Cluster Size

sydeccles · 22 Dec 2006 at 18:10

By default windows XP sets the cluster size at 4 K. I was always led to believe that one should set the cluster size as large as possible e.g. 64 K.

The one problem that I seem to have is that I can reset all my partitons at 64 K by using Partition Magic 8, however if I try and reset the C Drive that contains Windows the system will not boot.

This problem seems only to affect Windows XP SP2, with an earlier version of Windows SP1 the system boots normally.

Has anyone else found this problem and if so what is the way around the issue, or does one have to leave the cluster size set at 4 K. ???

Thanks in advance
Syd

BigBoy · 22 Dec 2006 at 18:13

4k cluster size is much better than 64k clusters as it will split the files in to smaller segments so a file that is 1k in size will only use 4k total cluster space rather than it using 64k

Burnsy2023 · 22 Dec 2006 at 19:36

Cluster size is a balance and depends a lot on what sort of files you have on a volume. To say that bigger is better is BS. On NTFS you will waste a lot of space if you have a lot of files under 64k, which you will on a system volume. Large cluster sizes prevents fragmentation of a volume and that's why people fiddle. It's useful if you have a volume of just MP3s or something, but even then you'll waste space.

Keep the cluster sizes fairly small, and TBH 4K isn't a bad size, I wouldn't fiddle.

As for your problem, are you converting the volume as a dynamic or basic disk?

Burnsy

sydeccles · 23 Dec 2006 at 10:18

Looks like its an old SP2 Problem

This is exactly the same problem as I am having

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17637245&highlight=cluster+size

kitfit1 · 23 Dec 2006 at 12:45

Most of the individual files in Windows are very small, so a cluster size over 4k is a waste of space and will result in a slower Windows. The only ways to increase the cluster size of Windows is with an origional release copy of windows up to and including SP1. Although Partition Magic can change cluster sizes in all other partitions, it won't with Windows because there are too many compressed files, plus, and this is even more important, the boot/ini file needs to be rewritten for the change. Which of course PM can't do. So stick with a 4k cluster for Windows, it's faster anyway than any other size.