G
Gary S. Terhune
Guest
Re: disk defragmentor
What you rely upon is called "anecdotal" evidence. I have lots of that stuff
regarding Defrag, and it all contradicts yours. Particularly older systems
with small drives, regular defragging almost always produces marked
improvement in performance. (If the machine isn't being used much, defrag
obviously won't help *much*, but then maintenance can be scheduled much less
frequently.) Only if the drive is already sketchy and if defrag is run WAY
TOO MUCH (daily), is there any risk of damage. The amount of work you put
the drive through is balanced by reducing the amount of excessive thrashing
that occurs on a fragmented disk.
My recommendation has always been to schedule maintenance once a month for a
well-used personal machine, less often for a lightly used machine, but much
more often for a heavy working machine, especially one that has constantly
used databases. How often becomes a question of how much you want the
machine down for maintenance.
--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
www.grystmill.com
"Lord Turkey Cough" <spamdump@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:%VNsj.91$Ef1.63@newsfe6-win.ntli.net...
>
> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message
> news:O7S8DwqbIHA.4652@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>I see. It's obviously so, it must be so, therefore it is so.
>>
>> I asked you for real data and you give me pure speculation. I have no
>> wish to engage in speculation, though for your sake I hope an expert
>> comes along and gives you a good discussion.
>>
>
> I am 'expert' enough thank you.
>
> OK real data for you.
>
> 1. I have defragged before and I took the time to make a
> a note of the time taken for certain operations, boot up
> etc.... Result no noticable difference, infact it even took longer
> to boot up, there was no performance benefit whatsoever.
> *Infact* if anything my machine was slower.
>
> So there is one piece of real data.
>
> 2. Goto step 1.
>
> Quite remarkable, you won't find any facts or figure for the performance
> increase from a defrag from the sellers of defrag software.
> I did not one produce had a * after performance increase, eg
> performance increase*
>
> *performance increase may be unpredictable.
>
> Which is a nice way of covering it from being sued when it makes no
> difference
> or infact gets worse, I assume the 'unpredictability range' includes
> negative increases.
>
> http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/2007/s1807/19s07/19s07.asp
> "However, a recent study by Diskeeper Corporation (www.diskeeper.com)
> found that a brand-new computer with a fresh installation of WinXP can
> boot about 27% faster after running a basic disk defragmentation."
>
> Hmmm...an 'independant' study by a company selling defrag software!!
>
> And what an interesting study it is, because a brand new computer will of
> course
> be already defragged in the first place!!
>
> Anyway defragging is a waste of time, I know that from experience as I
> have done
> it a few times myself on a different machine, performance is either worse
> or it makes
> no difference. And it's a big let down when you find you wasted all that
> time for no effect,
> it will seem slower even if it is the same because the performance
> increase you expected
> won't be there.
> Of course you computer will tend to get slower over time but that is
> generally because
> you have more stuff installed on it, and the only way to cure that is to
> uninstall it.
>
> So....it ain't broke so I ain't fixing it :O)
>
>
>
>
>
>> --
>> Gary S. Terhune
>> MS-MVP Shell/User
>> www.grystmill.com
>>
>> "Lord Turkey Cough" <spamdump@invalid.com> wrote in message
>> news:9UKsj.46$Ef1.42@newsfe6-win.ntli.net...
>>>
>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message
>>> news:eQ0ngsobIHA.4752@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>>>
>>>> "Lord Turkey Cough" <spamdump@invalid.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:2Ivsj.7701$OU5.240@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net...
>>>>>
>>>>> "Ron Martell" <ron.martell@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>>>> news:5bi1r3h832q6d313r2bb2i9igdfhqfvnh8@4ax.com...
>>>>>> "Lord Turkey Cough" <spamdump@invalid.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>"Pepperoni" <Pepperoni@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>>>>>>news:CE574FD5-CC58-4D0C-99B0-EECFFA1C7BC0@microsoft.com...
>>>>>>>> My disk defragmetor keeps running in a loop and I have tried
>>>>>>>> everything i
>>>>>>>> can
>>>>>>>> and nothing seems to be working. So, if you have any help to offer
>>>>>>>> please
>>>>>>>> tell me.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Defragging is a waste of time.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Balderdash.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Fragmented files will be slower to load, and if they are badly
>>>>>> fragmented the slowdown can be crippling. Not too long ago I
>>>>>> encountered a system where their master database (inventory - file
>>>>>> size approximately 100 megabytes) was in over 10 thousand fragments
>>>>>> and the users were complaining about slow performance. One simple
>>>>>> defrag (took several hours) and the speedup was tremendous. They
>>>>>> now have a scheduled task to defrag the file weekly.
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't believe that for a minute.
>>>>> Defragging actually slows a computer down.
>>>>
>>>> Balderdash.
>>>>
>>>>> Obviusly a system lacking in drive space and memory is going to be
>>>>> slow, but you need to upgrade not defrag.
>>>>
>>>> You're talking about an entirely different subject, there.
>>>>
>>>>> Another benefit of regular defragging is hard drive failure, how
>>>>> lovely,
>>>>> lost your entire database , yum yum.
>>>>
>>>> Got any references there? Actual tests?
>>>
>>> Wears out your hard drive.
>>> I mean that is pretty self evident isn't it?
