Review Diskeeper 2007

[floppybootstomp]

floppybootstomp submitted a new article:

Diskeeper 2007 - Diskeeper 2007

Introduction​

Diskeeper is a defragmentation program and claims to do a much better job at defragmenting hard drives than Windows' own built in software.​

For those unfamiliar with defragmentation it's a process whereby all the information stored on a hard disk is ‘put back in order'. After some use, the information on your hard disk actually gets moved around and data that should reside next to corresponding data gets moved away from it.​

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[FlakMagnet]

I use Diskeeper on a daily basis (2007 Pro Premier edition), and I love it to bits!

With the invisitasking option, I no longer have to think about defragging my disk - it just happens! At first I was very sceptical, and checked often to see what state my disc was in. But there are very rarely fragmented files, and when there are (after doing lots of file operations for example), they are tidied up in the background without me noticing. Fantastic!

I can also honestly say that defragging with invisitasking has no noticeable impact on system performance - the program intelligently only uses the CPU and Disc when no other application is using them.

I am a software developer and work in an office with many other developers. A few complain bitterly about the performance of their PCs, but after defragging their discs, complain less. I don't think many people defrag, and that really is a shame - you get performance for free when you keep your disc tidy.

One note on the review here. The reviewer shows screenshots of the level of fragmentation on his disc, mentioning the red areas as being fragmented files. What the reviewer has actually shown is the file 'performance' view, and not the file 'structure' view. It is the structure view that shows the fragmentation level

 

[murdoch]

Welcome to PCReview FlakMagnet, nice name

 

[floppybootstomp]

Hiya FlakMagnet, thanks for pointing out my boo-boo

I don't suppose your real name is Craig Jensen by any chance?

All I know is that after defrag all those nasty red ones, mostly, have disappeared but I thank you for pointing out the error of my ways

It will be interesting whether your rather over-complimentary post above leads to a long term presence here or is merely a flying visit. And I'm curious as to the origin of your chosen Forum name - are you expecting to attract flak?

Welcome to the forum

 

[FlakMagnet]

Hi Guys


First of all, I get the name FlakMagnet from playing online games (UT2004 etc). I got the name after being killed repeatedly by someone with the Flak Cannon. He suggested I was sooo bad, that I must have been attracting his shots like a magnet It's kind of stuck with me, and it use the name in all forums I join (I have a bad memory, and this helps keep my brain as uncluttered as possible ).

@floppybootstomp : Sorry to dissappoint, but my name is not Craig. My real name is Mark Douglas, but I know there are other games who use the same gamer tag as I do, so maybe Craig also plays games as FlakMagnet?

I posted here because I just happened accross the review (found a link from somewhere, but can't remember where - I did warn you earlier about my memory). I really love Diskeeper, and I was interested to see what reviewers thought of it too I work in the software industry, and I really appreciate software developers who put a lot of effort into making their products useful, easy to use and 'good looking'. It's just far too easy to make software that doesn't stand out from the crowd.

I had not seen or heard of PC Review before I stumbled accross this review, but I have since added it to my favourites, and plan to revisit regularly. I found floppybootstomps review very fair, clear and unbiased - which is exactly what you need in a review. A reviewer must understand what it is they are reviewing in order to provide a good review, and PC Review seems to have good reviewers. This is great, because not all review sites are like that, and not all are unbiassed unfortunately (not mentioning any names).

Great work guys - keep up the good reviews

 

[floppybootstomp]

Alrighty, you've convinced me, you're not hand in glove with Diskeeper

I'm glad you replied and hope to see more of you here.

And I go by the name of Slippery in online Games, including UT2004, though I haven't played it for probably around a year now.

Thank you for your comments

 

[FlakMagnet]

Lol! No, I don't work for Diskeeper. Although I can see why you thought I might


Unfortunately, I work on accounting software for a company called Infor in the UK. I am a Software Architect, so I design and implement software, as well as lead a small team of developers.

If only it was as exciting as Diskeeper

 

[crazylegs]

Tried this software the trial version didn't like it at all..

Since installing the software the damn hard drive light doesn't go out and its driving me up the wall, so I uninstalled it...And yes peace at last...The hard disk has stopped going ten to the dozen...

I won't be reinstalling it thats for sure....I think i'm gonna stick to good old defrag in windows once a month...

 

[muckshifter]

... the damn hard drive light doesn't go out and its driving me up the wall

Yeah, I know what you mean ... my CPU won't idle for more than a few seconds & my memory is in constant use also. The only way I have found to stop all this 'activity' is to turn the bloody PC off.


