changing cluster size???

[MaFia JaK]

i have changed the cluster size on all my partitions except the OS partition. i was just wondering if there is any program that would allow me to change the cluster size before the HDD boots. like a program u can run from a floppy?

i have tried partiton magic 8 and i keep getting error 717 and i cant find anythign about that, and i tried apragon hard disk manager and it doesnt aloow u to boot from a floppy

[DrMDJ]

That error tends to indicate that PM ran in to some problem reading the partition table in sector one of the disc. In particular this can indicate that entries for your partitions in the table may show an overlap (ie. the define ranges on the disk of two or more of your partitions overlap), which shouldn't be. You might try running (from dos) the Partinfo utility that comes with PM to see what it says.

[MaFia JaK]

so basically some of the clusters "leaked" onto another partition? if so i did notice that after i would format a partition, there would be about 2-4 MB in use and i thought that was kinda strange. i will run the partinfo in a bit and post back what it says

[MaFia JaK]

ok booted with the rescue disk and before it got a chance to start it said that the HDD was over the 1024 sector limit (or something i cant rmemebr exactly) because it was and extended partition and not an ExtendedX. it fixed that. what does that mean? and i did manage to change the cluster size on C:. Is it not possible to format the os partition to 64K? i formatted it to 32K but would like 64. i know its a waste of space but i have plenty of space and am going for the best performance. also i checked for errors on all the partitions using PArtition magic and no errors were found at all. here is all the info from partinfo




PowerQuest PartitionInfo 8.0 -- Windows NT/2000 Version
Date Generated: 11/14/04 08:29:47
Copyright (c)1994-2002, PowerQuest Corporation
Permission is granted for this utility to be freely copied so long
as it is not modified in any way. All other rights are reserved.

PowerQuest, makers of PartitionMagic(r), Drive Image(tm), and DriveCopy(tm), can be reached at:
Voice: 801-437-8900
Fax: 801-226-8941
Web site: http://www.powerquest.com/support/
E-mail: [email protected]

General System Information:
Total Physical Memory (bytes): 535,609,344
Used Physical Memory: (bytes): 291,454,976
Maximum Page File Size: (bytes): 1,041,285,120
Current Page File Size: (bytes): 180,097,024



===========================================================================================================
Disk Geometry Information for Disk 1: 7473 Cylinders, 255 Heads, 63 Sectors/Track
System PartSect # Boot BCyl Head Sect FS ECyl Head Sect StartSect NumSects
===========================================================================================================
0 0 80 0 1 1 07 1019 254 63 63 16,386,237
0 1 00 1020 0 1 0F 1023 254 63 16,386,300 103,667,445
Info: Begin C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
0 1 00 1020 0 1 0F 7472 254 63 16386300 103667445
16,386,300 0 00 1020 1 1 07 1023 254 63 16,386,363 21,735,882
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
16386300 0 00 1020 1 1 07 2372 254 63 16386363 21735882
16,386,300 1 00 1023 0 1 05 1023 254 63 38,122,245 36,869,175
Info: Begin C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
16386300 1 00 2373 0 1 05 4667 254 63 38122245 36869175
38,122,245 0 00 1023 1 1 07 1023 254 63 38,122,308 36,869,112
Info: Begin C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
38122245 0 00 2373 1 1 07 4667 254 63 38122308 36869112
38,122,245 1 00 1023 0 1 05 1023 254 63 74,991,420 4,096,575
Info: Begin C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
38122245 1 00 4668 0 1 05 4922 254 63 74991420 4096575
74,991,420 0 00 1023 1 1 07 1023 254 63 74,991,483 4,096,512
Info: Begin C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
74991420 0 00 4668 1 1 07 4922 254 63 74991483 4096512
74,991,420 1 00 1023 0 1 05 1023 254 63 79,087,995 36,869,175
Info: Begin C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
74991420 1 00 4923 0 1 05 7217 254 63 79087995 36869175
79,087,995 0 00 1023 1 1 07 1023 254 63 79,088,058 36,869,112
Info: Begin C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
79087995 0 00 4923 1 1 07 7217 254 63 79088058 36869112
79,087,995 1 00 1023 0 1 05 1023 254 63 115,957,170 4,096,575
Info: Begin C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
79087995 1 00 7218 0 1 05 7472 254 63 115957170 4096575
115,957,170 0 00 1023 1 1 07 1023 254 63 115,957,233 4,096,512
Info: Begin C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
115957170 0 00 7218 1 1 07 7472 254 63 115957233 4096512



