File Size

[Arpan]

The size of a text file is 2.52 KB. When I right-click it & select
'Properties', it shows

Size: 2.52 KB (2,583 bytes)
Size on disk: 8.00 KB (8,192 bytes)

What's the difference between these 2 'sizes'?

Thanks,

Arpan

 

[Bob I]

The harddrive space is made up of "clusters" and in your case a cluster
is 8 KB. A file occupies at a minimum of 1 cluster, so any file less
than 8182 bytes will take up 8 kb. The amount of "data" in the file is
shown to be 2583 bytes or 2583 characters. On the other hand if the
cluster size was 4KB then this particular file would take up 4096 bytes
of space instead of 8192.

 

[Arpan]

Hi Bob,

Thanks for your explanation. You have said that ".......and in your case a
cluster is 8 KB". Does this mean that the cluster size varies from one disk
to another? Does a bigger cluster size have more advantages as compared to a
smaller one or something of that sort? Can this cluster size be altered?

Suppose I have only 2 files in my C: - the size of the 1st file being 2 KB &
that of the other file is 50 KB. So does this mean that the hard disk will
show 50+8=58 KB & not 50+2=52 KB?

Thanks once again,

Regards,

Arpan

 

[Bob I]

Cluster size is set when you format the drive. Size matters to the
extent that you "waste" on average 1/2 cluster per file. On the other
hand larger clusters reduce fragmentation due to fewer clusters and
speed up data x-fer slightly. You can change this with partitioning
Software if desired. Those 2 files would occupy a total of 8 clusters, 7
for the 50 kb file and 1 for the 2 kb file so a total of 64 KB used.
Divide File size by cluster size and round up to nearest whole number.