Defrag SSD once just to move some files before shrink partition?

Tango1 · 12 Jan 2014

Defragging SSD once in order to shrink partition is also bad?

I need to somehow "defrag" my windows 7 partition in order to make a smaller image-backup of it, But windows disk management won't allow me to shrink the partition beyond x mb I need. Defraggler shows some movable files in the middle of my SSD. But I remembered defragging is never needed for ssd because of wear-leveling and zero seek etcetera. I get that. But is once that bad? Then i remembered some more intriguing technical bro-scares all over the web saying something "SSD internal disk software mapping files not 1:1 logical to OS file mapping and defraggers do not zero SSD cells and sorth"This could kill your disk do harm blah bla. So now I do not know what to do. Defrag once or never ever at all becaue of point two like the internet says. What is the truth to all the statements.

I need real expert advice not bro comments.
Please help.

PSCO2007 · 12 Jan 2014

When you do an image backup, it will be compressed.

When I use Acronis Trueimage, my 70gb image is compressed to 35gb.

You can set it to even compress further, although I leave it at that,

If you have a Seagate hdd, you can get it for free.

http://www.seagate.com/support/downloads/discwizard/

You can also use Easeus with any hdd-free

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/deta...e_edition.html

Tango1 · 12 Jan 2014

First, my fresh windows installation is only 14Gb exactly how I want it and its image needs to fit on my 16Gb usb-pendrive. The smallest disk management allows me make my current windows partition is about 62Gb in total size. Second, if I should make an image of this 62 Gb partition, should I recover from this image I need a drive/partition that's at least 63Gb in size as well. I rather the image be no more than 20Gb.

So the files siitting at the middle of my SSD are now a bottle neck for me they need to move somehow. Any ideas?

whs · 12 Jan 2014

1. You NEVER defrag a SSD

2. For the image, it does not matter how big the partition is. Only the amount of data counts. Figure the image will be appr. 65% of the data. In your case less than 10GBs for the 14GB system files.

3. Some imaging programs can also restore to a smaller partition provided the data fits - e.g. free Macrium

4. A flash drive is not ideal to store images. A disk is better. Flash drives work but your's is really small.

Tango1 · 14 Jan 2014

I worked it out. I managed to move some files who were in the way of shrinking my SSD partition. Without defragmenting the SSD. Now th ewindows partition is shrunk to 20Gb and backed up with Clonezilla. Thanks.

Tango1 · 18 Jan 2014

Or actually No Thanks. None has gven me advice how to move the files preventing further shrinking of the partition without defragging the SSD. I figured it out on my own. All I got was the same old fear-laden bs. everyone is is regurgutating on the web, NONO YOU MUST NEVER DEFRAG IT IS NEVER EVER NEEDED (how soh then padawan?) OR YOU WILL DIEEHH! - Like the nannystate U.S.A.
What kind of help is that?