DOCUMENT:Q143148 08-AUG-2001 [winnt] TITLE :Minimum Disk Partition Size Allowed Varies Among Drives PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER:3.50 3.51 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS: ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51 - Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= When you create a primary, extended or logical drive partitions using Windows NT Disk Administrator, the following partition information appears: Minimum size for the partition is X MB Maximum size for the partition is Y MB (Y=size of free space) Create partition size Z MB where X is the minimum size for the partition. Y is the size of available free space and Z is the partition size you want to create. MORE INFORMATION ================ The minimum size for the partition varies among different hard disks and hard disk controllers. Every partition must end on a cylinder boundary and the minimum number of cylinders is one. Depending on the capacity of the drive, geometry of the drive and the way the controller translates the drive determines the minimum size for the partition. The following is an example that calculates the minimum partition size: DRIVE translated geometry bytes/sector Equals Capacity #heads X #sectors X 512 Minimum Partition size -------- ------ -------- ------------ ----------------------- 1GB 63 X 32 X 512 = 1,032,192 bytes (1 MB) 2GB 63 X 64 X 512 = 2,064,384 bytes (2 MB) 4GB 255 X 64 X 512 = 8,355,840 bytes (8 MB) Additional query words: prodnt ====================================================================== Keywords : Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search Version : 3.50 3.51 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.