A file allocation system for a hard disk drive includes a memory with driver logic and a processor configured with the driver logic to receive a request to allocate hard disk space of a defined size for a buffer file. In some embodiments, the processor is configured with the driver logic to allocate clusters for the buffer file from a plurality of clusters on the hard disk, wherein the clusters for the buffer file store media content instances. In some embodiments, the processor is configured with the driver logic to designate a portion of the clusters of the buffer file for at least one non-buffer file such that the non-buffer file is permitted to share the portion of the clusters of the buffer file with the buffer file.