# NTFS File Allocation Size



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

Hey guys, I just got windows 7 on my new samsung f3 500gb drive.  I partitioned 20gb for the win7 install, and the rest for files and such.  The thing is, I forgot to allocate the rest of the space.  I am sure NTSF is best, but which allocation size should I go with?

Also, should I go with a quick format and enable file/folder compression?  Please reply quick guys, I want to play some games tonight


----------



## JrRacinFan (Sep 16, 2009)

IMO, extend the size of your windows partition up to at least 80GB total and the rest do a quick format and no file compression.


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

JrRacinFan said:


> IMO, extend the size of your windows partition up to at least 80GB total and the rest do a quick format and no file compression.



Just curious, but what is the reasoning behind extending the size of the windows partition?


----------



## JrRacinFan (Sep 16, 2009)

20GB is very VERY small for Win 7. Especially if you like to install alot of games.


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

I would not install games on that partition though.  it would go on the leftover.  Also, what file allocation size should I use for the rest?


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

There are the benchmark results using hdtune if anyone is curious.  Why is my minimum so low??


----------



## JrRacinFan (Sep 16, 2009)

TBH, personally I don't ever fool around with that option and just set it to default.


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

Blah, installing programs is a pain in the ass because they want to default to C, the win7 partition, instead of I, which I set up for all other files/apps.  Would I be better off just having 1 partition for everything?

I only did this because I remember reading that it makes everything faster if they are on separate partitions, or was that wrong?


----------



## Mussels (Sep 16, 2009)

i set up a 40GB partition for 7, and the rest for everything else.

To answer your question: NTFS with 64k allocation size is best. it wastes a small amount of space if you have lots of small files, but has 1/8th the chunks of a 8KB allocation, meaning you have 1/8th the chance of fragmented files, and 8x faster defragments


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

Mussels said:


> i set up a 40GB partition for 7, and the rest for everything else.
> 
> To answer your question: NTFS with 64k allocation size is best. it wastes a small amount of space if you have lots of small files, but has 1/8th the chunks of a 8KB allocation, meaning you have 1/8th the chance of fragmented files, and 8x faster defragments



Gah, I set it to default 

Is the windows 7 partition C drive?  Thats what mine is, and I is for everything else.  Problem is, programs like to default to that C drive, a pita.


----------



## Mussels (Sep 16, 2009)

SirJangly said:


> Gah, I set it to default
> 
> Is the windows 7 partition C drive?  Thats what mine is, and I is for everything else.  Problem is, programs like to default to that C drive, a pita.



windows 7 sounds like C: drive to me, yes.


default tends to make it 4KB, since thats the largest size that allows compression - and windows drives require that.


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

Mussels said:


> windows 7 sounds like C: drive to me, yes.
> 
> 
> default tends to make it 4KB, since thats the largest size that allows compression - and windows drives require that.



Ah I see.  So should I reformat it? Crap.  Not much installed.  Will that 64k make a big difference?  I was thinking of installing the video drivers on the win7 partition as well, is that a bad idea?  Err, I already did that :X


----------



## AsRock (Sep 16, 2009)

SirJangly said:


> I would not install games on that partition though.  it would go on the leftover.  Also, what file allocation size should I use for the rest?



I've installed no games to my Vista install ( and yes win7 is as bad )  and 20GB is laughable and might stop SP's from being installed as it did with my other system. But was when the system had been in use for a while and trying to install a SP.

I'm using 28.3GB and no games and about 3 apps although 12GB is Pagefile and Hibernation file.  So that would leave me 4GB which is low IMO.


----------



## Mussels (Sep 16, 2009)

SirJangly said:


> Ah I see.  So should I reformat it? Crap.  Not much installed.  Will that 64k make a big difference?  I was thinking of installing the video drivers on the win7 partition as well, is that a bad idea?  Err, I already did that :X




i suggest reformatting, minimum of 40GB for C: (windows) drive.

then setup your second parition with a 64K allocation size - and yes, it makes a difference. defrags go a hell of a lot faster, and we all know fragmentation can slow drives dramatically.


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

Ah shit.  So do I need to reinstall windows?  How do I go about this?


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

I am going to shrink the bigger volume and add it to the win7 partition,  I hope that's right :X


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

I shrunk the larger by 20gb, so it's unallocated, but I can't expand the win7 partition


----------



## Mussels (Sep 16, 2009)

SirJangly said:


> I shrunk the larger by 20gb, so it's unallocated, but I can't expand the win7 partition



you cant resize a partition thats in use - you'll need to find some DOS or linux tool to do it for you (or plug the drive into another machine) or format and start fresh.


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

Well I just deleted that big partition, and from that unallocated space, extended the win7 partition by 30 gigs.  Should 48.7 gb be enough for a w7 partition?


----------



## Mussels (Sep 16, 2009)

SirJangly said:


> Well I just deleted that big partition, and from that unallocated space, extended the win7 partition by 30 gigs.  Should 48.7 gb be enough for a w7 partition?



yeah, should be enough.


drivers and OS components always go to C:, but you can install the big stuff (games, office, etc) to the other partition.


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

Oh yay  I actually did something right for once then   Thank you Mussels, as well as everyone else!


----------



## SirJangly (Sep 16, 2009)

Blah, is there a way to make sure I used 64k?


----------



## Mussels (Sep 16, 2009)

SirJangly said:


> Blah, is there a way to make sure I used 64k?



not that i know of - you'd have to delete and re-create the partition


----------

