Re cluster drive?

**Taxmancometh** · May 2nd, 2010, 09:00 AM

I'm wondering if it's possible to re-map the cluster size of an existing and current hard drive?

My thought is it can't be done without formatting, however I'm hopping for a software solution that could do this.

**GroundZero3** · May 2nd, 2010, 09:22 AM

Recluster? Do you mean repartition the drive with an os already on it?

**Taxmancometh** · May 2nd, 2010, 02:51 PM

Data cluster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has the OS on it, but want to change from 4096 Bytes to 2048 bytes or something smaller without formatting and moving data to another disk. Which brings up another question: Would the image of the drive have any bearing on what the cluster size could be?

The Default Cluster Size for the NTFS and FAT File Systems

My reason is to gain more CPU cycles on a single core PC. It's a SATA btw, and has a spread spectrum feature, though I'm not too sure if I could benefit from that or in fact use it with the MOBO. Not too worried about increased fragmentation or access times.

HD Tune: WDC WD3200AAJS-00L7A

**Taxmancometh** · May 2nd, 2010, 03:06 PM

Oops, never mind...

**RacerX** · May 2nd, 2010, 03:32 PM

yes, you can.

of course the usual warnings, back things up, maybe do an image of the drive first, apply.

i've done it in the past with both primary drivers, with XP on it, and secondary drives.
I actually went larger on the secondary, since it mainly contained large movie files.

If memory serves, going smaller should be less of a problem, going larger would cause windows to stop compressing old files or something like that.

I either used Easus partition manager or paragon partition manager pro, don't quite remember which one.

whichever one i used, it basically asked for a reboot, then did it, then booted back into windows.
i then ran the program and it showed that it did indeed change the cluster size.

Wish i could be more detailed, but it's been a while since I've done that.

**Taxmancometh** · May 2nd, 2010, 03:43 PM

I have Easus partition master and used it many times, but that only allows me to resize partitions, not the cluster size. It shows up as 4 and unless I reformat it won't allow the change.

Update: Found out what the spread spectrum setting is. It allows the drive to reduce EMI. So unless I think the feds are using side channel attacks against me, it's really pointless.

**RacerX** · May 3rd, 2010, 01:37 PM

okay, checked a few computers, and the one in question has Paragon PM 9.5 pro.

it shows detailed drive info, and if i click on the cluster size, it gives me a box that allows the drop down to change it.

**Taxmancometh** · May 7th, 2010, 10:38 AM

Paragon partition manager pro did it! I successfully changed the cluster size of my laptop and the three partitions on the single core without reformatting! Yipe!

Tried the laptop first as a test bed sene I did not have very important things on there. The few files that were I did backup. That went without a hitch. Then I moved on to the single core computer with its three partitions ( C:, F:, and G: ) and started with F: first sense that was a non-bootable. At first I was afraid that having three partitions would make things more complicated, and worse perhaps render the drive useless after changing any one of the three partitions. One thing I discovered is that if the bootable partition is selected to have its cluster size changed, the program will tell you that the boot info. or something like that, needs to be changed.

The whole process is simple point and click and similar to moving or changing the partition size. i.e, computer reboots and does its thing.

This program has a lot of options! I can even increase the cluster size to an ungodly amount.

Now the perforce test to see if I had gained CPU cycles.

It should! Sense the allocation unit was 4096 and now is 2048 on all partitions. So the CPU doesn't have to munch on huge amounts of data at one time.

Thanks much!!