GoFlex, GoFlex Desk, GoFlex Pro, GoFlex Slim, & GoFlex Turbo

[Corrine]

I have Windows Vista and Windows 7 machines that I want to backup to my new Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Pro. My original thoughts were to create a separate partition for each. I'm considering merely backing up the files from the Vista machine and using the Windows 7 backup for the other. However, in reading the forums here, I have seen several times where AlanM has provided the following recommendation:

"I'd recommend organising your drive using folders rather than partitions."

To put it simply, why?

[AlanM]

It's simply a piece of advice I give.  The reason for it is that partitions are more permanently fixed than folders.  Folders you can manipulate, delete, create, fill and empty, as you like, at will. 

Partitions can be grown and shrunk, true (if you have Windows 7), but that still puts your data at some risk because messing with partitions is a little tricky. 

And deleting a partition means deleting all the data on the partition, and then you have to repartition the empty space on the drive.  Not so with folders. 

And for the purposes of data organisation, there's  not a big advantage to using partitions that I can see.  It's different if you want to mess with booting and multiple operating systems, but just for the purposes of data organisation, using partitions potentiates headaches without any solid advantage that I can see.

[Corrine]

Thank you for the prompt reply.

Thus, it sounds like dealing with multiple operating systems (Vista and Windows 7 in my case), it is apparently best to create separate partitions.

[AlanM]

If you're going to be booting from the external drive, then yes.

But if the dual-booting is from a different drive, like the one inside the computer, I would still argue that folders are a better solution.  

[Corrine]

Thank you, again.

Not dual booting. It is two different computers so partition is the way to go.

[AlanM]

Oh, OK.

And I'm not trying to argue, so hopefully you understand what I'm trying to say.  :-)

My personal recommendation for that situation would also be folders, but I think I might have been too dramatic before - using different partitions is fine, no big deal.  It's just that I prefer folders.  

Anyway, you sound like you have a good understanding of your particular situation, so enjoy!

[gregour]

well I for one am still confused. I just bought a 2tb free agent goflex desk, and want to use it to back up 2 different laptops. Both Dells, one has windows vista, one has windows 7. can I back up both?  can i just use 2 different folders? or will I need to partition the free agent and use a different partition for each laptop?     thanks in advance for all help.

[AskTheLeaf]

---

gregour wrote:

well I for one am still confused. I just bought a 2tb free agent goflex desk, and want to use it to back up 2 different laptops. Both Dells, one has windows vista, one has windows 7. can I back up both?  can i just use 2 different folders? or will I need to partition the free agent and use a different partition for each laptop?     thanks in advance for all help.

---

In your case folders would be the way to go.

You can back up both operating system and have each backup in its own folder.

It's not necessary to create a partition for this.