XP defrag problem

[jhplap#1804]

I have been using this Dell desktop for about 3 years. I have done disk clean-defrag-viruis scan-adaware checks about once or twice a month. However this last time(s) I went thru "My Documents" before I defraged and moved all the pictures to "My Pictures" and deleated 175-200 text documents to the recycle bin and then emptyed the bin. However, now I have these large wide red blocks on my defrage Analyze bar and running multiple defrags does not remove them. My free space has gone lower and my used space has gone up according to the % reading. I am not a Geek so please be as simple as possible in explaining a solution. Thanks jhplap#1804

Edited December 20, 2009 by jhplap#1804

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

Well, the built-in Disk Defragmenter doesn't always do the job, does it? I suggest you use Google search and find a free defragmenter (believe me, there are plenty of them) where you will find options for adjusting what you want to defragment. With no intent of advertising, I'd suggest Smart Defrag which will defragment only the fragmented files if you tell it to. Note: I use a 32-bit XP, but the website does not emphasize it is for 32-bit systems only.

Enjoy

[graysky]

Yeah, NTFS is notorious for fragmentation. Try mydefrag (google it) which should help.

[fdv]

Late to the thread, but I like this defragger, and it works on 64 bit

[cluberti]

Problem for those of us running Vista or Win7 though - disabling the driver check just to run an app isn't very friendly. Very cool looking app otherwise, though.

[Guest]

Read the advice given.

[ITPhoenix]

Backup files and reinstall OS.

Before any updates or programs are installed, go to the command prompt and type without the quotation marks, "fsutil behavior set mftzone 2" and hit enter. Then install updates and programs and purge and defragment regularly.

Not sure? Check:

http://windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/02/08/NTFS_Hacks.html

[engmod]

Yeah, NTFS is notorious for fragmentation. Try mydefrag (google it) which should help.

Compared to what?

Derek

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Yeah, NTFS is notorious for fragmentation. Try mydefrag (google it) which should help.

Compared to what?

Derek

Compared to slamming a glass plate on the floor?

Seriously though if it sucked so much why are we still using it?

(He is prolly a mac or fat32 fanboy)

Edited August 9, 2010 by Kelsenellenelvian

[cluberti]

Agreed - NTFS is fine if you maintain it, just like any other transactional file system. A lot of them have maintenance routines either built into the OS or the filesystem is created in such a way as to try to maintain itself by how it reads and writes (driver), but that takes a huge performance hit on high-volume systems. NTFS walks (very well, I might add) the middle ground of being a very fast filesystem and fairly good at keeping itself from fragmentation. That said, file sizes, NTFS cluster sizes, the MFT, and overall usage patterns will determine how fragmented an NTFS system gets over time. Given the OP said that deleting and moving a large volume of files caused free space to diminish and cause large fragmentation of the filesystem, I'd be looking at the cluster sizes of the filesystem - Dell probably created a file system with either very small (<4k), or very large (>16K+) clusters when creating the image. That would be fine for Windows and program files, but large images and pictures on a drive mean care must be taken to allocate clusters accordingly based on the amount and relative sizes of the data being stored (or planned to be stored), volume/partition size, and filesystem (in this case, NTFS). Most people are oblivious to tuning the NTFS filesystem beforehand to meet the user's needs based on what the drive or partition is planned to be used for, but taking that into account before just creating a drive/partition saves a lot of time and effort on the backend. Just running format or using a 3rd party tool to format with default settings is generally a bad idea (performance-wise) for anything but the OS volume.

At this point, it would be easier (and safer) to copy all of the files off to another drive, format the drive, and copy the files back (assuming the OP isn't keeping all of his data on the same drive/partition as the OS).

[jaclaz]

At this point, it would be easier (and safer) to copy all of the files off to another drive, format the drive, and copy the files back (assuming the OP isn't keeping all of his data on the same drive/partition as the OS).

I would hope than in the last 8 months OP solved the problem, one way or the other.

jaclaz

[cluberti]

Hope springs eternal .

[jaclaz]

Hope springs eternal .

How wrong Emily Dickinson was! Hope is not "the thing with feathers". The thing with feathers has turned to be my nephew. I must take him to a specialist in Zurich.

jaclaz