Defragging external hard drives

John Miller · January 23rd, 2008, 02:59 PM

As an alternative to defragging software, if you have enough space on a second drive, simply copy the entire directory structure of the drive you want to defrag then remove all the files (or even quick format it). Copy the files back and you will have a nicely defragged and consolidated drive.

This can actually be quicker than using a defragger. But the drive you are working with mustn't have any files open, especially system files such as paging files etc.

Jeff Anselmo · January 23rd, 2008, 03:20 PM

Just a quick update...

Thanks Steve for the quick email response; but my PerfectDisk free trial download had already expired.

I have downloaded the Auslogics Disk Defrag from cnet.com, and big thanks to Paul's link:

http://www.auslogics.com/en/software...efrag/download

Once downloaded, under the Settings, there is a dialog/check box that asks if you want to include external hard drives for defragging. Just click it and away you go.

Currently defragging my 1TB WD external (USB only!), it's only about 60% full so I've got a ways to go; but it looks good so far (fingers tightly crossed, and knocking on wood).

--JA
www.madjavaproductions.com

Dave Blackhurst · January 23rd, 2008, 03:29 PM

I downloaded the auslogics defrag - very nice, thanks for the tip!

Jeff Anselmo · January 24th, 2008, 03:00 AM

Success!

Thanks to Auslogics Disk Defrag, I was able to defrag my 1TB WD external drive. It took over 6-7 hours (left to run errands, chores, watch tv, etc. etc.), but the program worked perfectly.

Now I'm defragging my other externals...

I guess I'll sleep on it,

--JA
www.madjavaproductions.com

Steve House · January 24th, 2008, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ervin Farkas

Steve, I believe that info is needed by many others here - could you please post it?

Not all external crives drivers support defraggings but I think most of them do. To enable it for those that do, you need to disable write caching. Display My Computer and right-click on one of the drives. Choose 'Properties' at the bottom of the menu. Select the 'Hardware' tab. Selecting each external drive in turn, click the 'Properties' button. Select 'Policies' and click the radio buttin labeled "Optimize for quick removal."

Ervin Farkas · January 24th, 2008, 07:14 AM

Removed double post (same as below)... no idea how that happened...

Ervin Farkas · January 24th, 2008, 07:15 AM

Steve, I tried that (just out of curiosity, the drive is fine otherwise, I can defrag it no problems, although drive cashing is enabled), and the option is not available - it's grayed out, so is "optimize for performance".

But this brings up another question, namely the safe removal. I always religiously observe the safe removal procedure being under the impression that simply yanking the USB cable can leave the drive with corrupted data. So, if I "optimize for quick removal"... is that not going to leave me with the potential of corrupting the data?

Should I uncheck "enable write cashing"? Obviously, data safety is more important to me than performance.

Thanks,

Edit: Forget disabling write cashing... it brings down the drive to a crawl...kind of like a USB1 connection.

Heiko Saele · January 24th, 2008, 03:12 PM

How does the Auslogics defrag compare to O&O Defrag? I have been using O&O defrag since Win NT 4.0 (at a time when Microsoft still claimed there was no need to defrag NTFS drives...). O&O Defrag is a very powerful defrag tool in my opinion, but I don't know the auslogics.

Paul Kellett · January 24th, 2008, 08:53 PM

I'm glad you all seem to like Auslogics Disk defrag.
Paul.

Ervin Farkas · January 24th, 2008, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Kellett

I'm glad you all seem to like Auslogics Disk defrag.

Paul, I have to admit, I fell in love with Auslogics (Disk defrag works wonderfully)... to the point where I also downloaded BoostSpeed, the trial version. Unfortuanately it's not a functional software, it only tells you what the problem is, but will not fix it even for the 14 day trial period.

Does anyone have experience with BoostSpeed? I would buy it but would like to know if it really does what it claims.

Thanks,

TingSern Wong · January 24th, 2008, 11:32 PM

Try Diskeeper Professional 2008 (latest version) - I use that ... can "Set up and Forget" ... and it will automatically defrag when hd exceeds a certain percentage. Very good.

