Einar wie Keiner

This will be the first of many posts detailing tips, tricks, and fixes for Windows based systems. The purpose of this is to help educate the public and to share my own practical experience, what works and doesn’t not works when it comes to computers and networks.

Topic: Optimized Windows Setup

Background:
Most, if not all new computers, come with one big hard disk drive partition, namely C:\. This is the most inefficient and insecure method of working with Windows. Windows has to manage itself, the temp data that is constantly created, the virtual memory, and data handling. This is very taxing on Windows and can make the machine run slower. By separating the Data, Temp, and Virtual Memory Windows can concentrate on itself, Viruses won’t be as much of a problem (they do not transverse partitions) and you Virtual Memory will be optimal. The best reason I can give for doing this procedure is to separate your data from Windows, this is a major reason to wipe the hard drive clean before using the machine too much when it’s new.

Solution:
Windows will work the best for you if certain functions are placed on it’s own partition. The first thing I recommend when purchasing a new computer is to take it home and reinstall Windows, either from a restore disk or a stand-alone copy.

The reasons for this are many:
-Windows will work the best, most efficient and give a 10% performance increase when Windows OS is segregated from TEMP data and Virtual Memory.
-Personal Data is more secure and segregated on it’s own partition
-Viruses and Spyware do not transverse partitions
-If Windows needs to be reinstalled your personal data is practially ensured not to be lost or deleted

*The following example is using a 250GB HDD size for explanation purposes

Windows Hard Drive Partition Scheme:

1.) In Windows Installation Setup:
Delete main C:\ partition
Create new partition
Set size to 40-100GB (Depending on actual total HDD space)
Format as NTFS (Quick) (Quick formatting can be done when it is a new computers, regular format when the machine has been used for a while and you want to ensure previous data is wiped clean)
Install Windows
Complete Windows Setup

2.) In Windows OS:
Right Click “My Computer”
Click “Manage”
Go To “Disk Management”
Expand windows
Here you should now see all the drives in the machine, and the main HDD will show the C:\ with a unformatted, unpartitioned space
Right click the free space, click on “Create New Partition”
Select “Primary Partition”
Set Size:
3-5GB VirtualMemory
5-10GB TempData
40-100GB WinStorage (Or the rest of available HDD space, best done last)
*Create a new partition for each size listed above
Create each partition and then right click on each, select “Properties” and add appropriate Label

3.) Virtual Memory Setup
Rick Click “My Computer”
Click “Properties”
Go To Advanced
Click “Settings” in Performance
Here the total Virtual Memory is shown
Highlight the C:\ and select No Page File and then SET
Highlight the new Virtual Memory Partition and then CUSTOM
Set size so max and min are the same
Example: 4096 Max / 4096 Min
Click SET before exiting this window for change to take effect

4.) TEMP Data Environment Variable Setup
Stay in the Advanced Computer Properties
Click on “Environment Variables”
Before continuing, go to “My Computer” and then open the new Temp partition
In Temp Partition create a new folder called “TEMP”
In TEMP folder in Temp Partition create folder called “WINDOWS”
Go back to Environment Variables
Change TEMP location to new Temp Partition
Example: X:\TEMP
Change TMP location to same location
In the next section scroll down to Windows Temp data
Change location to: X:\TEMP\WINDOWS
Do the same for Windows TMP data as well

5.) Change location of My Documents and Desktop
*The best way to lose your data is to have it stored on a Windows partition.
Once you have created a WinStorage partition you can use this partition to transparently store the data from My Docs and Desktop. This is one of the most simple and efficient method of ensuring a 99% chance that your data will be retained if Windows crashes and must be reinstalled.
-Right click “My Documents”
-Change Location path to WinStorage drive letter
-Replace drive letter (default C:\) with WinStorage partition drive designation
*For Desktop it is a bit different.
To change Desktop store location you need to download “TweakUI” from Microsoft, its a free utility from Microsoft
-DL/Install Tweak UI
-Open Tweak UI
-Click on My Computer
-Click on Special Folders
-On drop down list select “Desktop”
-As above with My Docs do the same with Desktop
-Change location path drive letter to WinStorage partition

6.) While in TweakUI: (Optional)
Go to My Computer settings
Click on “Drives”
Select drives for Virtual Mem and Temp data
This will hide these two drives from My Computer
Once the Virtual Memory and Env. Variables are setup these drives you no longer need to see or use manually

Reboot Machine

After reboot the machine should turn on without error
Check WinStorage drive, new folder for My Docs and Desktop should be present

Good luck with your own machine and setup.

Question? Comments? All are appreciated and welcome

Created By: Einar Rowan for EWK Computer Support