Re: Optimization/fragmentation

[tgeer@pro-gumbo.cts.com (System Administrator)]

In <1992Dec23.023508.26000@utkux1.utk.edu>
sadasiva@utkvx3.utk.edu (Sadasivam, Krishna Madur) writes:

>What would be a good all-round utility program for disk optimization on
>my //gs? What happens if you don't optimize your HD? Will the hard drive be
>seriously hurt, or only be affected in disk access speed? 

A good 'all-round utility program' for disk optimization would be Prosel-16.
However, IMO, Renaissance is the best program for de-fragging.  It is not
an 'all-round utility program' but one in a series of utilities which make
up the Salvation Supreme package by Vitesse.  The reason I like it better
than Prosel is that you may pause or terminate the process and resume at a
later time - something you cannot do with Prosel-16 (at least not my version).
It also uses the standard GUI and shows the filenames as they are being
relocated.  Prosel just gives you a text-based thermometer.

Not optimizing your drive will most certainly degrade the speed of disk
access if fragmentation becomes severe enough.  As for hurting the drive,
well I supposed the older stepper-motor drives could receive extra wear by
the head having to be continually repositioned to pick up all of the
fragmented blocks of a file.

IMPORTANT NOTE IF YOU ARE NEW TO DISK OPTIMIZATION:
--------------------------------------------------
Don't even think about optimizing your drive without making a full backup
first.  It is also a very good idea to run a disk test/repair utility such
as the one in Prosel or Vitesse's Deliverance before optimizing.  Attempting
to optimize a drive with a damage directory structure could (and probably
will) have dire consequences. (Voice of experience)  :)


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ProLine: tgeer@pro-gumbo          Internet: tgeer@pro-gumbo.cts.com
UUCP:    crash!pro-gumbo!tgeer    Fidonet:  tom.geer@f20.n380.z1.fidonet.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My wife is a bargain hunter - I just carry the ammunition."