Defragmenters -- SpeedDisk, XP internal, what's best

[Dr. DOS]

Subject line says it all. Is there a reason to run Nortons SpeedDisk vs XP's internal defragmenter ... or is there a better one.

Tim

[Capmaster]

I've always been a Speed Disk fan. I've had every iteration of it since it was a minor add-on to Norton Utilities running DOS 1.5 or so (waaaaay before Windows 3). I've found the following drawbacks to other defrag utilities:

Built-in MS defrag - Doesn't optimize swapfile - options not customizable like files first (like to put swapfile at the very outside edge of HD platter for speed), files last, files at end, certain types at end like .jpg, .avi, etc.

Diskeeper - Slower than the second coming. Not very good interface, custom options limited

Various and sundry freeware apps - Don't optimize swapfile, can't customize options

Speed Disk is the best, IMHO

[stiltman]

Best?
Diskeeper
0&0 Defrag

[tag]

Is Speed Disk even available as a standalone product?

I was under the impression that Symantec started bundling it with SystemWorks a couple of years ago.

[Capmaster]

Is Speed Disk even available as a standalone product?

I was under the impression that Symantec started bundling it with SystemWorks a couple of years ago.

Correct

[Dr. DOS]

I've got Norton Utilities V2002 which has SDisk ... Should work ok with XP.. I'll check online first for bugs with XP.

[Capmaster]

I've got Norton Utilities V2002 which has SDisk ... Should work ok with XP.. I'll check online first for bugs with XP.

Dunno. Maybe. I jumped from Utilities 2001 to Systemworks 2003.

[Dr. DOS]

Hmmm -- I will have to check online for an evaluation version of SystemWorks

[Capmaster]

Hmmm -- I will have to check online for an evaluation version of SystemWorks

Good luck. I never did find one :P

[BJ_M]

http://www.oo-software.com/en/products/index.html

O&O is by far the best

[makntraks]

What is your file system?? If it is NTFS you really shouldn't have to worry....
If you have the need check this page out. I've never had a problem using pieces of their software
Tools

makntraks

[BJ_M]

NTFS you really shouldn't have to worry

i have heard that said before and it is simply not true -- a NTFS system needs to be defrag'd just like FAT32 IF you want better performace ....

it also helps to rebuild the page file and defrag the MBR (which the better defrag tools here do)

[Ripper2860]

Ditto O&O Defrag. I've used Vopt, Speed Disk and Disk Keeper -- must say I like O&O best !!!

[rallynavvie]

The new Mac FS defrags in the background IIRC. That is an awesome feature on machines that have free resources.

I still use Speed Disk as I can tell it where to put things if I want it to. I use a lot of Norton apps as I've never noticed it hog resources like so many have said it does

[makntraks]

NTFS you really shouldn't have to worry

i have heard that said before and it is simply not true -- a NTFS system needs to be defrag'd just like FAT32 IF you want better performace ....

it also helps to rebuild the page file and defrag the MBR (which the better defrag tools here do)

Do you actually think "Windows based server farms (NTFS)" are defragged on a regular basis??? I hardly think so.....
Maybe the pagefile or the reg... but the disk itself???

makntraks

[stiltman]

Do you actually think "Windows based server farms (NTFS)" are defragged on a regular basis??? I hardly think so.....
Maybe the pagefile or the reg... but the disk itself???

makntraks

Ummm, yes they are...We used to call it scheduled routine maintenance. We usually did it once a month on a rotating bases.

[BJ_M]

yes -- we do it on all our servers and also on the render farms and workstations ..

scheduled routine maintenance <<<--- exactly

[BJ_M]

you can run o&o in stealth mode for servers -- works excellent ....

o&o is used in a lot of major org's for servers ...

[rallynavvie]

you can run o&o in stealth mode for servers -- works excellent ....

How similar is that to what OSX does (background defragging)?

[tag]

Hmmm -- I will have to check online for an evaluation version of SystemWorks

If you want to check it out, O&O offers a 30 day free trial.

[Dr. DOS]

Ditto O&O Defrag. I've used Vopt, Speed Disk and Disk Keeper -- must say I like O&O best !!!

Sweet... I will have to look at that as well.

I loaded NU2002 this am and it did work with XP... But I hate all that other crap it loaded. WinDoctor, SystemDoc, whatever... I just want a defrager.... I will check the O&O

** EDIT - Ripper2860, Looks good I just downloaded O&O... tell me, how much resources does the background defragging take up... notice it much?

Thanks Tim

[BJ_M]

you can run o&o in stealth mode for servers -- works excellent ....

How similar is that to what OSX does (background defragging)?

much the same thing i suppose ..

[Dr. DOS]

So, I installed the O&O product. The drive that was 100% defraged by Norton SD was still 11% defragmented according to O&O. Hmmmm....

Will continue testing ...

[Dr. DOS]

bumping this ...

Wierdity happened after drafragging boot drive a few weeks back.... Microsoft Money (which resides on boot drive) failed to start after running O&O.

Reinstalled program again... not starting ....checked for trojans / viruses.... clean machine.

Had to reinstall OS (it was close to a year so no biggie)

Anyone see anamolies like this from defraging with third party (Norton, O&O, etc) defragers?

[tag]

Wierdity happened after drafragging boot drive a few weeks back.... Microsoft Money (which resides on boot drive) failed to start after running O&O.

That is strange. I bought O&O and have used it on two different machines several times. I have yet to see anything weird as a result. I also have Money (2005) and haven't had any problems with it failing to start.

[Dr. DOS]

Thanks .... I'm gonna chalk this one up to Murphy. It was good timing on a OS re-install... I was getting DSL set up.

[BJ_M]

very strange - we use O&O on a lot of machines and never had a problem either ...

[Dr. DOS]

I wish I still had the error number.... I didn't even take the time to research it .... just plopped in XP boot floppy and went to town. :P

[Faustus]

Best?
Diskeeper
0&0 Defrag

Pretty much dead on. I like Diskkeeper, but refuse to use it for "other reasons" O&O is good though.

[xavierdemon]

I use Raxco Perfectdisk and think it's awesome, used Diskeeper and O&O before but IMO they don't even compare to Perfectdisk.