Are There Any Downsides to Combining My OS and Storage on One Drive?
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TechWhiz123
I've been considering a setup change for my PC. Currently, I have one M.2 drive for my operating system, another M.2 drive for video footage editing, and a 2TB HDD for additional storage. Since I move my PC around often, I'm worried about possible vibration damage to the HDD. I was thinking about replacing the HDD with a larger M.2 drive and partitioning it to serve both as my OS and for extra storage. I've heard that it's usually better to keep the OS and storage separate, but I'm curious if this would impact performance in any way, or if there are other issues I should be aware of. Also, my small form factor build only has one M.2 with a heatsink (the one for footage), so I'm concerned that the new OS/storage M.2 might overheat as well.
Answers
Realistically, combining them doesn’t put you at a disadvantage. The main concern is data safety. If that drive fails, you risk losing everything. Having a dedicated drive for your OS lets you keep critical boot functions separate from your files, which I prefer. Just a thought!
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Honestly, there’s not much of a downside these days. SSDs have become pretty affordable, so separating your OS and storage isn’t as critical as it used to be. If you’re mainly using it for your OS and some files, a single NVMe drive can handle both without any performance hits. Just make sure to manage your heat well, especially since one of them doesn’t have a heatsink.
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I don't agree that you need to keep them separate. A single M.2 NVMe drive can handle everything without problems. Your usage won't usually max out its capabilities. But if you’re still worried about reliability, consider keeping a backup plan for your most important files.
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The biggest risk is if that drive fails. You'd lose access to both your OS and your files, which could be painful. If you’re leaning towards one drive, maybe step up to a larger SSD for peace of mind, or keep a backup of your important stuff regardless.
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