Cluster size question on new install?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Greetings once again.

Since I still have not found the cause of my mysterious occassional
password failures, I am considering reinstalling XP.

I note that XP defaults to 4096 bytes for the cluster size to preserve
the use of file compression, but that it supports a size as low as 512
bytes. While I know that having clusters of 512 bytes would slow down
disk access, it would do a lot to elimate slack, and promote better
utilization of limited space.

Presuming that I can start out with a freshly partitioned disk - How
can I format it with 512 byte clusters before I install XP? Make a
startup disk using my current install, boot with it, use format with
the appropriate switches, then reboot with the XP cd and finish the
install?

Or am I missing something?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

In news:1101575443.247448.69770@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com,
MarlboroKlingon@yahoo.com <MarlboroKlingon@yahoo.com> typed:

> I note that XP defaults to 4096 bytes for the cluster size


Only on NTFS volumes (and small FAT32 volumes). Not on FAT32
volumes over 8GB.


> to preserve
> the use of file compression, but that it supports a size as low
> as 512
> bytes. While I know that having clusters of 512 bytes would
> slow down
> disk access, it would do a lot to elimate slack, and promote
> better
> utilization of limited space.


Having smaller clusters doesn't really *eliminate* slack; it just
reduces the amount of space wasted to slack.

But in these days of inexpensive hard drives, being concerned
about the amount of space wasted to slack seldom makes any sense.
The cost in performance in having 512-byte clusters is much more
significant than the few dollars worth of disk space you'd save.
Unless you are on an extremely limited budget, I urge you not to
do this. If you are running out of disk space, buy a larger drive
instead.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
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