What do you use to defragment your HD

moultanomoultano Creator of ns_shiva. Join Date: 2002-12-14 Member: 10806Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
<div class="IPBDescription">The windows utility gives up too fast.</div>I'm trying to prepare my computer to be sweetly made love to by BioShock, and I'd like to defrag my disk. The Windows utility gives up pretty quickly leaving much of the disk fragmented. It appears that for any file bigger than a gig it doesn't bother. Do any of you guys know of better free utilities for this? What do you use?

Comments

  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    good question. I haven't defragged in years and should probably get back into the habit =d
  • RedfordRedford Monorailcatfjord Join Date: 2002-04-28 Member: 528Members, NS1 Playtester
    The fact that your de-fragmenter "gives up" might be the sign of a deeper problem with your system.
  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1644957:date=Aug 21 2007, 12:13 PM:name=Redford)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Redford @ Aug 21 2007, 12:13 PM) [snapback]1644957[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    The fact that your de-fragmenter "gives up" might be the sign of a deeper problem with your system.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I think the default windows defrag program will get stuck if you have any activities running in the background making any sort of even slight changes to the HD - at least that's the impression I got last time I tried to defrag.
  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1644957:date=Aug 21 2007, 12:13 PM:name=Redford)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Redford @ Aug 21 2007, 12:13 PM) [snapback]1644957[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    The fact that your de-fragmenter "gives up" might be the sign of a deeper problem with your system.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Agreed.

    <!--quoteo(post=1644962:date=Aug 21 2007, 12:35 PM:name=DiscoZombie)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DiscoZombie @ Aug 21 2007, 12:35 PM) [snapback]1644962[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    I think the default windows defrag program will get stuck if you have any activities running in the background making any sort of even slight changes to the HD - at least that's the impression I got last time I tried to defrag.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I haven't had this issue with Windows defragger since Windows 98. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/confused-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="???" border="0" alt="confused-fix.gif" />
  • ChocolateChocolate The Team Mascot Join Date: 2006-10-31 Member: 58123Members
    edited August 2007
    <a href="http://www.iobit.com/iobitsmartdefrag.html" target="_blank">IObit Smart Defrag</a>

    Seems to work better than the default Windows Defragger, with a nice option to do a 2 step "Comprehensive" Defragmentation. It takes an awful amount of time to complete the 2 step process, but it does a better job overall. It does have trouble defragging huge files just like the Windows program, but I can never find a program that defrags huge files anyway. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/confused-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="???" border="0" alt="confused-fix.gif" />

    <!--quoteo(post=1644957:date=Aug 21 2007, 12:13 PM:name=Redford)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Redford @ Aug 21 2007, 12:13 PM) [snapback]1644957[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    The fact that your de-fragmenter "gives up" might be the sign of a deeper problem with your system.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Agreed.
  • FaskaliaFaskalia Wechsellichtzeichenanlage Join Date: 2004-09-12 Member: 31651Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1644965:date=Aug 21 2007, 06:48 PM:name=Depot)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Depot @ Aug 21 2007, 06:48 PM) [snapback]1644965[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Agreed.
    I haven't had this issue with Windows defragger since Windows 98. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/confused-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="???" border="0" alt="confused-fix.gif" />
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It still exists under WinXP.
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    If you are running a RAID 5 or RAID 10 system <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> (true story)
  • JimmehJimmeh Join Date: 2003-08-24 Member: 20173Members, Constellation
    defrag c: -w -f -v
  • moultanomoultano Creator of ns_shiva. Join Date: 2002-12-14 Member: 10806Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
    <!--quoteo(post=1644969:date=Aug 21 2007, 12:52 PM:name=Faskalia)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Faskalia @ Aug 21 2007, 12:52 PM) [snapback]1644969[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    It still exists under WinXP.
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    If you are running a RAID 5 or RAID 10 system <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> (true story)
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I'm running a RAID 1 system. Does that count?
  • FaskaliaFaskalia Wechsellichtzeichenanlage Join Date: 2004-09-12 Member: 31651Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1644971:date=Aug 21 2007, 06:58 PM:name=moultano)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(moultano @ Aug 21 2007, 06:58 PM) [snapback]1644971[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    I'm running a RAID 1 system. Does that count?
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Could be possible. I only had defragging problems with servers running raid 5 and 10 cause those cheapos didnt want to waste a 2003 server license ^^
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    Diskeeper is the gold standard, but the XP defragger isn't a piece of crap (I think they licensed some of Diskeeper's stuff even). Really, as long as you don't care how long it takes, the difference between one defragger or another isn't gigantic as far as I can tell. As long as it defragments <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    edited August 2007
    I wonder if I really haven't tried to defrag since windows 98 =p I've never had a HD fail either, but I have no clue how much fragmentation is slowing me down. how big a bottleneck is a fragmented HD? and how long does a defrag take on a big HD these days?
  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    The length of time a defrag takes depends on how long it's been and the size of your hdd.

