How to configure BytesPerClusture for Primary partition.

[Pravs]

Does anybody know how to configure or change (or Create)
BytesPerClusture for C:\ Drive (Primary Partition). I know how to do
it for other drives (D:, E: etc) as I can manage them.
Any idea is welcome, even If it tends to crash the system or rebuild
the m/c from scratch.
I tried to goggle it but no help.

Let me know, If I am posting in to wrong UserGroup.

- Pravs

 

[John John (MVP)]

You can only set the cluster size when you format the drive. The
default Windows XP NTFS cluster size for drives 2GB and larger is 4,096
bytes (4KB). What are you trying to accomplish? Why are you wanting to
use different cluster sizes?

John

 

[Pravs]

Thanks for your help !

Well, I understand that while I format the drive I can change that and
it can vary from 512bytes to 4KB. and for future releases it's up to
8KB. I can do it with secondary partitions and drives.

My question is how I can accomplish it with Primary partitions. If I
will try to format C:\ drive and if it's primary partition, I will
virtually lost my m/c. What I am looking for is, how I can configure
or Change this while Creating (or before that) the C:\ Drive. some
scripts that I can run with windows installation?

Purpose is purely historical and I want to run one of my test
application with this case (different bytesperclusture for Primary
partition)

- Pravs

 

[John John (MVP)]

NTFS clusters can be anything from 512 bytes to 64K (512, 1024, 2048,
4096, 8192, 16KB, 32KB, or 64KB)

I don't think that it is possible but you could research or look into
something like "format c: /fs:ntfs /a:8192" in an unattended
installation, I haven't ever tried this or researched it and I don't
think it can work but you can do your own research and see if it can be
done.

Another possibility would be to launch the Recovery Console before the
installation and use the diskpart and format commands from the Recovery
Console to see if it can be done, again something that I haven't tried
so I don't know if the Format command in the Recovery Console allows for
the /a switch.

The other way would be to mount the disk in another Windows XP
installation and prepare it before you do the installation.

Unless you have specific needs these clusters other than the 4K default
size are not generally recommended.

John

 

[Elmo]

Thanks for your help !

Well, I understand that while I format the drive I can change that and
it can vary from 512bytes to 4KB. and for future releases it's up to
8KB. I can do it with secondary partitions and drives.

My question is how I can accomplish it with Primary partitions. If I
will try to format C:\ drive and if it's primary partition, I will
virtually lost my m/c. What I am looking for is, how I can configure
or Change this while Creating (or before that) the C:\ Drive. some
scripts that I can run with windows installation?

Purpose is purely historical and I want to run one of my test
application with this case (different bytesperclusture for Primary
partition)

- Pravs

It's bytespercluster, not bytesperclusture. Syntax/spelling is
important; if for no other reason, to net you some results in a Google
search.

bytesperclusture = 3 hits
bytespercluster = 80800 hits

 

[Pravs]

Thanks John ! I will try that. Recovery Console I never tried, Let me
give it a shot!
well, In my Data Center, I can see 4 of my VMs with C:\ Drive as 512
BytesPerCluster. rest do have it as 4K only. Though, I have not faced
any problem with them, but out of curiosity, I wanted to make this
configurable for next setup.

Elmo,
My mistake. Google always corrected me while I typed it and Yes I
searched in to those 80800 hits only.

Thanks both of you for help!!!!
- Pravs