Why is my drive fragmented like this?

[Zeke129]

[img]http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/7062/capturedby.png[/img]

So it seems Windows decided to be an asshole and start tossing files into the middle of my drive. I attempted a "freespace defragmentation" with Defraggler but it wasn't able to touch a majority of the files as they're "System Volume Information".

I know the performance hit will be negligible at most, but is there some method I can use to get this back under control? I have a feeling it's going to cause worse defragmentation over time.

Thanks.

[GuruCombine]

There's some sort of CD you can boot into that sorts this out, forgotten the name though :crying:

[Ybbat]

I want your harddrive... OT.

[kukiric]

Have you done a cleanup recently?
Or installed small (less than 5mb) files a lot?

[Spleet]

[QUOTE=GuruCombine;17558683]There's some sort of CD you can boot into that sorts this out, forgotten the name though :crying:[/QUOTE]

MiniPE? It's got defragging tools. Along with hundreds of others.

[Zeke129]

[QUOTE=kukiric;17558739]Have you done a cleanup recently?
Or installed small (less than 5mb) files a lot?[/QUOTE]
I run CCleaner every now and then, yes.

To point 2, no. And drive usage has never been more than 25% so I can't think of a reason why files would exist in the middle.

[and]

Are you using windows 7? If so, you can just boot into WinPE and run your defragging utility of choice from there. WinPE is basically a totally stripped version of windows with nothing extra loaded. It runs in RAM, so the hard drive is completely free, so you can defragment everything. To get into WinPE, spam F8 before/while windows is booting, then choose "repair your computer". Log into your account and click "open command prompt", then navigate to your defragging tool in the command prompt and run it.

[Panda x64]

[QUOTE=and;17559155]Are you using windows 7? If so, you can just boot into WinPE and run your defragging utility of choice from there. WinPE is basically a totally stripped version of windows with nothing extra loaded. It runs in RAM, so the hard drive is completely free, so you can defragment everything. To get into WinPE, spam F8 before/while windows is booting, then choose "repair your computer". Log into your account and click "open command prompt", then navigate to your defragging tool in the command prompt and run it.[/QUOTE]

And if you're on Vista or XP you can boot into WinPE via the disk. (I don't know if XP has defragging tools on the CD.)

[Thor667]

You realize the data in the middle is on the 2nd platter. It puts it on the 2nd platter so it takes less time for the actuator arm on the hard drive to retrieve data from both platters.

[and]

[QUOTE=Thor667;17560555]You realize the data in the middle is on the 2nd platter. It puts it on the 2nd platter so it takes less time for the actuator arm on the hard drive to retrieve data from both platters.[/QUOTE]

the data is striped internally on the hard drive, yes, but only the hard drive knows that... two hard drive locations right next to each other in windows may be in different places on the drive, but defragging tools would still show that the data is contiguous

[Zeke129]

[QUOTE=and;17559155]Are you using windows 7? If so, you can just boot into WinPE and run your defragging utility of choice from there. WinPE is basically a totally stripped version of windows with nothing extra loaded. It runs in RAM, so the hard drive is completely free, so you can defragment everything. To get into WinPE, spam F8 before/while windows is booting, then choose "repair your computer". Log into your account and click "open command prompt", then navigate to your defragging tool in the command prompt and run it.[/QUOTE]

I can use any defragmenting tool with this, not just the default Windows one? (I'm on Vista, but I'll use the disk to get to the command prompt as the other poster said)

[editline]09:24PM[/editline]

Bah, doesn't look like Defraggler's command line version supports defragmenting freespace. I'm guessing a normal defrag won't fix this?

[and]

[QUOTE=Zeke129;17561216]I can use any defragmenting tool with this, not just the default Windows one? (I'm on Vista, but I'll use the disk to get to the command prompt as the other poster said)

[editline]09:24PM[/editline]

Bah, doesn't look like Defraggler's command line version supports defragmenting freespace. I'm guessing a normal defrag won't fix this?[/QUOTE]

last time i tried, the built-in defrag command didn't work

[editline]10:32PM[/editline]

something it needed isn't loaded in winpe or something like that

[Zeke129]

[QUOTE=and;17561325]last time i tried, the built-in defrag command didn't work

[editline]10:32PM[/editline]

something it needed isn't loaded in winpe or something like that[/QUOTE]

Are you talking about Windows defrag, or command line Defraggler?