Part with your Operating System (Windows, Linux, Mac)

If the op system dies or you get a nasty virus, why not just re-install a fresh one without worrying about your data (assuming you put your data on a different partition)? Any OS is always faster and better with a fresh install. That's also the best way to get rid of a virus! I guarantee it's faster and safer than a recovery too. Once you re-install, you're ready to go immediately. You can go right to your applications on your data partition too without having to reinstall the app. You could have even created a folder with all the application shortcut links and kept that on the data partition, then just copy all of the shortcuts back to the desktop. Voila! Ready to go.

That gets you productive immediately. When you have time, you can install antivirus and other system necessities into the operating system (not the data drive for those types of apps). But the point is, you get back to work faster by yourself than taking the computer to the Geek Squad and paying them to do it, wasting driving time and money.

Here's what I have on a 1/2 Terabyte drive (500 Gigabytes). I have a 40 Gigabyte partition for Windows, my main man (I like FPS, RTS games too, even if outdate PCs). I have applications that take up more than the 40 Gigs, but I put those on my data partition and link the apps. Another 20 Gigabyte partition I leave for my virtualbox playground and run Linux through that. The rest, about 440 Gigabytes on a 500 GB drive, I make my data and Apps partition. I can use that data whether Windows or Linux is running - very nice. The big advantage is if my operating system barfs I do not lose my data; it's on a separate partition, or drive letter. The only disadvantage: a little more work on reboot (since I encrypt my data drive - don't you, especially laptop drives?).

My data partition has these directories: program files, music, video, and data. I share the music and video on my home network and can play them through my DVR too.

I don't have to do special back up if the operating system (which has always been the problem) dies. I don't have to restore the data, or most of my applications, either. And I backup faster since it's a partition or image backup - fastest you'll ever do. This doesn't help if the hard drive completely dies, but I eliminate the operating system taking my data, and even applications, with it.

And, if I upgrade operating systems? Clean install. That's what I did with Windows 7. In an hour I was writing again in the same application. I didn't restore data. I didn't re-install all the applications I use. I just waited (okay, took a walk) while Windows installed and then I took off into the internet again.

So if you are smart about computers and how to be productive, or want to be, put your data and Apps on a separate partition. I laugh at the Bluescreen of Death!

Are you still reading? Okay. You probably want to know how to do this. Here's a quick list. If you need more detail, Google instructions for repartitioning on your own operating system. You will destroy anything on your hard disk so be sure you have backups!

1. Make sure you have an installation disk for your operating system.

2. Have a backup of your entire data on a separate hard disk, flash drive, cloud space, whatever.

3. Grab a partitioning tool. Many free Linux downloads are available which boot from a CD, launch an application called gparted, and allow you to do this to ANY hard drive.

4. Partition your hard drive into an OS partition and DATA partition. Allow for an extra 10 gigabytes to the OS partition as you will need some anti-virus, firewall, and a few other boot time programs. Add another partition if you wish to mess around with dual booting. Two partitions are sufficient.

5. Reboot into your OS installation disk and install the OS in the OS partition.

6. Reboot into your fresh OS.

7. Restore your DATA into your data partition.

8. Install all your applications to the DATA partition in a folder you choose. I use Program Files just like Windows does. Except install anti-virus, disk encryption, and any boot time programs into the OS partition.

9. Enjoy fast upgrading, backup, and switching to a new OS if you like.