Program and data on separate drives?

[Hot_Box_Detector]

Hello all:
I am currently running all my Trainz versions (04,06,09 &10) from an external USB drive. The reason I'm doing this is that I barely have enough
room to install 2010 on my current (20gb) partition. Yes, I can increase the partition size, but that requires re-installing EVERYTHING on both partitions.
Mac OSX and XP, etc,etc,etc... from the ground up. Not my first choice.
Would it be possible to install the Trainz operating program on my existing partition, then point it to the data on the external drive? My thinking is the program is used constantly, while the data is fetched into RAM as needed.
Anybody?
Thanks, Mike

 

[fran1]

Can you not get another internal h/d and transfer all trainz data to that. The transfer rate rate would also be better than from the external drive. Say a 160 gb and partition it 80/80.
Just to add I allways have my O/S on a separate drive.

 

[EdrickV]

I think you have things backwards as far as what would get used the most. The program would likely be read into memory when started, the data files would get accessed from the disk and loaded into main memory or graphics card memory (depending on the type of file) but would only stay in memory while they're in use. (Unless it's got some sort of caching system, but that would still have limits.) IMHO the best idea would be to install an additional internal harddrive and install Trainz to that.

As far as changing the partitions you have, there may be ways to do that. Windows XP's DiskPart is capable of extending an NTFS file system into additional unallocated space without erasing it. Not sure what OSX you have, but Leopard's Disk Utility supposedly has the ability to resize partitions and there may be other tools able to resize whatever type of OSX partition you have.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325590/en-us?FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

I actually extended the partition on a drive myself once. It was a 160GB drive that had been formatted under WinME, with the help of a tool from the manufacturer, as 137GB. (WinME doesn't normally support 48-bit LBA which is needed for IDE drives over 137GB.) Later when I installed XP I converted it to NTFS and then extended it to the full 160GB with the help of DiskPart.

Another option would be to simply buy another drive. You could get a 320GB internal drive (IDE or SATA) for less then TS2010 costs. If you don't mind "recertified" you could even get a 500GB drive.

New:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...5507776&name=7200 RPM&ActiveSearchResult=True

Recertified:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...5507776&name=7200 RPM&ActiveSearchResult=True

Of course, it's possible you might need a cable if the motherboard doesn't come with extras, and if there's no empty ports you might need a controller card.

 

[john259]

Trainz stores its data files in its program files folder tree, which is very rare for modern programs. AFAIK it's hard coded and cannot be changed. Not only does it prevent splitting the two for performance reasons, it also makes it more awkward to backup the data files and causes permission problems in Vista and Win7. It also prevents multiple versions of Trainz installed on the same computer from sharing the same data files.

John

 

[JackDownUnder]

I arrange my drives as System 'C' 20 GB, with the O/S plus other essential operating programs. Next time I would increase this a little to 30 GB.
Drive Programs 'D' 130 GB with all other programs including Trainz, together with My Document Folder.
All my personal data pictures, video, work files etc are on other drives as follows;-
'G' Video
'H' Work
'I' Music
'J' Pictures
Total memory installed 3 GB
'C' page file size 250/250 sufficient to hold restore info
'D' page file size 3070/4092.
Back up is to a external 1 TB drive using "Acronis" which is backed up on a Friday'.
This drive also is where I keep a copy of the Trainz Local File, which I copy across on a need basis.

 

[Hot_Box_Detector]

Thanks

Well...it's a fairly new iMac, so I am reluctant to bust it open and start replacing drives, just yet. I suppose the best thing to do is bite the bullet and re-partition and start over.
Who knew I would need over 4K of core RAM?

Thanks, all