>>> It's a bit lilke driving 5,000 miles in your car every week and
>>> expecting it
>>> to last 5 years - it's not going to happen.These are mechanical devices
>>> and hence wear out. I my self have never had a drive failure as I treat
>>> mine
>>> with respect. Several hours of hard thrashing takes it toll. The
>>> bearing don't
>>> get time to cool down and fail.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Gary S. Terhune
>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User
>>>> www.grystmill.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
What you rely upon is called "anecdotal" evidence. I have lots of that stuff
regarding Defrag, and it all contradicts yours. Particularly older systems
with small drives, regular defragging almost always produces marked
improvement in performance. (If the machine isn't being used much, defrag
obviously won't help *much*, but then maintenance can be scheduled much less
frequently.) Only if the drive is already sketchy and if defrag is run WAY
TOO MUCH (daily), is there any risk of damage. The amount of work you put
the drive through is balanced by reducing the amount of excessive thrashing
that occurs on a fragmented disk.
My recommendation has always been to schedule maintenance once a month for a
well-used personal machine, less often for a lightly used machine, but much
more often for a heavy working machine, especially one that has constantly
used databases. How often becomes a question of how much you want the
machine down for maintenance.
--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
www.grystmill.com
"Lord Turkey Cough" <spamdump@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:%VNsj.91$Ef1.63@newsfe6-win.ntli.net...
>
> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message
> news:O7S8DwqbIHA.4652@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>I see. It's obviously so, it must be so, therefore it is so.
>>
>> I asked you for real data and you give me pure speculation. I have no
>> wish to engage in speculation, though for your sake I hope an expert
>> comes along and gives you a good discussion.
>>
>
> I am 'expert' enough thank you.
>
> OK real data for you.
>
> 1. I have defragged before and I took the time to make a
> a note of the time taken for certain operations, boot up
> etc.... Result no noticable difference, infact it even took longer
> to boot up, there was no performance benefit whatsoever.
> *Infact* if anything my machine was slower.
>
> So there is one piece of real data.
>
> 2. Goto step 1.
>
> Quite remarkable, you won't find any facts or figure for the performance
> increase from a defrag from the sellers of defrag software.
> I did not one produce had a * after performance increase, eg
> performance increase*
>
> *performance increase may be unpredictable.
>
> Which is a nice way of covering it from being sued when it makes no
> difference
> or infact gets worse, I assume the 'unpredictability range' includes
> negative increases.
>
> http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/2007/s1807/19s07/19s07.asp
> "However, a recent study by Diskeeper Corporation (www.diskeeper.com)
> found that a brand-new computer with a fresh installation of WinXP can
> boot about 27% faster after running a basic disk defragmentation."
>
> Hmmm...an 'independant' study by a company selling defrag software!!
>
> And what an interesting study it is, because a brand new computer will of
> course
> be already defragged in the first place!!
>
> Anyway defragging is a waste of time, I know that from experience as I
> have done
> it a few times myself on a different machine, performance is either worse
> or it makes
> no difference. And it's a big let down when you find you wasted all that
> time for no effect,
> it will seem slower even if it is the same because the performance
> increase you expected
> won't be there.
> Of course you computer will tend to get slower over time but that is
> generally because
> you have more stuff installed on it, and the only way to cure that is to
> uninstall it.
>
> So....it ain't broke so I ain't fixing it :O)
>
>
>
>
>
>> --
>> Gary S. Terhune
>> MS-MVP Shell/User
>> www.grystmill.com
>>
>> "Lord Turkey Cough" <spamdump@invalid.com> wrote in message
>> news:9UKsj.46$Ef1.42@newsfe6-win.ntli.net...
>>>
>>> "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message
>>> news:eQ0ngsobIHA.4752@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>>>
>>>> "Lord Turkey Cough" <spamdump@invalid.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:2Ivsj.7701$OU5.240@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net...
>>>>>
>>>>> "Ron Martell" <ron.martell@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>>>> news:5bi1r3h832q6d313r2bb2i9igdfhqfvnh8@4ax.com...
>>>>>> "Lord Turkey Cough" <spamdump@invalid.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>"Pepperoni" <Pepperoni@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>>>>>>news:CE574FD5-CC58-4D0C-99B0-EECFFA1C7BC0@microsoft.com...
>>>>>>>> My disk defragmetor keeps running in a loop and I have tried
>>>>>>>> everything i
>>>>>>>> can
>>>>>>>> and nothing seems to be working. So, if you have any help to offer
>>>>>>>> please
>>>>>>>> tell me.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Defragging is a waste of time.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Balderdash.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Fragmented files will be slower to load, and if they are badly
>>>>>> fragmented the slowdown can be crippling. Not too long ago I
>>>>>> encountered a system where their master database (inventory - file
>>>>>> size approximately 100 megabytes) was in over 10 thousand fragments
>>>>>> and the users were complaining about slow performance. One simple
>>>>>> defrag (took several hours) and the speedup was tremendous. They
>>>>>> now have a scheduled task to defrag the file weekly.
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't believe that for a minute.
>>>>> Defragging actually slows a computer down.
>>>>
>>>> Balderdash.
>>>>
>>>>> Obviusly a system lacking in drive space and memory is going to be
>>>>> slow, but you need to upgrade not defrag.
>>>>
>>>> You're talking about an entirely different subject, there.
>>>>
>>>>> Another benefit of regular defragging is hard drive failure, how
>>>>> lovely,
>>>>> lost your entire database , yum yum.
>>>>
>>>> Got any references there? Actual tests?
>>>
>>> Wears out your hard drive.
>>> I mean that is pretty self evident isn't it?
>>> It's a bit lilke driving 5,000 miles in your car every week and
>>> expecting it
>>> to last 5 years - it's not going to happen.These are mechanical devices
>>> and hence wear out. I my self have never had a drive failure as I treat
>>> mine
>>> with respect. Several hours of hard thrashing takes it toll. The
>>> bearing don't
>>> get time to cool down and fail.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Gary S. Terhune
>>>> MS-MVP Shell/User
>>>> www.grystmill.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>