Is it possible to defrag when creating new files?

[Kenrolli]

Hi there folks, just wanted to ask a possibly silly but important (to me anyway) question about using an auto-defrag program (Windows 7 or other)? Can you really run a defrag program running in the background when you are creating files all the time?? It seems to me that it's defeating the whole object about defragging at all!! I may be risking the wrath of many an expert but please feel free to comment as I cannot see the point in it at all.....cheers friends

 

[IggyAZ]

I think you can, but the real question would be why take the chance to screw things up . Wait until evening when the computer is not working to defrag.
I think the chances are a million to one that you made screw things up during the defrag but I think MS defrag is smarter than that. Wait to do it.

My 2 cents.

 

[Kenrolli]

Cheers Iggy and thanks for your 2 cents, although what I should have said was I know that Windows defrag is usually set to run in the background by default, although I and a million others will have disabled that but those that haven't will be running it in the background whilst creating files merrily all day without another thought for it, so do you think that it's a complete waste of time to have it running and will it cause any problems? As you said I do only ever run it when I am not using this thing but a lot of people will not!!

P.S. Can you keep adding your 2 cents until I get a few dollars worth?? We brits need the cash you know, cheers!!!

 

[IggyAZ]

Cheers Iggy and thanks for your 2 cents, although what I should have said was I know that Windows defrag is usually set to run in the background by default, although I and a million others will have disabled that but those that haven't will be running it in the background whilst creating files merrily all day without another thought for it, so do you think that it's a complete waste of time to have it running and will it cause any problems? As you said I do only ever run it when I am not using this thing but a lot of people will not!!

P.S. Can you keep adding your 2 cents until I get a few dollars worth?? We brits need the cash you know, cheers!!!

My 2 cents keep adding up for my holiday in June.
I will drop a few in London to help out.

 

[Tepid]

There is absolutly not a single reason in the world to disable the background defragging in Win 7. No, it will not cause any problems for the background Defrag to be running while you are working in Windows,, it is specifically designed to do so.

Maybe this will help with understanding it better.....
Engineering Windows 7 : Disk Defragmentation ? Background and Engineering the Windows 7 Improvements

 

[Kenrolli]

Cheers Tepid, in my country you'd be known as luke-warm!!! Thanks for the advice and link, I may even re-enable my auto-defrag I am well impressed, thanks again for taking time to comment, also thanks to you Iggy from the cool part of Arizona, wish I was there am sick of the snow and cold!!!!

 

[ickymay]

Hi there folks, just wanted to ask a possibly silly but important (to me anyway) question about using an auto-defrag program (Windows 7 or other)? Can you really run a defrag program running in the background when you are creating files all the time?? It seems to me that it's defeating the whole object about defragging at all!! I may be risking the wrath of many an expert but please feel free to comment as I cannot see the point in it at all.....cheers friends

my browser runs better when defrags running :shock:

go figure :huh:

 

[Capella]

no defrag doesn't cause any damage when creating new files. There are new files added to the hard disk ALL THE TIME (page file, temporary files, etc.). This happens even when there is defrag. You can run a browser while defrag is running. Temporary files are downloaded every second yet defrag isn't affected and ickymay's system isn't corrupted.
I just don't think microsoft is idiotic enough to create a program that can corrupt the hard drive and not leave a warning. Besides, if you cannot create new files while defraging, the only way to defrag is a pre-boot environment.

 

[steve-pressman]

I guess when running the defrag and adding files it will probably take a lot long to defrag though, I use this free little program and have it set to run when I am sleeping I find it does a better job than the built in defrag program


Disk Defrag - Reclaim the Speed Of Your Disks


Steve

 

[IggyAZ]

I guess when running the defrag and adding files it will probably take a lot long to defrag though, I use this free little program and have it set to run when I am sleeping I find it does a better job than the built in defrag program

Disk Defrag - Reclaim the Speed Of Your Disks

Steve

Steve please don't jump on my for this question.
Why and how do you determine that this FREE software does a better defrag job?
I know what a defraggers purpose is but how can you tell that one is better than another?

Thanks

 

[Tepid]

In the olden times,,, Win Defrag did an ok job, and has gotten better.
But, other defraggers may move files differently, placing large files at front or back of the disk etc.

With that said.

Typically, there is no way to say, that one is really better than another these days.
Would have to do some research,,, but,,, One thing I like about using other defraggers, (JKDefrag or Defraggler, etc.) Is they are portable, can be run from BartPE or UBCD.
I have had instances where Win Defrag would not start or run properly, so I would use Auslogics or other and run a quick defrag, this would (for whatever reason) kick Win Defrag and then it would run.

Without relying on people who know how to tell the difference,, there is no way of really knowing.
It's more (in my opinion) about personal preference.

 

[steve-pressman]

I apologize Iggy it has just been my experience with this software compared with the Win Defrag program.

Steve

 

[Kenrolli]

I don't think ickymay has the grasp of the etiquete shown on this forum, still thanks for the input even though it wasn't needed....

 

[IggyAZ]

I don't think ickymay has the grasp of the etiquete shown on this forum, still thanks for the input even though it wasn't needed....

Etiquete. Is that a new software? Have a great day!

 

[Wishmaster]

Win7s built in defragmenter simply defragments fragmented files and stops at that.

I do not know about the free one listed earlier in the thread, as I have little knowledge of it..

However, I do know that Perfect Disk and Diskeeper have different ways of placing files. Both will not only defragment but also move all files in closer to outter edge (fastest) part of disk.

Perfect Disk has what they call "SmartPlacement" it basically defragments files, and moves everything together eliminating Free Space between files. But also arranges files by "modified state". Those that are rarely modified on outside, recently modified on the inside. Which helps reduce future fragmentation.

Consoldate, which is just defragmenting and moving all files to outter edge of platters eliminating free space with no regard to special placement.

Diskeeper work similar.

Win7s built in defragmenter doesnt do this.

 

[swarfega]

One problem I have with the included windows defragger is with the scheduler. If it deems its not fragmented enough it will not run it. Then when I come to check what its done the next morning with another defragger that has a block map, I see large amounts of fragmentation.

 

[Capella]

This article is pretty informative about the new windows 7 defragmentator:
Engineering Windows 7 : Disk Defragmentation ? Background and Engineering the Windows 7 Improvements

Quote:
Among the other changes under the hood in Windows 7 are the following:

• Defragmentation in Windows 7 is more comprehensive – many files that could not be re-located in Windows Vista or earlier versions can now be optimally re-placed. In particular, a lot of work was done to make various NTFS metadata files movable. This ability to relocate NTFS metadata files also benefits volume shrink, since it enables the system to pack all files and file system metadata more closely and free up space “at the end” which can be reclaimed if required.
• If solid-state media is detected, Windows disables defragmentation on that disk. The physical nature of solid-state media is such that defragmentation is not needed and in fact, could decrease overall media lifetime in certain cases.
• By default, defragmentation is disabled on Windows Server 2008 R2 (the Windows 7 server release). Given the variability of server workloads, defragmentation should be enabled and scheduled only by an administrator who understands those workloads.

The article also explains a lot about how defragmenting large files can be worse for the system be increasing disk i/o.
I really appreciate microsoft for making this blog post =) it explains a lot.
Cheers!