I mean, what use is havin a HD if something is going to use it all the time ...

Hey! I just had a brilliant idea ... take the HD LED off the MB ... It won't flicker anymore.

 

[FlakMagnet]

Tried this software the trial version didn't like it at all..

Since installing the software the damn hard drive light doesn't go out and its driving me up the wall, so I uninstalled it...And yes peace at last...The hard disk has stopped going ten to the dozen...

I won't be reinstalling it thats for sure....I think i'm gonna stick to good old defrag in windows once a month...

Sounds like you had Auto-Defrag turned on. If you don't like that, you can turn it off and perform manual defrags.

I guess it also had a lot of work to do too to defrag your disk. Once it is defragged, it only has to maintain the drive rather having to perform a huge defrag. So if you had let it run to completion, you would have noticed that the HD LED would stop flashing.

The defragger in Windows is just too slow and doesn't actually defrag the disk completely. You have to run it many times in order to get anywhere near a fragment-free disk. Diskeeper is much quicker and actually does defrag the disk in one go!

 

[Adywebb]

Agreed - I have used it and its much quicker and better than the built in Windows one.


As suggested switch of auto and just use it to do a manual de-frag every now and then

 

[crazylegs]

Why bother turning off auto defrag...Thats the whole point of having the software isn't it!

I can manully defrag in windows myself without shelling out for software to do it for me...And its just another process eating my resources..

I let the defrag run to completion but it still decided it liked my HD led a little to much...

No.. good old Defrag in gates's system will do me for now...

 

[Adywebb]

You have a point, but I found Diskeeper was far quicker and seemed to do a better job - Windows defrag took hours - but I suppose as long as its done then thats all that really matters.

 

[V_R]

I've never tried this but i aint sure i see the point tbh....

I defrag usually once a week with the built in ms one and it takes like 10 minutes......

Just out of interest, what do you mean a 'better job'? I mean i dont have any red bits.

 

[floppybootstomp]

MS's own defrag doesn't show red bits, doesn't show much at all actually.

I have actually been using one version or other of Diskeeper since 2001. During that time I can state, quite positively, without going into detail - it helps, it really does.

It is a somewhat subtle help, it's not a huge thing, but it definitely helps.

And I'm not totally sure about this, but I believe MS's defrag facility is actually provided by Diskeeper - it's a dumbed down version. Can anybody confirm or deny?

And as I mentioned in the review, once each disc had been defragged, the auto-defrag feature within Diskeeper didn't hit my system's performance and my HDD led wasn't on constantly as described here in this thread.

I also pointed out in the review that running BOINC will turn off DK's autodefrag but in my opinion for £23.50 it's still worth having just for the manual defragmenation, which means, imo, that auto-defrag is not the whole point of the software.

The whole point is defragmentation, the auto stuff is just a bonus, or pain, if you're so inclined You can use it or not use it, it shouldn't be too influential if you're thinking of purchasing.

 

[V_R]

It does show red bits, by that i mean fragmented files. See pic. Unless you mean something else?

Would DK tydy up the files, ie would it move it all in to one big 'lump'?

I am tempted to try it after reading your review flops, must admit.

 

[muckshifter]

Can anybody confirm or deny?

Yes, it is Diskeeper, and pretty dumb to, but it is free.


I agree with floppy, I too have been using Diskeeper for some years, it does a job I feel works. I have a lot of software that comes & goes, I like to keep the HD in a good condition. It is a hell o' lot quicker and does a lot more than the XP version.

If you is crunchin, you will never see the auto-defrag working ... why, well diskeeper has an even lower priority than Boinc or UD ...

Oh, and I have no idea what "resources" you are on about ... you really must get away from Win95/98 mentality.

We ain't twisting your arm, do what you like with your PC, we is merely stating that Diskeeper, even the 'cheap' version is better than XP's own.




ps ... there are other Defoggers on the market.

 

[muckshifter]

Would DK tydy up the files, ie would it move it all in to one big 'lump'?

My copy does, yes!.

 

[V_R]

Fair enough, just dling the 30 day trial.

Cheers guys.

 

[bigmutt]

totally unnecessary product

This is one of those myths that software makers (some) perpetuate.
This is a totally-unnecessary product, as has been proven again and again by serious, competent lab tests.
Most HDDs are not affected by normal fragmentation, as far as slowing down your programs or web surfing. When extreme fragmentation does occur, the utility included with your operating system is more than adequate to fix it.

Read the science, folks; not the hype.