===========================================================================================================
Partition Information for Disk 1: 58,620.0 Megabytes
Volume PartType Status Size MB PartSect # StartSect TotalSects
===========================================================================================================
C: NTFS Pri,Boot 8,001.1 0 0 63 16,386,237
ExtendedX Pri 50,618.9 0 1 16,386,300 103,667,445
EPBR Log 10,613.3 None -- 16,386,300 21,735,945
D: NTFS Log 10,613.2 16,386,300 0 16,386,363 21,735,882
EPBR Log 18,002.5 16,386,300 1 38,122,245 36,869,175
E: NTFS Log 18,002.5 38,122,245 0 38,122,308 36,869,112
EPBR Log 2,000.3 38,122,245 1 74,991,420 4,096,575
F: NTFS Log 2,000.3 74,991,420 0 74,991,483 4,096,512
EPBR Log 18,002.5 74,991,420 1 79,087,995 36,869,175
G: NTFS Log 18,002.5 79,087,995 0 79,088,058 36,869,112
EPBR Log 2,000.3 79,087,995 1 115,957,170 4,096,575
H: NTFS Log 2,000.3 115,957,170 0 115,957,233 4,096,512


===========================================================================================================
Boot Record for drive C: (Drive: 1, Starting sector: 63, Type: NTFS)
===========================================================================================================
1. Jump: EB 52 90
2. OEM Name: NTFS
3. Bytes per Sector: 512
4. Sectors per Cluster: 64
5. Reserved Sectors: 0
6. Number of FATs: 0
7. Root Dir Entries: 0
8. Total Sectors: 0
9. Media Descriptor: 0xF8
10. Sectors per FAT: 0
11. Sectors per Track: 63 (0x3F)
12. Number of Heads: 255 (0xFF)
13. Hidden Sectors: 63 (0x3F)
14. Total Sectors (>32MB): 0 (0x0)
15. Unused: 0x80008000
16. Total NTFS Sectors: 16386176
17. MFT Start Cluster: 65537
18. MFT Mirror Start Clust: 17965
19. Clusters per FRS: 246
20. Clusters per Index Blk: 244
21. Serial Number: 0x7620E76220E727B7
22. Checksum: 0 (0x0)
23. Boot Signature: 0xAA55

===========================================================================================================
Boot Record for drive D: (Drive: 1, Starting sector: 16,386,363, Type: NTFS)
===========================================================================================================
1. Jump: EB 52 90
2. OEM Name: NTFS
3. Bytes per Sector: 512
4. Sectors per Cluster: 128
5. Reserved Sectors: 0
6. Number of FATs: 0
7. Root Dir Entries: 0
8. Total Sectors: 0
9. Media Descriptor: 0xF8
10. Sectors per FAT: 0
11. Sectors per Track: 63 (0x3F)
12. Number of Heads: 255 (0xFF)
13. Hidden Sectors: 63 (0x3F)
14. Total Sectors (>32MB): 0 (0x0)
15. Unused: 0x80008000
16. Total NTFS Sectors: 21735881
17. MFT Start Cluster: 49152
18. MFT Mirror Start Clust: 84905
19. Clusters per FRS: 246
20. Clusters per Index Blk: 244
21. Serial Number: 0x323AF0E23AF0A44F
22. Checksum: 0 (0x0)
23. Boot Signature: 0xAA55

===========================================================================================================
Boot Record for drive E: (Drive: 1, Starting sector: 38,122,308, Type: NTFS)
===========================================================================================================
1. Jump: EB 52 90
2. OEM Name: NTFS
3. Bytes per Sector: 512
4. Sectors per Cluster: 128
5. Reserved Sectors: 0
6. Number of FATs: 0
7. Root Dir Entries: 0
8. Total Sectors: 0
9. Media Descriptor: 0xF8
10. Sectors per FAT: 0
11. Sectors per Track: 63 (0x3F)
12. Number of Heads: 255 (0xFF)
13. Hidden Sectors: 63 (0x3F)
14. Total Sectors (>32MB): 0 (0x0)
15. Unused: 0x80008000
16. Total NTFS Sectors: 36869111
17. MFT Start Cluster: 49152

18. MFT Mirror Start Clust: 144019
19. Clusters per FRS: 246
20. Clusters per Index Blk: 244
21. Serial Number: 0x68EC2232EC21FB48
22. Checksum: 0 (0x0)
23. Boot Signature: 0xAA55

===========================================================================================================
Boot Record for drive F: (Drive: 1, Starting sector: 74,991,483, Type: NTFS)
===========================================================================================================
1. Jump: EB 52 90
2. OEM Name: NTFS
3. Bytes per Sector: 512
4. Sectors per Cluster: 2
5. Reserved Sectors: 0
6. Number of FATs: 0
7. Root Dir Entries: 0
8. Total Sectors: 0
9. Media Descriptor: 0xF8
10. Sectors per FAT: 0
11. Sectors per Track: 63 (0x3F)
12. Number of Heads: 255 (0xFF)
13. Hidden Sectors: 63 (0x3F)
14. Total Sectors (>32MB): 0 (0x0)
15. Unused: 0x80008000
16. Total NTFS Sectors: 4096511
17. MFT Start Cluster: 682752
18. MFT Mirror Start Clust: 1024127
19. Clusters per FRS: 1
20. Clusters per Index Blk: 4
21. Serial Number: 0x68789F75789F412C
22. Checksum: 0 (0x0)
23. Boot Signature: 0xAA55

