Solved moving files and defragmentation state of file/folder

[trinaz]

When you move or copy files from one folder and/or drive to another...if the original file(s) is fragmentated...will the file be moved as is or will the file be placed in the new location in a relatively none fragmented state ?

Or...do you have to defragment the drive/file first before moving it to a new location ?

Thanks

 

[Ztruker]

Moving files between folders on the same drive only changes the pointers, the file itself stays in the same place and fragmentation state.

Moving between drives the file is copied and written in contiguous blocks so is unfragmented, if there is enough space on the target drive to do so.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Interesting question.

My guess would be that the file will be placed on the destination drive in an unfragmented state IF and only IF there is enough contiguous space to hold a file of that size.

If you are moving a 1 GB file and the destination drive has no block of contiguous space larger than 500 MB, then it would have to be fragmented into more than one piece when it is saved on the destination drive.

I've never heard of anyone bothering to defragment a drive or file before moving it.