Defraggler is Fragmenting!

[chrisw]

Against my better judgment, I thought I might defrag my C: drive. M$ Defragger showed C drive (~640GB) at 0% fragmentation, but System Reserve (100MB, I guess it's a Win7 thing) at 7%. I had wanted to try Defraggler, so I downloaded it...it showed 6% fragmentation on the C drive, and it didn't recognize anything called System Reserve.

 

I then ran Defraggler (took about an hour). According to Defraggler, the C drive is now 25% fragmented! M$ Defragger is still reporting 0 and 7. What's going on? What should I do?

[Rob Defraggle]

Defraggler counts any file in more than 1 piece as fragmented, this suggestion Less Strict Fragment Defintion, Display & Reporting is aimed at improving Defraggler for your usage. System Restore points are one particular cause of inflated fragmentation figures.

 

Basically, run a Quick Defrag, then look at the remaining fragmented files in the File List, double click on fragment column to sort the fragmented files to top, and if they're large and in a relatively small number of pieces it's nothing to worry about.

[chrisw]

Rob....wow, that's really interesting (even tho I don't understand all of it). Attached is my screen. There are about 45 fragment entries, the big ones are system vol info, and most of the other ones are under 100KB. Do I look OK?

[DennisD]

I have "System Volume Information" added to Defragglers "Exclude" list as a lot of it's files are "in use" and can't be defragged fully.

 

 

 

It's always being updated, and my own opinion is that defragging those files adds an extra element of risk to "System Restore". In other words defagging could affect System Restores integrity.

 

Just a precaution based on my own experience of numerous failed "Restores".

 

If you want to do this you will need to enable "Show Hidden Files and Folders".

[Guest]

System Volume Information is where System Restore points are kept and Defraggler can't defrag them even if it wanted to (Windows 7 and I'm assuming Windows Vista). I don't think Microsoft's built-in defragmenter can touch them either.

[redhawk]

You could make SVI accessible (by tweaking the NTFS security permissions) but there wouldn't be much point defragging since it's constantly changing.

The best way to clear SVI would be to remove all your restore points with CCleaner or by turning off and turning on System Restore.

 

Richard S.

[Rob Defraggle]

Rob....wow, that's really interesting (even tho I don't understand all of it). Attached is my screen. There are about 45 fragment entries, the big ones are system vol info, and most of the other ones are under 100KB. Do I look OK?

 

What I can see is very similar to what I see on my system, and do not worry about. I was partly guessing when I answered, though it seemed likely, so it's interesting to have your screenshot seem to confirm it, though the 2nd one may not be sorted on most fragmented files.

 

Defragging system restore points appears to me pointless, most likely you won't use them and they'll just be deleted, and if you do use them, you read them once. The ones I've seen are in large chunk sizes so proportionately there's miniscule performance to be gained, whilst the defrag of those files would be expensive.

[chrisw]

Dennis, Cookie, Red...I agree with your SVI comments, thanks.

 

Rob...thanks for the gut check, I appreciate it.