[pianotech] OT: Windows drive C: - vs - Linux (probably Mac)

[Don Mannino]

Duaine,

For anyone who backs up their data (which should be everyone!!), this is
really a non-issue.  The data is backed up, so even if the hard drive fails
they restore from the backup.

When doing the backup with Windows, you simply back up the entire "users"
folder.

If windows becomes corrupted and has to be re-loaded, the first effort is to
simply repair the existing copy of windows, or use the original disk to do a
system restore to the day before the problem happened.  Many times this
solves an OS problem, but not always.

If the OS and applications needs to be reloaded completely, then you simply
re-load it into a new folder.  This doesn't delete the user data at all.
Once Windows and the applications are up and running again, you delete the
old Windows folder.  So there is not much practical difference between
having the OS and data on different partitions, and having them in different
folders.

But the backups are the most important thing!  Hard drives do fail.

Don Mannino
- User of Ubuntu since 2004.10 on my laptop (dual boot) and spare home
computer
Current also using Windows XP (work), Vista (laptop) and 7(home)


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Duaine Hechler
Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2010 8:07 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] OT: Windows drive C: - vs - Linux (probably Mac)

Speaking of viruses, crashes, mirroring, backing up your files .....

In a default Windows environment, you have drive C: (One partition on one
drive => a whole pie)

It contains EVERYTHING (Windows OS, extra software - AND - your personal
data files) but in separate directories (in the same partition => a whole
pie).

This in turn leads to your problems when you have a crash.

Somehow - if you can get to them - you have to do a backup of all YOUR
personal data files. Then put them back after you have reloaded your system.

Now, Linux on the other hand, by default has a separate partition for your
OS - and - a partition for your personal data files

The OS and other "system" software goes in "/" or "root" (Windows = C:
=> First 1/2 of a whole pie)

Your personal data files go in "/home" (Windows = D: => Second 1/2 of a
whole pie)

So what do all this mean - this means that ALL your personal data files are
SAFE from being deleted or needed to be backed up if the OS crashes.
You can reload the OS and extra software as many times as you want and your
personal data files will still be there - and - untouched. (Unless the whole
hard drive goes)

Duaine

--
Duaine Hechler
Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ
Tuning, Servicing & Rebuilding
Reed Organ Society Member
Florissant, MO 63034
(314) 838-5587
dahechler at att.net
www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com
--
Home & Business user of Linux - 10 years