    You'd be best doing it when you go to bed at night... <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    Reading a fragmented file can be a lot slower depending on the size of the file and the fragmentation, and as it gets worse and more files get fragmented, your overall read speed goes down. The worst I've seen is Diskeeper telling me that the drive was close to 20% slower overall and reading just fragmented files was almost 40% slower.
  • JimmehJimmeh Join Date: 2003-08-24 Member: 20173Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1644986:date=Aug 21 2007, 06:48 PM:name=Depot)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Depot @ Aug 21 2007, 06:48 PM) [snapback]1644986[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    The length of time a defrag takes depends on how long it's been and the size of your hdd.

    You'd be best doing it when you go to bed at night... <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    The length of defragging depends on both the size of your HDD and how defragmented it is. Even if you have a 1TB harddrive, as long as you defrag often it shouldn't take too long.

    The best defragging utilities, such as Diskeeper, can be set to defrag in the background when needed. If you set the task to be low priority, your HDDs will be constantly defragmented and you won't even notice it happening.
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    I'm 90% sure even the default Windows defrag can be scheduled. You can even set it to wake up your computer if it goes into standby mode, defrag, then go back into standby.
  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    edited August 2007
    <a href="http://www.oo-software.com/home/en/products/oodefrag/" target="_blank">O&O Defrag Professional</a>. Awesome tool, with custom defrag options. I use 'ACCESS/MODIFIED' so all of my recently added/used files are moved toward the end of the disk, while all the stuff I nearly never touch other than to read (aka: system files) get shifted toward the front of the drive. Makes booting MUCH faster, and file access for stuff I use all the time happen almost immediately.
    Can set it up to run on a scheduled mode, or like me and use the included screensaver.. any time you're up and about, it starts defragging quietly and pauses when you come back. If you leave it on overnight, the machine is defragged and ready to go by morning (or at least most of the way there). Plus if it's installed on a laptop, it'll go into a low-power mode to save battery life until you plug it in again. Handles large volumes FAST for server use, and will use parallel concurrent physical disk defrags, if you have more than one drive.. queueing the partitions on a given drive and auto-starting each in turn to make use of the full read/write access rates possible.

    Used to use Diskeeper, and tried a few others that act as front-ends for the built in Windows Defrag... once I tried this out, I've never looked back.
  • OrganoXOrganoX Join Date: 2004-03-21 Member: 27473Members
    O&O Defrag Professional, best defrag program so far.
  • HellbillyHellbilly A whole title out of pity... Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 3931Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    I've used Diskeeper for years, very happy with it.
  • BlackMageBlackMage [citation needed] Join Date: 2003-06-18 Member: 17474Members, Constellation
    task scheduler + defrag -f
  • puzlpuzl The Old Firm Join Date: 2003-02-26 Member: 14029Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    The XP degrag tool *IS* diskkeeper under the hood, and BOTH of them are total crap.

