Windows XP runs best when installed on a drive with a single partition
that is formatted NTFS.

Please read the following:

NTFS Preinstallation and Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/winpreinst/ntfs-preinstall.mspx

In news:O3iWrTiOGHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl,
Tim W <tim@belladiamond.com> replied with a ;-)

It is pretty hard to give much advice with so little information about your
system and how you intend to use it.
If the hard drive is very large, it is sometimes useful to create a separate
partition for Windows and other partitions for applications and data.
If you plan to edit video files, you should probably have no more than two
partitions, say a 20 gig partition for Windows and leave the rest for
applications and data.

Partitioning a hard drive is largely a matter of individual
preference.

Sometimes it helps to think of your hard drive as a filing cabinet.

Would you be comfortable with a filing system where all of the files
were in one huge drawer?  Could you keep things organized?  Would you
be able to find things easily?

Or would you be more comfortable with multiple drawers, where
different types of files each had their own drawer?

That might help you to decide whether or not you should split your
drive into multiple partitions.

Good luck

Ron Martell     Duncan B.C.    Canada