What is the best policy for defragmenting the drives ?

[ceo54]

Hi,

I use Auslogics Disk Defrag. I'm no expert, I just bought it based on what people said. There are quite a few ways to defrag, for eg. simple defrag, free space defrag, optimize by prefetch layout, optimize by disk zone etc.

I've only used simple defrag until now as I can't conclude which one would give me best performance. But canone tell me which one should I use and how ?

Also, how often should I use it ? I usually run it once the fragmentation is around 10%.

Also, please share the best policy to defrag the drives. Or any other software recommendation.

Thanks for reading.

 

[samuria]

A lot depends what you do if you use the same programs all the time then optimize is good but if you use different ones a lot there may be little gain

 

[ceo54]

A lot depends what you do if you use the same programs all the time then optimize is good but if you use different ones a lot there may be little gain

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. Yes it's always the same program with a very few exceptions.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I recommend just sticking with Win 7's defragger. Set it up to automatically defrag at night, say, once a week or once a month (just make sure the computer will be on then) when you won't be using the computer to automatically defrag. or you could just check it manually every so often and manually defrag if the percentage of defragmentation exceeds 10% of HDDs and 25% for SSDs (yes, SSDs DO need defragging, just not as often as HDDs and excessive defragging will noticeably shorten their remaining write life; they shouldn't need it more than once every two or three years, if that often).

To reduce the amount and rate fragmentation occurs (and for other reasons), HDDs should have no less than 10-15% free space and SSDs should have no less than 10-25% free space at all times.

There are other defragging programs that, technically, do a better job of defragging but this is one example of when good enough is good enough and Win 7's defragger is good enough.

 

[ceo54]

I recommend just sticking with Win 7's defragger. Set it up to automatically defrag at night, say, once a week or once a month (just make sure the computer will be on then) when you won't be using the computer to automatically defrag. or you could just check it manually every so often and manually defrag if the percentage of defragmentation exceeds 10% of HDDs and 25% for SSDs (yes, SSDs DO need defragging, just not as often as HDDs and excessive defragging will noticeably shorten their remaining write life; they shouldn't need it more than once every two or three years, if that often).

To reduce the amount and rate fragmentation occurs (and for other reasons), HDDs should have no less than 10-15% free space and SSDs should have no less than 10-25% free space at all times.

There are other defragging programs that, technically, do a better job of defragging but this is one example of when good enough is good enough and Win 7's defragger is good enough.

Thank you for the information, very helpful. So I think the best way to do it is just simply check the fragmentation level and if it's above 10% defrag it with simple algorithms and that's it.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[samuria]

In the old day defrag was effected by interleave as defragging could slow the pc Interleaving

 

[monkeylove]

From what I gathered after maintaining three Win 7 PCs:

If the system is used routinely, the built-in defrag will do. When more files are moved around and software installed and uninstalled, no to mention repair install, etc. of the system due to crashes, then not only defrag but optimization might be needed. You can only find out after doing a system file check, etc., and notice that the system still boots or accesses files slowly.

One thing I noticed for the built-in defrag is that sometimes it won't run as scheduled, and probably because something isn't making the system idle. With that, I had to run it manually several times or use a third-party program.

From what I remember, prefetch layout is used for the system drive, disk zones for other drives that contain combinations of programs and data, simple defrag for everyday use, and free space defrag to try to prevent further defrag. Given that, I'm guessing that if a system runs fine, then a simple defrag will do, with prefetch layout or disk zones monthly or so. Some programs will choose what to do automatically or through a wizard.

For SSDs, no defrag is needed. Instead, any defrag program should just trim them. But because they are still expensive, then HDs are still needed for programs and data that won't fit in them, and defrag still needed.

 

[ceo54]

From what I gathered after maintaining three Win 7 PCs:

If the system is used routinely, the built-in defrag will do. When more files are moved around and software installed and uninstalled, no to mention repair install, etc. of the system due to crashes, then not only defrag but optimization might be needed. You can only find out after doing a system file check, etc., and notice that the system still boots or accesses files slowly.

One thing I noticed for the built-in defrag is that sometimes it won't run as scheduled, and probably because something isn't making the system idle. With that, I had to run it manually several times or use a third-party program.

From what I remember, prefetch layout is used for the system drive, disk zones for other drives that contain combinations of programs and data, simple defrag for everyday use, and free space defrag to try to prevent further defrag. Given that, I'm guessing that if a system runs fine, then a simple defrag will do, with prefetch layout or disk zones monthly or so. Some programs will choose what to do automatically or through a wizard.