Or PrefectDisk will do just as good.

Paul Kellett · January 25th, 2008, 09:31 AM

Boostpseed is very good Ervin !!!

January 24th, 2008, 07:14 AM	#21
Ervin Farkas Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta/USA Posts: 2,515	Removed double post (same as below)... no idea how that happened... __________________ Ervin Farkas www.AtlantaLegalVideo.com

January 24th, 2008, 07:15 AM	#22
Ervin Farkas Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta/USA Posts: 2,515	Steve, I tried that (just out of curiosity, the drive is fine otherwise, I can defrag it no problems, although drive cashing is enabled), and the option is not available - it's grayed out, so is "optimize for performance". But this brings up another question, namely the safe removal. I always religiously observe the safe removal procedure being under the impression that simply yanking the USB cable can leave the drive with corrupted data. So, if I "optimize for quick removal"... is that not going to leave me with the potential of corrupting the data? Should I uncheck "enable write cashing"? Obviously, data safety is more important to me than performance. Thanks, Edit: Forget disabling write cashing... it brings down the drive to a crawl...kind of like a USB1 connection. __________________ Ervin Farkas www.AtlantaLegalVideo.com

January 24th, 2008, 08:53 PM	#24
Paul Kellett Trustee Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bristol UK Posts: 1,273	I'm glad you all seem to like Auslogics Disk defrag. Paul. __________________ Round 2 GH5,FZ2000

January 25th, 2008, 09:31 AM	#27
Paul Kellett Trustee Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bristol UK Posts: 1,273	Boostpseed is very good Ervin !!! __________________ Round 2 GH5,FZ2000

January 23rd, 2008, 02:59 PM	#16
John Miller Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hillsborough, NC, USA Posts: 968	As an alternative to defragging software, if you have enough space on a second drive, simply copy the entire directory structure of the drive you want to defrag then remove all the files (or even quick format it). Copy the files back and you will have a nicely defragged and consolidated drive. This can actually be quicker than using a defragger. But the drive you are working with mustn't have any files open, especially system files such as paging files etc.

January 23rd, 2008, 03:20 PM	#17
Jeff Anselmo Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 566	Just a quick update... Thanks Steve for the quick email response; but my PerfectDisk free trial download had already expired. I have downloaded the Auslogics Disk Defrag from cnet.com, and big thanks to Paul's link: http://www.auslogics.com/en/software...efrag/download Once downloaded, under the Settings, there is a dialog/check box that asks if you want to include external hard drives for defragging. Just click it and away you go. Currently defragging my 1TB WD external (USB only!), it's only about 60% full so I've got a ways to go; but it looks good so far (fingers tightly crossed, and knocking on wood). --JA www.madjavaproductions.com

January 23rd, 2008, 03:29 PM	#18
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	I downloaded the auslogics defrag - very nice, thanks for the tip!

January 24th, 2008, 03:00 AM	#19
Jeff Anselmo Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 566	Success! Thanks to Auslogics Disk Defrag, I was able to defrag my 1TB WD external drive. It took over 6-7 hours (left to run errands, chores, watch tv, etc. etc.), but the program worked perfectly. Now I'm defragging my other externals... I guess I'll sleep on it, --JA www.madjavaproductions.com

January 24th, 2008, 03:12 PM	#23
Heiko Saele Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wurzburg, Germany Posts: 316	How does the Auslogics defrag compare to O&O Defrag? I have been using O&O defrag since Win NT 4.0 (at a time when Microsoft still claimed there was no need to defrag NTFS drives...). O&O Defrag is a very powerful defrag tool in my opinion, but I don't know the auslogics.

January 24th, 2008, 11:32 PM	#26
TingSern Wong Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Singapore, Rep of SINGAPORE Posts: 749	Try Diskeeper Professional 2008 (latest version) - I use that ... can "Set up and Forget" ... and it will automatically defrag when hd exceeds a certain percentage. Very good. Or PrefectDisk will do just as good.