    I have to echo Talesin's recommendation 100%. O&O defrag is exactly what every defrag tool should be. I don't use ACCESS/Modified though. I just leave it on auto-stealth with the screensaver enabled, so I never really have to run the manual degrag more than once a month, if even.

    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Used to use Diskeeper, and tried a few others that act as front-ends for the built in Windows Defrag... once I tried this out, I've never looked back.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    That's pretty much my story with it too.
  • [WHO]Them[WHO]Them You can call me Dave Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10593Members, Constellation
    O&O is awesome..... until it screws up your boot process and gets stuck in an infinite loop of boot defragmentation.

    Been using the windows defragger ever since. And you can take care of those big files that it gives up on by moving them to another partition, defragmenting, then moving them back.
  • puzlpuzl The Old Firm Join Date: 2003-02-26 Member: 14029Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    I didn't even know O&O had a boot defrag feature, and if I did know it, I'd never use it.
  • ZydecoZydeco Join Date: 2005-03-06 Member: 43794Members, NS1 Playtester
    jkdefrag, it works and it's free

    <a href="http://www.kessels.com/JkDefrag/" target="_blank">http://www.kessels.com/JkDefrag/</a>
  • moultanomoultano Creator of ns_shiva. Join Date: 2002-12-14 Member: 10806Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
    <!--quoteo(post=1645121:date=Aug 22 2007, 04:11 AM:name=puzl)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(puzl @ Aug 22 2007, 04:11 AM) [snapback]1645121[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    The XP degrag tool *IS* diskkeeper under the hood, and BOTH of them are total crap.

    I have to echo Talesin's recommendation 100%. O&O defrag is exactly what every defrag tool should be. I don't use ACCESS/Modified though. I just leave it on auto-stealth with the screensaver enabled, so I never really have to run the manual degrag more than once a month, if even.
    That's pretty much my story with it too.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Diskkeeper stops after a few minutes the way the windows utility does leaving half of the drive fragmented. I can keep running it, and it defrags a little more each time, but that seems silly. I'm using O&O now.
  • FaskaliaFaskalia Wechsellichtzeichenanlage Join Date: 2004-09-12 Member: 31651Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1645135:date=Aug 22 2007, 01:30 PM:name=Zydeco)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Zydeco @ Aug 22 2007, 01:30 PM) [snapback]1645135[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    jkdefrag, it works and it's free

    <a href="http://www.kessels.com/JkDefrag/" target="_blank">http://www.kessels.com/JkDefrag/</a>
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Looks good.

    Thanks for the link <3!
  • UnderwhelmedUnderwhelmed DemoDetective #?&#33; Join Date: 2006-09-19 Member: 58026Members, Constellation
  • moultanomoultano Creator of ns_shiva. Join Date: 2002-12-14 Member: 10806Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
    <!--quoteo(post=1645150:date=Aug 22 2007, 01:43 PM:name=moultano)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(moultano @ Aug 22 2007, 01:43 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1645150"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Diskkeeper stops after a few minutes the way the windows utility does leaving half of the drive fragmented. I can keep running it, and it defrags a little more each time, but that seems silly. I'm using O&O now.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Just as an update, this worked fantastically. It took two days to defragment it, but it did a great job.
  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    I use O&O's 'boot defrag' feature once a month at most, and only on my system drive to get a full defragment on otherwise locked system files... there's an option to turn it on only for the next boot cycle, so it'll only run once, and only on the volumes you've specified for it.
    If anything messes up your boot sequence, you just pop in your boot rescue disk, or hit F8 and boot into safe mode. Simple enough to fix from there.

    Beyond that, the screensaver mode with modified/access is my friend. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> Stealth or space are fine, but they don't provide any read/write benefits aside from the speedup of contiguous files. Swapping to the access mode tucks all of my oldest files to the front, and speeds up future defrags a LOT.
  • WarriorWarrior Join Date: 2003-02-16 Member: 13624Members
    Where can I buy O&O? Do I have to get it on line or can I get it from a store like Bestbuy.
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