Question about partitions and XP

[Logistics]

So I was refreshing my main drive, but decided to give something other than the typical Allocation Unit Size a try. So I manually formatted the drive using the 64K option rather than 512-4096. It seemed fine, but I hooked it up as the main drive, then I went back and started installing XP. The first time it rebooted after running setup, it wouldn't work. In fact the screen that appears JUST BEFORE the Windows loading screen would freeze and there would be funky colored characters or even characters that had disappeared from the screen. Does the boot drive, with XP on it, have to be between the 512-4096?

There's a Microsoft page that shows only NT 4.0 and what not works with the larger size allocation units, which run in 256-bit mode? and higher. But the drive didn't have any problems while running as a slave in 64K mode... of course, I didn't try copying anything onto it after I formatted it.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Question about partitions and XP

All defragmentation tools I know, data recovery tools and general drive maintaince require the cluster size to be 4kb

So I would not recommend you to run at any other size, sure, it will improve performance slightly but for your main OS drive you will loose allot of space due to files smaller than 64kb

[Fizzycapola]

Re: Question about partitions and XP

I've never heard of clusters having to be 4kb. I have never noticed any issues with backup or partition softwares working clusters 512byte to 32kb.

In tests I think 4kb clusters is optimal - in NTFS or FAT32.

I can't envisage much benefit in 0.01kb files using 64kb. I would think it would run slower. Windows is mostly a mass of tiny annoying files.

[Logistics]

Re: Question about partitions and XP

I had my system running on a little extra drive I had with XP on it, and I put my main drive in my system as a secondary. So I went into a DOS box and formatted the drive manually, using the 64KB AU size, and it allowed me to start the Windows XP install when I put my main drive back to refresh it, but the first time it had to reboot, it flipped out and made all those funky characters. So I went back to the extra drive and just formatted the main drive with the windows software with one of the AU sizes it offers, and started the install on it again and everything worked normally. I was using an NTFS format all throughout.

So using the 64KB Allocation unit size would not allow me to finish installing XP, anything within the typical range, 512 bytes - 4 kilobytes, would.

[starfury1]

Re: Question about partitions and XP

Humm well NTFS can be a bit problematic depending.
cant recall all the details but one thing you shouldn't do is convert a fat 32 to NTFS.
(not that thats anything to do with your problem)

I dont think a windows system disks likes having its drive parameters changed
even if you are suppose to be able to do it at some level.

Unless you do a fresh install.

Maybe you need to do a safe type start up procedure so windows would sort its self
Like turn of the scratch pad disk use...now whats the correct name for that.
(windows using HDD as memory)

From memory their are different versions of NTFS
not sure now how it all works but problems can happen.

http://www.ntfs.com/quest1.htm

Cluster size is I think more relative to what type of files your storing size wise and how many.
It may have a speed advantage, Depending

But I think today with the large disks we have its a "pee in the ocean" relatively speaking (could be wrong)

On system hard disks, well my thoughts are best left alone or if you have to have a tinker to try things, do a clone and tinker with that.

At lest that way you got your original.

Anyway I basically leave that stuff alone unless I have a need to do something.

Maybe a rummage around this site might help

http://www.ntfs.com/ntfs_basics.htm

no real help, but maybe some info

Cheers

[severach]

Re: Question about partitions and XP

FAT32 isn't limited to 4KB clusters but 64KB isn't on any of the charts so may not be well supported. Try 32KB.
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/file/partFAT32-c.html