How much free space? 250gb drives

[leadfoot]

How much space do I need to keep free on 250GB drives used for storage? I'm
using diskeeper as a defragger which recommends 20% which is a significant
amout of space

 

[Arno Wagner]

How much space do I need to keep free on 250GB drives used for storage? I'm
using diskeeper as a defragger which recommends 20% which is a significant
amout of space

Unix standard is 5%. But most Unix filesystems don't fragment
easily. If you have to use a defragger, maybe you should change
the filesystem in the first place.

It is really just a performance issue. You can fill up the drive
to 100% if you like. If you keep 1 GB or so free, you should still
be able to run a defragger, although it may take some time.

Arno

 

[CJT]

Unix standard is 5%. But most Unix filesystems don't fragment
easily. If you have to use a defragger, maybe you should change
the filesystem in the first place.

It is really just a performance issue. You can fill up the drive
to 100% if you like. If you keep 1 GB or so free, you should still
be able to run a defragger, although it may take some time.

Arno

I run my Unix filesystems (other than root) right up to the edge
of full, and never defrag. "Defragging" is an issue mostly for
Windows users. If/when it's done in the Unix world, I think it's
usually via a backup & reload (and, coincidentally, that's the
best/fastest way to accomplish it in the Windows world -- e.g. by
Ghosting to a spare drive and back again one can often achieve a
defragged drive much faster than via defrag software).

 

[Arno Wagner]

I run my Unix filesystems (other than root) right up to the edge
of full, and never defrag.

Same here.

"Defragging" is an issue mostly for
Windows users. If/when it's done in the Unix world, I think it's
usually via a backup & reload (and, coincidentally, that's the
best/fastest way to accomplish it in the Windows world -- e.g. by
Ghosting to a spare drive and back again one can often achieve a
defragged drive much faster than via defrag software).

Yes, I agree to that fully. Matches my observations.

Arno

 

[Rod Speed]

How much space do I need to keep free on 250GB drives used for storage?

There is no nice tidy answer, because it
depends on the size of the files that change.

I'm using diskeeper as a defragger which recommends 20% which is a
significant amout of space

Makes more sense to give up on defragging
unless you are using the drive unusually.

 

[leadfoot]

I'm using WinXP MCE2005 SP2

Same here.


Yes, I agree to that fully. Matches my observations.

Arno

 

[Derek Baker]

How much space do I need to keep free on 250GB drives used for storage?
I'm using diskeeper as a defragger which recommends 20% which is a
significant amout of space

According to Windows' help XP's built-in debugger requires 15% for full
defragmentation.

 

[Arno Wagner]

According to Windows' help XP's built-in debugger requires 15% for full
defragmentation.

Ooops. Not too professional!

Arno

 

[CJT]

I'm using WinXP MCE2005 SP2

my condolences
<snip>

 

[Derek Baker]

Ooops. Not too professional!

Arno

Me or Windows?

 

[Eric Gisin]

10% is enough for FAT32, 10-20% for NTFS depending on MFT zone. However,
don't expect files of 100+ of MB to defrag.

 

[Arno Wagner]

Me or Windows?

Sorry. The product of course.

Arno

 

[leadfoot]

my condolences

Why I'm pretty happy with it

 

[Arlene]

Makes more sense to give up on defragging
unless you are using the drive unusually.

Rod I do a lot of copying of MP3 files from the HD to both CD & DVD
media.

I was under the impression that when the files on the HD have a lot of
fragmentation it can adversely effect the copying to CD & DVD? Now id
this is not true I could give up the defrag totally.

Any advice on this?

Thanks for your time and help.

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod I do a lot of copying of MP3 files
from the HD to both CD & DVD media.

Dont need to defrag in that situation.

I was under the impression that when the files on the HD have a lot
of fragmentation it can adversely effect the copying to CD & DVD?

Nope, its irrelevant.

Now id this is not true I could give up the defrag totally.

Any advice on this?

Give up the defragging, it will work fine.

 

[Lil' Dave]

How much space do I need to keep free on 250GB drives used for storage? I'm
using diskeeper as a defragger which recommends 20% which is a significant
amout of space

Going to stay out of that question. I do suggest, however, if you're
storing some sort of video or partition image files or other large MB/GB
files that you do not defragment the partition that holds them. And you
keep such on a partition independent of the operating system. If doing so,
that nulls your question to partition size of the operating system, not the
HD space capacity.

Adequate available physical memory is also a consideration when
defragmenting. Odd you did not ask that question in tandem with the
available disk space question. And, the swapfile size capacity can be an
issue as well if you keep the swapfile on an independent hard drive or if
its on the same hard drive/partition as the OS. The latter affecting the
available freespace of the partition you intend to defragment.

 

[Arno Wagner]

Rod I do a lot of copying of MP3 files from the HD to both CD & DVD
media.

I was under the impression that when the files on the HD have a lot of
fragmentation it can adversely effect the copying to CD & DVD? Now id
this is not true I could give up the defrag totally.

Any advice on this?

Depends. If the fragmentation is enough to slow the read speed below
the speed at which you write the CD/DVD the burner needs to be able to
deal with an interrupted data stream. If it has "BurnProof" or the
like, then it is not a problem. If it does not, then you will loose
media.

Arno

 

[leadfoot]

Going to stay out of that question. I do suggest, however, if you're
storing some sort of video or partition image files or other large MB/GB
files that you do not defragment the partition that holds them. And you
keep such on a partition independent of the operating system. If doing
so,
that nulls your question to partition size of the operating system, not
the
HD space capacity.

Adequate available physical memory is also a consideration when
defragmenting. Odd you did not ask that question in tandem with the
available disk space question.

I have 1GB dual channel of memory. Do I need more? ;-)


And, the swapfile size capacity can be an

issue as well if you keep the swapfile on an independent hard drive or if
its on the same hard drive/partition as the OS.

I have six 250gb hard drives.

The latter affecting the

 

[Rod Speed]

Arlene wrote

Depends. If the fragmentation is enough to slow the read speed
below the speed at which you write the CD/DVD the burner needs
to be able to deal with an interrupted data stream.

Taint gunna happen, because even a fragmented file on the hard drive
is accessed MUCH more quickly than the CD/DVD burner can burn it.

And MP3s arent likely to be that fragmented anyway.

If it has "BurnProof" or the like, then it is not a problem.
If it does not, then you will loose media.

Nope.

 

[CJT]

Taint gunna happen, because even a fragmented file on the hard drive
is accessed MUCH more quickly than the CD/DVD burner can burn it.

Some burners have very high data rates. And not all hard disks are new.

And MP3s arent likely to be that fragmented anyway.

That's unknowable. It depends on the state of the disk when the MP3 is
written.