29% free space, but 0% available for Disk Defrag?

[Steve Maring]

I saw some mention of setting NtfsMftZoneReservation in the registry
to some value between 1 and 4. Would this help?

Cheers.
Steve Maring


Volume Data (E:
Volume size = 6,706 MB
Cluster size = 4 KB
Used space = 4,749 MB
Free space = 1,957 MB
Percent free space = 29 %

Volume fragmentation
Total fragmentation = 32 %
File fragmentation = 61 %
Free space fragmentation = 4 %

File fragmentation
Total files = 51,061
Average file size = 110 KB
Total fragmented files = 304
Total excess fragments = 11,664
Average fragments per file = 1.22

Pagefile fragmentation
Pagefile size = 0 bytes
Total fragments = 0

Directory fragmentation
Total directories = 4,965
Fragmented directories = 10
Excess directory fragments = 142

Master File Table (MFT) fragmentation
Total MFT size = 56,150 KB
MFT record count = 56,136
Percent MFT in use = 99 %
Total MFT fragments = 2

 

[Resident Cynic]

What do you mean "0% available for defrag?" I don't see that in what you
posted. Nothing wrong with the MFT being 99% in use -- it will just expand
as needed.

 

[John John]

I can't help with the defrag issue but I can tell you that with a MFT
size of 56150 and a record count of 56136 you should definely increase
the MFT size. It's a bit of a hassle to change but you are going to get
a serious performance hit if you don't take care of that soon, either by
following the instructions in the article or deleting unnecessary files.
See here for further information:

How NTFS Reserves Space for its Master File Table (MFT)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;174619

You might also find this to be helpful:
Files Excluded by the Disk Defragmenter Tool
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/Q227/3/50.ASP&NoWebContent=1

The resident defrag expert should be in to comment on the defrag problem
itself.

John

 

[Greg Hayes/Raxco Software]

From an earlier post...

Free space on NTFS is found in 2 different areas - INSIDE of the MFT
Reserved Zone and OUTSIDE of the MFT Reserved Zone. If you look at the
properies for a drive and look at the free space available, this number is
the combination of the free space in both areas. You as a user and other
applications are allowed to use the free space in both areas - however, the
file system will try to keep from using the free space INSIDE unless you get
into a low free space condition. Microsoft's defrag APIs under Windows 2000
do not let defragmenters use the free space INSIDE of the MFT Reserved Zone.

Increasing the size of the Reserved Zone will only put more of the free
space inside of the Reserved Zone and make it unavailble to defragmenters.

- Greg/Raxco Software
Microsoft MVP - Windows File System

Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a
commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

Want to email me? Delete ntloader.