Best Software to Run Defrag?

[snapware]

I use O&O but is there a better one?

[GKar]

I used to use Norton Speedisk but found the defrag included with Win XP works good enough.

[ROF]

Win XP defrag works for me.

[painkiller]

Diskeeper

[ofbarea]

Win XP defrag cannot unfragment big files like big outlook PST files

[doppletwo]

DIRMS, Buzzsaw is a good on the fly defrag program.


It runs in the back ground and defrags as files are created.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

O&O all the way!

[Soopafresh]

Not too many defrag apps can get the registry and page file(s), as they are (almost) always open. If you can swing it, download and build (you'll need XP Sp1) the UltimateBootCD4Win http://www.ubcd4win.com/

You can then boot your system from the CD (which runs Windows PE) and completely defrag your drive.

There are several commercial apps which will do the same - Raxco PerfectDisk and VoptXP.

If you like the command line, you can run Contig.exe from Sysinternals, or Dirms.

[lordsmurf]

Norton Speed Disk

[Dv8ted2]

Windows Defrag works for me.

[Dv8ted2]

Win XP defrag cannot unfragment big files like big outlook PST files

It depends on the size. We use it all the time at work, and it works on their pst files.

[festmaster]

There was a free version of Disk Keeper 8 called Disk Keeper Lite that you might still find for download out there. It is very fast for me.

[ChrissyBoy]

Well i have tried most offerings over the last ten+ years or so but i have homed in on Raxco PerfectDisk. I made the change about 18 months ago when DisKeeper fucked my HD - just because it was over 137GB. Maybe different now but once bitten....

O&O is good but i find that PerfectDisk is really a install, config and never revisit the GUI solution.....

[fritzi93]

PerfectDisk is good, do a boot time defrag to get at everything on the drive.

[rallynavvie]

I've been using O&O Server for years. But then I have resources to burn on all my systems so the "background defrag" option has never been a problem. It's smart enough to know when the computer is truly idle. I haven't been above 5-6% fragmentation on any drive in a long time.

I'd stick with O&O if you've already paid for it, you've got one of the best right there.

[InXess]

Best in what way? The way the HD chart looks? Speed? I don't recall ever seeing any comparative testing results therefore benefits of using one over the other are quite unclear. Some are more capable with regard to different data formats (metadata), page-file, hibernate file etc. as well as speed. Question is: will you, as a user, ever see real life benefits of a particular defrag strategy. Still too much hokus pokus in that for my taste.

[sohaibrazzaq]

Diskeeper Lite came with my motherboard CD, i found it very useful and nice, atleast far better then Windows Defragar, now i am using Diskeeper 10 Professional and it's great

[lordsmurf]

What is O&O

[boldego]

http://www.oo-software.com/en/

[sunderland]

you cant beat voptxp its the fastest and the best ive used IMO

[ofbarea]

It depends on the size. We use it all the time at work, and it works on their pst files.

This is true but files over 1GB are just ignored.

[scorps]

Abexo Defrag Pro Plus. Defrags swap files etc before fully booted into windows. Who knows if its better but it works

[bits]

Perfect Disk! Been using it for 8mos now with no problems. System runs better than ever.

[rallynavvie]

The disk charts on all the defrags I've used are pretty much the same so that's just a given between them. The fact that both O&O and Diskeeper defrag in the background is a huge plus as long as you have some system resources to spare. Keep in mind that this background method still leaves gaps so you need to schedule full defrags once in a while to re-organize files.

O&O and Diskeeper are very similar in their consumer versions. I went with O&O Server version since I can manage the other copies from one workstation and deploy updates from that workstation. They also offer some great open support with solutions for specific systems (see my link below). Diskeeper doesn't support TB physical sizes yet either whereas O&O does, something that I just now have a use for

The O&O Defrag white papers in the following link have comparisons between O&O v6 and Diskeeper v8 FWIW. There is also tons more info there. I couldn't find similar docs at Diskeepers site so if someone runs across them you should post up a link.
http://www.oo-software.com/en/support/docs/

[Cobra]

Windows Defrag is actually a crippled version of Disk Keeper.

I was once told about a freeware defragger called Power Defragmenter - apparently it's quite good. You can download it here:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/Power-Defragmenter.shtml

[BJ_M]

O&O all the way!

[Xylob the Destroyer]

you can defrag your Paging File with a nifty free program called.....
wait for it....
-
-
-
-
pagedfrg.exe!!
get it here http://www.sysinternals.com/FileAndDiskUtilities.html

as for your registry, clean it regularly (especially if you are constantly installing and uninstalling programs) and use a program that can compress it, like Registry Mechanic.

as for O&O, I find the "Space" protocol to be "The Shiznit", especially if you're dealing with large files like bloated .pst's (clean out your sent, deleted, and old emails!!!) or DVD .iso's. It can take a while, but it's still a bit quicker than what comes with Windows.