For SSDs, no defrag is needed. Instead, any defrag program should just trim them. But because they are still expensive, then HDs are still needed for programs and data that won't fit in them, and defrag still needed.

Thank you brother. I think for the system partition, it's best to use prefetch layout but I don't understand how it work so I stick to simple defrag.

 

[RolandJS]

Do not defrag hybrid HDs, ssd portion will slowly sink into the sea...

 

[ceo54]

Do not defrag hybrid HDs, ssd portion will slowly sink into the sea...

I didn't quite get what you were trying to say, can you elucidate please ?

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I didn't quite get what you were trying to say, can you elucidate please ?

Defragging an SSD uses up write life. Doing that often enough will render the SSD unable to write anymore. When an SSHD, also known as a hybrid HDD, is defragged, both the SSD portion and the HDD portion will be defragged. Since the SSD portion is so small, it doesn't take too many defraggings to seriously compromise or destroy its right capacity.

 

[ceo54]

Defragging an SSD uses up write life. Doing that often enough will render the SSD unable to write anymore. When an SSHD, also known as a hybrid HDD, is defragged, both the SSD portion and the HDD portion will be defragged. Since the SSD portion is so small, it doesn't take too many defraggings to seriously compromise or destroy its right capacity.

Thank you ma'am for taking time to explain this to me. I didn't know such a thing as hybrid HDD existed. Doesn't seem like a very good idea to merge two distant technologies together. But why do they care when only outcome for them is profit.

Thanks again, appreciated.

 

[RolandJS]

Thanks LadyF for pinch hitting, I am at school, so participation is hit or miss. My two laptops each have a hybrid 2TB, wanted to try them out.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Hybrids had a brief shining moment when SSDs were still new and cost far more than they do now. Now, SSD prices are low enough, it's usually more economical to use a small, separate SSD for the OS and programs and an HDD to store data on and is far more versatile. It simplifies backups and, over all, gives better performance (not to mention allows defragging the HDD).

SSD prices have come down enough, using them for both the OS/programs and data is often practical, especially in smaller computers that need lighter weight and lower power consumption, such as laptops and, even more so, little one drive notebooks like I have. I run 2TB SSDs in my notebooks.

 

[monkeylove]

Win 7 is supposed to be able to detect an SSD and use only trim. There are some details here:

Don’t Waste Time Optimizing Your SSD, Windows Knows What Its Doing

I think it should do the same for the flash drive portion of hybrids.

The latest versions of various third-party software should be able to do the same.

About costs, according to this article, the price is still high: $40 to $60 for a 1TB 2.5" HD vs. $125 or more for an SSD of similar size and form.


SSD vs. HDD Storage Device - Lab Tested Reviews by PCMag.com

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Win 7 is supposed to be able to detect an SSD and use only trim. There are some details here:

Don’t Waste Time Optimizing Your SSD, Windows Knows What Its Doing

I think it should do the same for the flash drive portion of hybrids.

The latest versions of various third-party software should be able to do the same.

About costs, according to this article, the price is still high: $40 to $60 for a 1TB 2.5" HD vs. $125 or more for an SSD of similar size and form.


SSD vs. HDD Storage Device - Lab Tested Reviews by PCMag.com

The problem is SSHDs (hybrids) are seen by Win 7 as one volume, not two, separate volumes, so both the HDD portion and the SSD portion get defragged the same as an HDD.

HP PCs - Seagate Solid State Hybrid Drive FAQs | HP(R) Customer Support

 

[monkeylove]

The problem is SSHDs (hybrids) are seen by Win 7 as one volume, not two, separate volumes, so both the HDD portion and the SSD portion get defragged the same as an HDD.

HP PCs - Seagate Solid State Hybrid Drive FAQs | HP(R) Customer Support

I'm referring to a hybrid hard drive where the flash drive cache appears as a separate drive. At least that's what I've seen in one Win 7 machine.

 

[RolandJS]

defragger probably will not see hybrid as two drives, best to avoid such utilities

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I'm referring to a hybrid hard drive where the flash drive cache appears as a separate drive. At least that's what I've seen in one Win 7 machine.

Do you remember what the drive was and who made it? The only one like that I remember was made by WD and it was a monumental flop due to slow SSD speeds and size, and the need for special software to be able to separately see the SSD and HDD portions of the drive. As far as I know, it's no longer made.