Needing Help to Understand

[dustywoodworker]

Let me start by saying I have many "beginners questions". Even though I have used a computer for years, I have seldom done anything other than just use them. When they did not function as needed, I got assistance.

I recently purchased a new Dell (XPS8930). It came with Windows 10 installed. My grandson, almost immediately, installed a secondary hard drive (for data storage, he said). Okay, I understand that BUT this computer has a 1TB HD. Why do I need additional storage space.

Poking around as much as I dared, I learned that without that secondary drive I could do any thing I wanted (at least at that time). Data that I created was saved to the One Drive.

My initial question: could it be saved to C: where the OS resides? C: is certainly large enough with 915.62Gb.

Well, I answered that question myself. I find that I have already done that.. Using File Explorer, I find many of my Sketchup Drawings residing there among all of the operating system files/folders. I don't think I like that.

Could I have created another partition using some of that 915Gb capacity and the Unallocated area? What does the EFI System Partition contain; I cannot view it with File Explorer or by clicking on it in Disk Management..

 

[davehc]

Well, your first query.
Not a beginners question, but more a point of view.
A second HD gives you room to manouver, without fear of spoiling anything resident on the primary HD. (just added- There is also a remote possibility that you main HD might break down!)
It also offers alittle more security from outside (web) interference.
Personnaly, I have two, but I prefer the extra security of having them as externals, through USB plugs. They are only plugged in when needed.
They are useful, among many other points, for your images/backups. I have several of these, not just for my daily computer but for family backups also..
Regarding the second problem. Call me over cautious, but I would never trust the afore mentioned thingd to the cloud. For personl and security reasons.
Without the EFI partitiomn (that includes overwriting it), you will not be able to boot up. But, with the remaining space you have, it is easy enough to make two partitions.

 

[Bighorn]

I pretty much echo what davehc said. I usually build my own machines and use 2 HDDs but a couple years ago broke down and bought a new ASUS Desktop, a special offer/sale from their business line [couldn't build a comparable new one for the same price]. The 1TB drive came partitioned as 150GB C:\OS and 768GB D:\Data, has been working good. The partitioning idea is quite acceptable as long as one remembers that all partitions can be lost if the drive, being electromechanical, really crashes.

 

[dustywoodworker]

Like a photographer fried of mine, I use a lot of storage space on my HD. He uses it for photos while I use it for sketches, measured drawings and photo images of completed wood working projects.

I feel as though I put my data at risk every time I alter a file. For that reason, I want to reduce the potential of stomping on the OS.

I just purchased a 2T external USB HD for backups. Don't know if it'll be system only or if I'll put data there also. Haven't made up my mind. But then I also have the 1TB drive (the secondary HDD) that my Grandson got for me.

It is my intent to use the E: drive for data but I frequently find that I have put files in OneDrive. This has not been my intended destination but I have learned to look there when I loss something. This is a problem (losing things that is) once one becomes an Octogenarian.

 

[Norton]

I agree with @davehc. I don't, won't use cloud services. However, I don't understand is "Using File Explorer, I find many of my Sketchup Drawings residing there among all of the operating system files/folders. Are you saving you personal data to the C:/ root directory?
Save your data to your User library, or the second HD if you wish. You can also customize your library folders.

I'm sure the 1 TB HD is more than enough for you? It just require better organization when saving files.
Use the second HD for regular backups/images.

 

[davehc]

Well, it may be unbelievable, but, among my have a professional jazz musician.
He came wailing to me a while ago that his 1TB was full with his music!

 

[dustywoodworker]

Norton: It was never my intention to utilize the cloud but somehow I must have that set as destination for some files/folders.

I will resolve that in time. Yes, I have found data on C:/. I don't know how or why but it was there. I discovered that quite by accident. As I said, I am very uncomfortable with data residing along side the OS on the same drive.

I just reread what I wrote and maybe I am improperly using terminology (OneDrive vs Cloud).

 

[Tim Locke]

My machines are all set up with a 256 Gb SSD as C: A 1 or 2 Tb spinner as D: on the main desktop and a 1Tb drive on USB 3 for backups. The laptop has a 128 Gb M2 drive as D:

My wife's desktop has a 2Tb spinner as D: and an unused 128Gb SSD plugged in as well plus an external 1Tb for backups.


I use Onedrive just to provide easy synchronization between my machines.

 

[Wolfie]

I have a separate partition for my files, I don't/won't use cloud storage because you never know if someone will ever hack their server, if my own PC gets hacked, that is down to me. I also back-up all my important files to an external USB drive (x2) just to be sure!.