OK to leave approx 5% free space on 500GB NTFS partition?

[Peter]

I've got a 500 GB partition on my XP system. The drive is about 460
GB full.

The partition is used to store jpegs which are typically 150KB to
250KB.

The file sizes are tiny compared to the space left. So although
there is under 10% free space, will it cause noticeable performance
problems if I store another 20 GB or 30 GB?

Are the standard recommendations for free space (50% or 33% or 25%)
be out of date nowadays because those rules of thumb assumed the
same file size (mine are approx 150-250KB) but the drive capacity
was much smaller. IYSWIM.

 

[Rod Speed]

I've got a 500 GB partition on my XP system. The drive is about 460 GB full.

The partition is used to store jpegs which are typically 150KB to 250KB.

The file sizes are tiny compared to the space left. So although
there is under 10% free space, will it cause noticeable
performance problems if I store another 20 GB or 30 GB?
Nope.

Are the standard recommendations for free space (50% or 33% or 25%)
be out of date nowadays because those rules of thumb assumed the
same file size (mine are approx 150-250KB) but the drive capacity
was much smaller.

Those 'rules' are pure drivel.

The most you can have a problem with is very poor defrag
performance if you are silly enough to defrag your drive
with a defragger that needs lots of free space.

IYSWIM.

KIUYTR

 

[Joep]

Those 'rules' are pure drivel.

The most you can have a problem with is very poor defrag
performance if you are silly enough to defrag your drive
with a defragger that needs lots of free space.

Why defrag at all I always say.

 

[Rod Speed]

Joep wrote

Why defrag at all I always say.

What I said in different words.