===========================================================================================================
Boot Record for drive G: (Drive: 1, Starting sector: 79,088,058, Type: NTFS)
===========================================================================================================
1. Jump: EB 52 90
2. OEM Name: NTFS
3. Bytes per Sector: 512
4. Sectors per Cluster: 1
5. Reserved Sectors: 0
6. Number of FATs: 0
7. Root Dir Entries: 0
8. Total Sectors: 0
9. Media Descriptor: 0xF8
10. Sectors per FAT: 0
11. Sectors per Track: 63 (0x3F)
12. Number of Heads: 255 (0xFF)
13. Hidden Sectors: 63 (0x3F)
14. Total Sectors (>32MB): 0 (0x0)
15. Unused: 0x80008000
16. Total NTFS Sectors: 36869111
17. MFT Start Cluster: 6291456
18. MFT Mirror Start Clust: 18434555
19. Clusters per FRS: 2
20. Clusters per Index Blk: 8
21. Serial Number: 0xA6A84028A83FF601
22. Checksum: 0 (0x0)
23. Boot Signature: 0xAA55

===========================================================================================================
Boot Record for drive H: (Drive: 1, Starting sector: 115,957,233, Type: NTFS)
===========================================================================================================
1. Jump: EB 52 90
2. OEM Name: NTFS
3. Bytes per Sector: 512
4. Sectors per Cluster: 128
5. Reserved Sectors: 0
6. Number of FATs: 0
7. Root Dir Entries: 0
8. Total Sectors: 0
9. Media Descriptor: 0xF8
10. Sectors per FAT: 0
11. Sectors per Track: 63 (0x3F)
12. Number of Heads: 255 (0xFF)
13. Hidden Sectors: 63 (0x3F)
14. Total Sectors (>32MB): 0 (0x0)
15. Unused: 0x80008000
16. Total NTFS Sectors: 4096511
17. MFT Start Cluster: 10668
18. MFT Mirror Start Clust: 16001
19. Clusters per FRS: 246
20. Clusters per Index Blk: 244
21. Serial Number: 0xE25678F65678CCB3
22. Checksum: 0 (0x0)
23. Boot Signature: 0xAA55

[Nix]

Well that has to be the biggest longest post I've ever seen !!!

[DrMDJ]

ExtendedX type partitions came in to being with Win98 (or maybe win95B, I forget) and were meant as an extension/evolution based on the newer, larger hard drives coming out. Given the fact that your hard drive is as large as it is it is appropriate that the extended partition should be an ExtendedX type.

You should be able to use a 64k (non-standard) cluster size if you want, so I'm not sure why your being prevented from changing that. Is it PM that won't let ya do it? You do have enough free space to accomidate going to the larger cluster size don't ya (cause increasing the cluster size is gonna increase the space consumed by some amount)?

[robertw]

When you let Windows format during installtion doesn't that give you the optimal cluster size, that you cant get using PM?

[MaFia JaK]

yes it is PM that isnt letting me. it only lets me go to 32K. it says 64K is Not Enabled. I am pretty sure i have enough free space. i slipstreamed xp so my C: drive is only about 800 megs on a 7.81 GB partion. pretty sure i have enough space.....lol

does all my info look ok? i didnt knotice any problems in it but then again i dont know exactly what to look for. thanx for all ur help.



//edit - yes Nix it is quite long....thank God for copy/paste

//edit 2 - ok i just tried runnning PM in normal mode and it gave me the option of 64K, but i cliked on apply and all that happened was the PM window disappeared them reappered real quick and that operation was gone.

[MaFia JaK]

u posted while i was posting robertw. No, windows xp just lets u choose between NTFS, FAT, NTFS (Quick), and FAT (Quick)

i assume u r talking about windows xp. it has been so long since i have used 98 i cant remember about that and i have no idea about ME, 2000, or NT

[Nix]

I thought that 4K was the optimal size and that NTFS uses that by default ?

or are you saying that you want bigger than that ?

[MaFia JaK]

yes 4K is the default size but to my understanding and i could very easily be wrong, the larger the cluster, the better the performance. i was able to change it to 32K but it says 64K is not enabled. but yet i was able to change the other partitions that i wanted to change to 64K. but not the one with windows one it.

[Nix]

You do realise that using 64K clusters will result in lots of slackspace in small files ?

eg a file that contains 100 characters for example will be 100bytes but it's size on disk will be 64Kb so you would have wasted 65436 bytes

[MaFia JaK]

yes i realize that. i have plenty of space, thats why i have no problem sacrificing space for performance

C Drive - Windows XP - 8,001.1 MB - 32K Cluster Size
D Drive - Programs - 10,613.2 MB - 64K Cluster Size
E Drive - Games and Music - 18,002.5 MB - 64K Cluster Size
F Drive - Documents - 2,000.2 MB - 1K Cluster Size
G Drive - Backups and Miscellaneous - 18,002.5 MB - 512b Cluster Size
H Drive - Page File - 2,000.2 MB - 64K Cluster Size

thats my current info for the partitions still trying to change C Drive to 64K though

//edit - says i will be wasting 175.3 MB if i change to 64K