Should I partition?

[swpowe]

I tried a search but wasn't able to find an answer. It seems like I remember hearing someplace that partitioning a drive to around 80gigs would help PT performance. Is this true? I've got a 250 gig drive that I'm just wondering if I should partition it or just leave it alone. Thanks

[mindnoise]

HI,

the answer is: partly.

if you partition your drive and assign the outer partition exclusively to audio recording
you can achieve better performance. Because the read/write performance deteriorates the closer your data is to the center of the hard disk-disc. The difference can be dramatic.

Usually it can be more convenient to have a small fast audio partition that you can easily maintain, e.g. fragmented data writing/reading is the biggest enemy of speed.
With a smaller partiton you can more easily keep it clean and back up more easily.


regs

[Phil Jeffers]

If this is a seperate audio internal drive, then the only reason I'd partition is for video, or other files (applications also). If you have the one internal drive, then yes I'd partition for audio. I recommend using a dedicated audio drive if you're not already.

[accession]

if you partition your drive and assign the outer partition exclusively to audio recording
you can achieve better performance. Because the read/write performance deteriorates the closer your data is to the center of the hard disk-disc. The difference can be dramatic.

Using Disk Utility, how does one know which is the inner/outer partition?

It's displayed in a vertical, rectangular box, sliced into portions.

Is the top or bottom slice the outer partition?

[accession]

If you have the one internal drive, then yes I'd partition for audio.

Back in the PT5 / Digi001 days, with just a single drive, was it not recommended to:

- install Pro Tools on the same partition as the system folder?
- keep the audio files on the same partition as Pro Tools and the system folder, to avoid bogging the system down by forcing it to jump between two (or more partions)?

If so, what's changed?

It was my understanding that audio should only be contained on its own partition when it's contained on its own drive away from Pro Tools application and the system files.

Thoughts?

[Phil Jeffers]

This would still be valid for PT's 6 and 7. As mentioned, having a high speed dedicated audio HDD is definitely the most secure way to record / mix. Either a second internal HDD (and infact the new Mac Pros support up to 3 extra internal HDD's) or a Digidesign qualified Firewire HDD for audio. Keep your session icons + audio on the seperate drive. If you use QT video also, then it's best to partition the second internal HDD for the video files, or store on another partition.

[M.Brane]

Using Disk Utility, how does one know which is the inner/outer partition?

It's displayed in a vertical, rectangular box, sliced into portions.

Is the top or bottom slice the outer partition?

The first partition will be the one on the outer part of the drive's platters, and therefore the fastest.

I have all my drives except for my backup external drive partitioned to keep the OS, and audio files on the outer part of the platters, and use the inner partitions for dumb storage.

[mindnoise]

Back in the PT5 / Digi001 days, with just a single drive, was it not recommended to:
- install Pro Tools on the same partition as the system folder?
- keep the audio files on the same partition as Pro Tools and the system folder, to avoid bogging the system down by forcing it to jump between two (or more partions)?

If so, what's changed?

Concerning the quote: nothing.

Under OS X digidesign HIGHLY disrecommends recording even to the same HARDDISK the System is on.
For OSX, the System will frequently access to the HD and disrupt the writing of data thus resulting in a low recording performance.

regs