it might be helpful to partition the SSD so that the windows files/system files is on one partition and the other is for my games and personal stuff.

I've looked at the guides online and it mentions to do 120GB partition for Windows and leave the 800GB odd for gaming/personal stuff. Is this correct? Once I do it via disk management do I just transfer everything from one partition to the other?

Many thanks

:)

 

W7 Hard drive partition issue

to get rid of that 100 meg windows partition that setup creates for you on a new install on a blank hdd:

- press shift+f10 when on the partition management screen in setup <-- this opens a command prompt
- diskpart <-- start the windows command line partition management tool
- list disk <--- list the installed hdds in this computer for the next step
- select disk 0 <- might have to replace 0 with the number of the correct disk
- clean <-- this will erase all data on the disk you selected one step up- dont use the wrong disk!
- create partition primary <- creates a primary partition taking up all space on the drive, adjust the command if necessary
- exit, exit to exit diskpart and the command prompt
- click refresh in partition manager and select your newly created partition and install to that

 

Saving free space on SSD (Regarding multiple obligatory partitions on main drive)

Gerry Here just copy-paste some irrelevant response.

Well, **I've figured it out**. Here my solution (I Take no responsibility from any damage that might arise from this process, and I do not guarantee it to work for u.)

We'll assume u have 2 disks; SSD and HDD.

Also NOTE: I Work in a GPT-Disk partitioning scheme, I don't know if it's applicable on dos-style MBR partitioning.

General-methodology wich we are going to work with (or TL;DR).

• Delete all partitions on all drive
• Install Windows on the HDD Drive
• Install Windows on the SSD Drive (yes, twice!)
• Repartition the HDD to free up and reallocate as we wish (The only parition that HAVE to be there is the EUFI System (Fat) )
• After freeing up HDD space, move user folder to the HDD
• PROFIT

And in more detail:

THIS GUIDE ASSUME THIS IS A FRESH PC - THAT U DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING U NEED ON EITHER DISKS.

* - Asterisk, not a real step, just additional information

• Boot into windows 10 installation
• Clear ALL partitions on BOTH drives
• Let windows install itself onto the HDD, We'll call this installation win-hdd
  • There is no need to actually boot into this OS.
• Boot into windows 10 installation
• Let windows install itself onto the SSD. We'll call this installation win-ssd
  • *What would happen now, Is that windows detects the recovery and eufi partitions and does not need to create such additional partitions on your ssd. It would only create a 16MB windows reserved partition.
  • *Your boot partition would be hdd/eufi; But since windows detect it's own bootloader it would allow you to duel-boot between win-hdd and win-ssd(default)
• Optional: During windows-ssd first run wizard switch to audit mode (CTRL+SHIFT+F3)
  • *We would use audit mode to:
    • * Optional1: Repartition hdd
    • * Optional2: Change "Users" folder to the hdd.
    • * If u do not want to move Users folder, u can do 6.2 After win-ssd fully boots instead
  • Repartition hdd & move Users folder:
    • Using a 3rd party tool such as "MiniTool Partition Wizard" you can do the fallowing *as you wish*:
      • Delete win-hdd partition
      • Delete recovery-hdd partition
      • Delete windows reserved (16 mb) partition.
      • You can also later move the EUFI to the start of the hdd disk, if needed
      • Create new partition (free to use) on hdd.
      • Make sure to properly assign drive letters to all drive as u wish
      • Fallow
        this guide to relocate the User folder (Starting from Step 2)
• Boot into windows-ssd; If u do not know which one (int the OS selection screen) It's safe to assume that the automatically-selected one is the win-ssd.
• If u have not performed 6.2 Yet, this is the time to do that now.

GLHF.

 

Help With Partition Management


If you really want your Windows to look like as if you do a fresh install and without losing what you currently have in C: Drive. Here's my suggestion:

1. Make a complete backup image of your current HD including all partitions to an external HD using Macrium Reflect Free . Once done, disconnect all USB devices from the PC. Assuming now you only have one HD connected to the PC which you will be installing Windows.
   IMPORTANT: Also create a Macrium Rescue disk to boot from later on.
2. Boot up your Windows installation USB/DVD. On the first screen, Hold SHIFT + F10 to open Command Windows then type:
   Diskpart
   select disk 0
   clean
   exit
3. Click Next, Choose Custom, select the unallocated partition then click Next (Do not format), when asked for Product ID key, click on "Skip this step"/"Do it later". Continue the Installation.
4. Once done. With the external HD connected, Reboot your PC with the Macrium Rescue disk, select the image that you created in step 1 as the Source.
5. Select your current HD/SSD as Destination disk
6. Restore only C: Drive to it. ie. overwrite the new C: Drive with your backup C: Drive.
   NOTE: See screen shot on how to perform this step
7. Disconnect all the external devices. Reboot. Windows should perform a startup repair.

Once finish, you should end up with the partition scheme as follows:

1. Recovery partition - 450MB
2. EFI System partition - 100MB
3. MSR Reserved partition - 16MB (Hidden from Disk Management but seen by Macrium or diskpart)
4. Your old Windows C: Drive with all the installed software.

Screen shot: Click once on #1 (C: Drive), click "Delete Existing Partition" on #2, Click & Drag #3 and drop to #1. Click Next->Finish