Should I get a new Hard Drive For Linux?

[DEdesigns57]

I have never installed Linux on the same HDD as my primary Widows HDD(Yes I know windows, ectt..) mainly because I honestly dont want to risk wiping anything off my HDD, I have alot of important stuff there. So Ive been running Linux on a separate and older HDD from like 2006. It has like 250GB of space and like 4200rpm or 5200rpm whatever that means. My current primary HDD is if I remember correctly 500GB, 7200rpm. I feel that the HDD that I have Linux on is effecting my performance in general. I notice though that I really dont use the full 500GB of my primary drive. Should I risk it and install Linux on the same HDD as my primary HDD or buy a updated separate HDD to install Linux on and play it safe?

[oz]

Make sure that you have a good backup image of your hard drive then you should be able to experiment all you want with it. If you do goof things up, restore the system image and you should be good to go. I do it all the time and never have any problems.

Good system imaging tools would include Clonezilla (for Linux), or True Image (for Windows), and there are others available that probably work just as well.

Have fun with it!

[MikeTbob]

Just to add to what Ozar posted. The 5200 RPM is substantially slower than the 7200 RPM. RPM stand for "Revolutions per minute" that's how fast the HDD spins inside the metal casing, the faster it spins, the faster it can access the data it needs.

[jayd512]

Let's combine those two ideas.
You can use the slower drive for your backup images of your primary data.
Then, you could dual-boot the computer on the faster drive.

[blwnv8]

Having a second drive can be quite handy at times.

[jmadero]

honestly I think one drive is better because it forces you to:

a. think about how you'll come up with a decent back up system
b. force you to at least think about good partitioning
c. force you to think about the logic of sharing stuff between Windows/Linux Distros
d. Allows for you to use a second drive (if you have one or are thinking of buying one) as only a backup drive instead of mixing backup with primary use

I have 4 drives total but I only use 2 really, a backup drive that is scheduled to backup often and my primary hard drive which goes between dual booting and tri booting. I've borked my system enough times to know how valuable backups are, if you haven't learned the lesson yet, listen to the advice of everyone who has posted and come up with a good backup plan. If you're worried about losing data, it just means your backup system isn't up to par.

[Salbono]

I found that installing linux next to windows is not a problem. Not sure if it is important but you might want to defrag the hard drive first.
When I tried to put windows xp on after Linux it ended up wipping out all the partitions, and I had to start over
Sounds like you have plenty of room for both on a single dive.
I left windows on the desktop but installed a new hard drive on my laptop.

[tsameerc]

Actually i found installing unix on my existing windows HDD a huge learning drive.I did mistakes learnt a lot started tweaking and then understood how the bootloader works and stuff which you would generally not know or say try to in the begining.

I say try with the existing HDD and for sure you would end up happy ,if not soon later.

[Salbono]

Thinking back on the pertitioning install reminded me that I did have the assistance of a magzine article showing how to to it with screen shots. I am sure this made it alot esier. It would be good if there were more help and internet links in Linux install files.
But like you said after that i understood more (mostly I could do stuff like that) so I put a desk top computer toggether from older one that had been disposed of.... now I am having fun with that putting in drifferent drives, adding a graphics card... trying new Systems. Trying to get the capture card working, and want to make a server out of it
I currently have Linux Mint installed on it, like it but not sure if preferred over Ubunutu. There is another on called Knoppix it has a WAY cool intterface. It can't be installed only runs from disk.

[eionmac]

1. In my experience, I have found it always best to use a separate hard drive for Linux. Reason: This allows drive "C" to be restored to a windows MBR and you have a workable windows machine.
2. It is always easy to rebuild the Linux side.
3. It is not always easy to restore a corrupt or bad Windows side except for full replacement (provided you have a data back up)
4. use Clonezilla or commercial software to take an image of Windows hard drive before adding Linux, then you have the back up you need torestore to bare metal.
5. Speed of use. In Linux it depends on manythings including all the 'nobs and bells' of modern distro which need RAM and CPU power.