Definition: Cluster


A cluster is defined as an allocation unit. It is a group of sectors. Most file systems group sectors together and handle the group as one unit. The cluster size (number of sectors per cluster) varies with the storage media and is fixed at time of format. At least one cluster is allocated to each file, regardless of the file's size, that is stored in the DOS environment.




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Data Recovery Fact

Raw data

Raw data is uninterpreted data from a storage medium. The maximum amount of raw data that can be copied from a storage medium equals the capacity of the medium. As raw data, the data is handled without considering the information stored within the data. When handling raw data one does not know how much of that disk is actually in use or free. There will not be access to directories or files until the data is interpreted from a file system.

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