Hi all. I know some of you have some knowledge in this stuff.

If I have the operating system on boot harddrive C.
All applications like Photoshop, and about 80 others plus Bryce (There now this is almost Bryce related) on harddrive D.
All content, pictures, models and the like on Hardrive E.

Could I later change the operating system on drive C and still access D and E?
Would the applications on D totally not work ?

Here is the reason. right now all is on one drive that can not be defraged.

So I'm thinking about starting from scratch with new install of xp home on new drive or drives.

Then in about a year I'm going probly want xp pro 64 bit. At that time I won't want to reload all 80 apps. So thought of this 3 drive solution.

This might also have the adantage of saftey in the event of a big crash, by only having to replace the contents of the crashed drive.

Can this work,? am I dreaming? Got another way so I wont have to load all 80 apps again when I Change to Xp 64?

I am not at all tecnically minded, but I have a set up almost like you are describing, and even when I install programs to my D drive some stuff still goes onto my C drive, for whatever reason. The E drive is fine if its only content. I have an F drive as well, for all my downloads.

I've done this exact procedure a number of times. If at all possible, while installing Graphics software I create a DIR called GSW. All my OS and MS based software gets installed in their default DIRs. Before I reformat I either copy the entire GSW DIR to my backup drive, sometimes it gets picky, I just create a GSW DIR on the backup drive and copy each Graphics software folder to that backup GSW DIR. Do all the regular backups or copy overs. Now once the new OS is up and running, I create the GSW folder(DIR) Install my major programs. PhotoShop,Bryce, etc. and then copy the plugin and preset folders from the backup drive to the new major graphic Prog's folders in their respective places. Quite a few other programs still operate from the backup drive or you can copy them over to the new GSW DIR. I've used this method mainly because I reformat at least once a year to keep my system running clean and sharp. You also become less of a junk collector and focus on your artwork. Believe me, when I first started this, I collected everything and tried every piece of software out there. Good Luck, let us know how you make out. ICM

With XP you won't be able to defrag any drive that is full, you need to have at least 33% free space to defrag it, since it moves things around on the drive, it needs to put them somewhere. I use my primary drive (C:) for all software installs, no storage of any kind, F&G drives for content, backups and renders.

If you have a c: that is near capacity and another drive with free space you can copy any user files or Programs to the other drive, then defrag, then copy everything back. If you can upgrade the operating system without reinstalling applications then it does not matter what drives are involved. The biggest problem in reloading the operating system is loosing the system registry where a lot of the application info is stored.

I've gotten into the habit of installing (winXP) applications to my C drive and data, program updates (or service packs), program information, images, and project files on my D drive. I've also found that using the default install paths usually makes life easier later on when updates are installed. It makes for a large "Program Files" directory, but by creating a few desktop folders such as "Graphics" and "Utilities" and creating shortcuts in those folders to the applications is a way to keep organized. My data drive (D) looks something like this: d:datagraphics ...Bryce55 ...updates ...info ...scenes ...in_work ...ready_to_render ...done ...content ...materials ...objects ...skies ...Poser6 ...updates ... and so on ...DAZ_Studio ...updates Anyway, there's many ways to organize, and the key word is "organize." By keeping your data separate, you can install a new operating system on C and after installing your applications, grab the patches and updates from the "data drive".

So it sounds like most are putting apps and operating system on the same drive, is this right? To ICM Thanks for the help, I'm going to have to read it a few more times to totally understand. First time thru made my brain hurt. I think several Neuron may have burst. In your proceedure do you have any problems with the system registry that markschum mentions. Also You mentioned OS and MS based software gets installed in their default DIRs. If that is true then why create a DIR called GSW first? To Zahann: Thanks for mentioning that 33% thing I'll see if moving some data off the drive would help. To chohole:Thanks i'm not that tecnicly minded either but the advise of other plus my persistence with great effort eventually gets this tech stuff accomplished. To markschum: thanks for mentioning a way to move the data, unfortunately , no second drive yet, so I'll probly just chuck some clutter and temporarly move some stuff to cdrw. Now I wish I had got the dvd burner. To jfike:Thanks for the help To anyone else who adds to this a big PRE THANKS:)

This sounds simple and may be kinda like what ICM was saying. So how about this for a two drive set up. Let's say os and apps are on c. everything else on d. It's now a year later and I'm about to install new operating system. On the desktop I drag or copy the default program files folder From c to D drive then I clean or reformat c and install the new OS on C. Then drag the program files folder from d back c where they can happily reside with new OS on C. Can This work? If not then what about this,done with additional files not just Programs Files folder. On the desktop I drag or copy the everything on c drive exept the windows folder From c to D drive then I clean or reformat c and install the new OS on C. Then drag all files from d back c where they can happily reside with new OS on C. Can This work?

I have learnt a few things here so thankyou all for your help and i have one question to ask. How can i install a third hard drive with only 1 IDE cable for my 2 current partitioned hard drives C:+E:(master) D:+F:(slave)? Just got a 250GB hard drive and would love to keep my current drives and add this one to the computer as well.

If you have a second drive that contains your data files... before you format the OS/programs drive or install a new OS... I would recommend physically disconnecting the second (data) drive from the computer, i.e yank the power and IDE cabled. You can never be too paranoid.

someone might make a pci card that could provide another ide slot. Just a thought. I know that's how they do it with sata drives when the mother board does not have the proper slot available.

Thanks ddaydreams, I'll try and find someone who could do it. It would be helpful if mainboards had more to start off with but, i suppose with hard drives becoming bigger, why bother.

You can get pci ide controllers, generally with two extra ide controllers on them. Cost about $30 Australian a few years ago for me.

Thanks xenic, sounds good.

Message edited on: 05/29/2005 09:23