Need new desktop PC advice

[tw]

Originally Posted by Perry Winkle

I usually partition off my data from the operating system. That way I can blow away the OS partition any time without losing anything important. I usually exclude the OS from my backup scheme.

That separation already exists without separate partitions. The data is in the "My Documents" directory (or folder). The OS is in the Windows directory. Partitioning only creates additional complications.

[Perry Winkle]

Originally Posted by tw

That separation already exists without separate partitions. The data is in the "My Documents" directory (or folder). The OS is in the Windows directory. Partitioning only creates additional complications.

Those complications are benefits to my mind. But I am not the average computer user. I tend to trash lots of OS installations (trying out betas and such) and like to have a firmer separation between system and user-space, especially when I'm being lax about backup.

These days I tend to use completely separate devices for the OS and user data. In the old days that only happened when I filled a disk, and the extra devices became a mishmash of things.