Here's a method I commonly setup for many users:
C: for XP and 3rd party programs
D: for internet downloads only for AV scanning afterwards
E: for AV scanned software downloads
F: for personal data only
All is on one hard disk

Optional -
2nd hard disk with image files from Ghost or whatever. Used for quick
imaging and restoring.

Firewire/USB hard drive same as above, for safety not connected except
during imaging or restoring process. This protects your data if your PC
burns up.

Removable caddy ide hard drive for mirror copies of first hard drive,
identical hard drive physically to the first. Removed after copy is made.
Hardware RAID 1 does this automatically as a similar option, but is not
physically removed from the PC after a copy. Rather, constantly updated.
--
Jonny
"Phil" <Phil@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1261F579-96F3-4864-A661-D102CDC36B6E@microsoft.com...
> Thank you for a very thorough response. The program i was referring to for
my
> daughters music is called limewire in which she has paid for unlimited
music
> downloads. If i give it a seperate partition should that program be in
that
> partition or lets say for example that program was in C drive and when you
> dowload you can just save it to D drive? See Im not sure if i am in C
drive
> what are the hassles of searching for files in another drive. Also having
to
> send file to nero for burning. As far as backing up I have Norton ghost
that
> i can take an image and i was thinking of keeping an area for that. Does
that
> sound like a good way? I guess the downside is if the hard drive fails
> totally i still need another source of backup.
> --
> Thank you,
> Phil
>
>
> "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:
>
> > Phil wrote:
> >
> > > I need to set up a new hard drive. it is 120bg. I read the article
> > > about partitioning it. But to be totally honest i'm not sure how it
> > > works so i can plan how to divide it. Is there an article that
> > > explains in detail how to access programs and work from 1 partition
> > > to another? If I understood the article i should have WIN XP on 1
> > > partition and programs on another and data on another?
> >
> >
> > First of all, there are no "shoulds" when it comes to how to partition
your
> > drive. You'll read many opinions, and some of the people who will
present
> > those opinions will present them as if their way is the only right way,
but
> > that's not correct. I won't tell you how to partition it, but I'll try
to
> > give you some information that will help you decide.
> >
> > How to partition your drive depends on you, how you work, how you like
to
> > organize things, and in many instances on your backup strategy.
> >
> > For many people there can be benefit in separating their data from
Windows.
> > In particular, if their backup scheme is one that backs up their data,
but
> > not the operating system, such a partitioning scheme can facilitate
that.
> > For those whose backup scheme consists of making an image of everything
on
> > the hard drive, there is much less value to separating it on its own
> > partition.
> >
> > Some people also isolate their programs on a separate partition. They
> > usually argue that if they ever have to reinstall Windows, they will be
able
> > to keep their installed programs. They are mistaken and the argument is
> > fallacious. Except for a few trivial programs, all programs have m*many*
> > entries in the Windows folder, in the regisstry and elsewhere. Take away
> > Windows and all the programs will fail. Reinstalling Windows always
means
> > that all programs also have to be reinstalled. So there is usually
little or
> > benefit to separating programson a separate partition.
> >
> > Another common issue is for a system that runs mutliple operating
systems.
> > You normally need a separate partition for each one.
> >
> > For *most* people, two partitions--one for Windows and your programs;
the
> > other for your data--is enough.
> >
> >
> > > I also
> > > have win office that has 8 programs on it. If i save my data to a
> > > different partition then the programs how do i access it.
> >
> >
> > There's no problem here at all. Data can be accessed from an Office
program
> > (indeed, from almost every program) very easily regardless of where it
is.
> > First you can change the My Documents folder to a different drive.
Second,
> > your data doesn't even have to be in My Documents. It can be anywhere
you
> > want it, and from the Open dialog box, you can navigate to a separate
drive
> > (partition) just as you can to a separate folder. Or if, for example,
you
> > want to open a particular .doc file, you can navigate to it in My
Computer
> > or Windows Explorer and double-click on it regardless of where it's
located.
> >
> >
> > > Another
> > > thing is my daughter subscribes and downloads music. Should that
> > > program be seperated to yet another partition with the music files?
> >
> >
> > That "program"? What program? Or do you mean should the music files be
on a
> > separate partition?
> >
> > Again, the answer depends on how you're going to do things, in
particular on
> > how you're going to back them up. If you are going to back up your
Office
> > data, but not the music files, there's value in separating them. If
every
> > time you back up one, you're going to back up the other, that would
suggest
> > that they would better be in the same partition.
> >
> > --
> > Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
> > Please reply to the newsgroup
> >
> >
> >
> > > Any and all help would be MOST appreciated. Thank you in advance.
> > > Phil
> >
> >
> >