Defragmenting your hard disk

[tcosync]

Quote from brownsfan019:

What's wrong with the one Microsoft provides in Windows?

One of the main deficiencies of the MS defrag is that it does not defrag the MFT. Here's what Microsoft says:

Every file in an NTFS's volume has an entry in NT's Master File Table. The MFT includes references to all folders and files stored on the NTFS partitions. MFT is similar to a FAT table in a FAT file system. When you convert your file system from FAT to NTFS, MFT is created and placed somewhere in the middle of the partition, not at the beginning like when you perform a fresh format. This causes slower access to the MFT and higher fragmentation of other files. A clean install using NTFS is always best. NTFS reserves a block of space for the MFT in an effort to keep it contiguous as it grows. To gain more control over new volumes (can't effect existing MFTs only those being created)

There is a new generation of defraggers that can work with the MFT and paging files. According to Microsoft, it is vitally important performance-wise to defragment the MFT and paging files. However, it is only safe to do so using boot-time defragmentation. Any "online" method bypasses the defragmentation APIs within Windows NT which Microsoft has provided for safe defragmentation, and can result in loss of data, data corruption, system crashes, or even loss of entire volumes.

Diskeeper and PerfectDisk 2000 and O&O Defrag DO NOT defragment these files online, but uses Microsoft's approved boot-time method.

HTH

 

[gnome]

Quote from tcosync:

One of the main deficiencies of the MS defrag is that it does not defrag the MFT. Here's what Microsoft says:


HTH

FWIW... Raxco Perfect Disk uses a Linux app to defrag MFT and Page file on boot.

 

[gejay]

Might check out this website:http://www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm

 

[Wallace]

I've been using a freebie, no idea if it works well or not . . . however here's a review:

http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Power-Defragmenter-Review-25891.shtml

for Contig (+ others) see:
http://www.sysinternals.com/SysinternalsSiteMap.html

for Defragger (+ others) see:
http://excessive-software.eu.tt/

there's also a couple of hd utilities here — somewhere:
http://www.portablefreeware.com/


Q: anyone know of a hd utility that 'cleans up / fixes' the hd and any errors, used to use Norton (?) Works.

 

[GTS]

Quote from Wallace:

Q: anyone know of a hd utility that 'cleans up / fixes' the hd and any errors, used to use Norton (?) Works.

ChkDsk

 

[Wallace]

Thanks GTS.

 

[oTzt]

I was once in touch with the guys of "Rapid file defragmentor" (http://www.rapidfd.com/en/index.php)

I've never used it, but it has a good reputation, AFAIK (and it uses a freeware logging component I wrote... )

It sells for a low price (~$15) and will do the job.

However, don't dream : Disk fragmentation is far from being a real issue in performances :
Available RAM, speed of the disk and design of the mother board are way more important (to say nothing about the CPU and other physical components...)

You may even notice no change at all after you'll have defragmented your HD.

Olivier.

 

[zxcv1fu]

With my old routine my pc's performance is pretty good.

Recently my pc had a noise like ocean wave. I thought may be it is some application did it & have tried everything. After I clean the registry then the noise disappeared.

My point is defrag is only one part of the pc maintenance to ensure your pc perform well for you.

 

[GTS]

Quote from zxcv1fu:
Recently my pc had a noise like ocean wave.

Some people would pay extra to hear the soothing sounds of the ocean

I thought may be it is some application did it & have tried everything. After I clean the registry then the noise disappeared.

Did you use compressed air or a vacuum cleaner to clean your registry?

 

[Li Ka Shing]

Hello...

We should also defrag the registry, and the pagefile/ bootup files, apart from the usual parts of harddisk.

If you run the standard WinXP defrag utility, it doesn't defrag the registry part, nor the pagefile/ bootup part.

Try these free and light programs, I use them.

1. Registry defrag program: NTREGOPT
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/
The zip file at the middle, 141KB. This one will not install anything, doesn't add to your startup.

2. Pagefile defrag program: PageDefrag
http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/PageDefrag.html
35KB zip file. Also no installation (only files, click when use).

3. Then lastly, offline defrag program: NTFS4Dos

If you notice sometimes when you use WinXP standard defrag, there will be messages like:

"Drive's content changed: restarting ..."
or
"Windows cannot defragment this drive because ..."

For this, it's a good idea to defrag the harddisk offline/ outside of Windows environment. Since no single file is in usage really all files will be defragmented, what typically is not possible for Windows based defrag tools. Absolutely no file of an NTFS volume is in use.

Try this program, it will run in DOS: NTFS4Dos
http://www.datapol.de/dpe/freeware/
After running the installer, click 'floppywz' to make the special floppy. Then when you bootup, use the floppy, dont go into Windows. From there run the defrag.

Do 1,2,3. Sure is tight man.