allocation unit size

fade2green514 · 08-21-2006, 10:31 PM

what size shall i use? its just for a 250gb system disk im putting in a clients computer.

PC eye · 08-23-2006, 10:11 AM

Clusters (Allocation Units)
As described here, the smallest unit of space on the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]hard [COLOR=blue! important]disk[/color][/color][/color] that any software can access is the sector, which normally contains 512 bytes. It is possible to have an allocation system for the disk where each file is assigned as many individual sectors as it needs. For example, a 1 MB file would require approximately 2,048 individual sectors to store its data. The file system HPFS uses this type of arrangement. http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/file/...lusters-c.html
SUMMARY

loadTOCNode(1, 'summary');This article describes and lists the default values that Windows XP uses to format a volume. The article lists default values for both the NTFS file system and the file allocation table (FAT) file system.
MORE INFORMATION

loadTOCNode(1, 'moreinformation');All file systems that Windows XP uses to organize the hard disk are based on cluster (allocation unit) size, which represents the smallest amount of disk space that can be allocated to hold a file. The smaller the cluster size, the more efficiently your disk stores information.

If you do not specify a cluster size for formatting, Windows XP Disk Management bases the cluster size on the size of the volume. Windows XP uses default values if you format a volume as NTFS by either of the following methods: •By using the format command from the command line without specifying a cluster size.•By formatting a volume in Disk Management without changing the Allocation Unit Size from Default in the Format dialog box. The following table shows the default values that Windows XP uses for NTFS formatting. Drive size (logical volume) Cluster size Sectors ---------------------------------------------------------- 512 MB or less 512 bytes 1 513 MB - 1,024 MB (1 GB) 1,024 bytes (1 KB) 2 1,025 MB - 2,048 MB (2 GB) 2,048 bytes (2 KB) 4 2,049 MB and larger 4,096 bytes (4 KB) 8http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314878/

RoveWolf · 08-23-2006, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fade2green514

what size shall i use? its just for a 250gb system disk im putting in a clients computer.

I normally give around 15gig for one partition which I install windows too, and the rest for storage. Why not just select default?

PC eye · 08-23-2006, 09:11 PM

Does your customer want a single primary or multiple partitions? It sound like you are simply planning a single partition for the drive. Another question here to ask is whether or not an OS will be put on the drive. The XP installer itself if going with XP will detect and show the total amount of space available. The default setting then sees Windows go on the large primary.

08-21-2006, 10:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
fade2green514 Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: buffalo ny Age: 19 Posts: 3,630	allocation unit size what size shall i use? its just for a 250gb system disk im putting in a clients computer. __________________ Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 3ghz HD 4850 512mb (750/2350mhz) 2x2gb G.Skill ddr2-835 (5-4-4-10) 2x80gb sata2 in RAID 0 system drive 250gb sata2 storage drive 13,574 - 3dmark06 score

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08-23-2006, 10:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 20,213	Clusters (Allocation Units) As described here, the smallest unit of space on the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]hard [COLOR=blue! important]disk[/color][/color][/color] that any software can access is the sector, which normally contains 512 bytes. It is possible to have an allocation system for the disk where each file is assigned as many individual sectors as it needs. For example, a 1 MB file would require approximately 2,048 individual sectors to store its data. The file system HPFS uses this type of arrangement. http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/file/...lusters-c.html SUMMARY loadTOCNode(1, 'summary');This article describes and lists the default values that Windows XP uses to format a volume. The article lists default values for both the NTFS file system and the file allocation table (FAT) file system. MORE INFORMATION loadTOCNode(1, 'moreinformation');All file systems that Windows XP uses to organize the hard disk are based on cluster (allocation unit) size, which represents the smallest amount of disk space that can be allocated to hold a file. The smaller the cluster size, the more efficiently your disk stores information. If you do not specify a cluster size for formatting, Windows XP Disk Management bases the cluster size on the size of the volume. Windows XP uses default values if you format a volume as NTFS by either of the following methods: •By using the format command from the command line without specifying a cluster size.•By formatting a volume in Disk Management without changing the Allocation Unit Size from Default in the Format dialog box. The following table shows the default values that Windows XP uses for NTFS formatting. Drive size (logical volume) Cluster size Sectors ---------------------------------------------------------- 512 MB or less 512 bytes 1 513 MB - 1,024 MB (1 GB) 1,024 bytes (1 KB) 2 1,025 MB - 2,048 MB (2 GB) 2,048 bytes (2 KB) 4 2,049 MB and larger 4,096 bytes (4 KB) 8http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314878/

08-23-2006, 09:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 20,213	Does your customer want a single primary or multiple partitions? It sound like you are simply planning a single partition for the drive. Another question here to ask is whether or not an OS will be put on the drive. The XP installer itself if going with XP will detect and show the total amount of space available. The default setting then sees Windows go on the large primary.