How to Partition the Hard Drive to Improve PC Performance

In the computing lingo, hard drive partitioning means the setup of a logical division of the hard disk to accommodate OS specific formatting. For the non-techie people, this is commonly termed as dividing the hard drive into smaller drives aimed at better organizing files. Disk partitioning also allows for the installation of different operating systems, although only one may be run at a time.

The logic behind disk partitioning lies in the need for better file management especially when large amounts of small files are stored. It offers a form of security to this stored data particularly when the hard drive crashes. A certain partition may be busted but the other partition will still work and will still retain its saved files. Moreover, a hard drive with multiple partitions runs better as compared to a disk with only one partition. Regular users of the computer need to know how to partition the hard drive to help improve overall PC performance.

Partitioning the Hard Drive

Before you partition the hard drive make sure that you have made a backup of important data in the disk since it will be erased once you perform disk partitioning. Below are the steps to be followed in hard drive partitioning:

1. Boot your computer in MS-DOS mode. Make sure that you have set the BIOS boot setup to detect the floppy drive first. You will need a bootable floppy disk to perform this function.
   
   
2. Key-in FDISK. A menu will appear showing partition options. Choose option [1] to create a DOS partition. If you are making a secondary partition, select the second option under the new menu.
   
   
3. Say NO. You will be prompted if you´d like to use the maximum available size in the disk. Choose “N” and indicate the amount of space to be allocated to the new drive.
   
   
4. Name It. Key-in the desired name for the new partition.
   
   
5. Repeat.Repeat step 2 down if you wish to make additional partitions.
   
   
6. Exit.Simply press the Esc key to exit the partition menu.
   
   
7. Format.Format the newly-created partitions. Make sure that you have made the necessary backup of important data.
   
   
8. Done.You have just finished partitioning your hard drive. You can now enjoy a better PC performance and an efficient storage system as well.

As a good practice, be sure to leave at least 1 gigabyte of free space in drive C to store Windows files as well as temporary files that are byproducts of installed software. A well-partitioned hard drive will guarantee you a more stable computer and a significantly improved PC performance.

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