Compress drive...?

[Bobcat]

A naive question I know, but in checking out my hard drive, My Computer
offers the option - "Compress drive to save disc space". The space that this
will save is significant - but is there a negative side to this process?
I'll await word from someone who knows more about it before I proceed.
Thanks.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You may notice a decrease in performance when working
with a compressed drive. When you open a compressed file,
Windows XP automatically decompresses it for you, and when you
close the file, Windows compresses it again. This process may
decrease your computers performance.

Drive compression is therefore not recommended. Installing
a modern, large drive is.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| A naive question I know, but in checking out my hard drive, My Computer
| offers the option - "Compress drive to save disc space". The space that this
| will save is significant - but is there a negative side to this process?
| I'll await word from someone who knows more about it before I proceed.
| Thanks.

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Bobcat

Carey has answered your question. However, you can compress
some individual files and not encounter the problems that Carey
has highlighted. The affect on performance will only really arise
for files being regularly accessed. You will have backed up system
and data files but some are not significantly reduced in size
by compression.

If your hard drive is formatted as NTFS another potential gain arises with
your operating system on your C drive. In the Windows Directory of your
C partition you will have some Uninstall folders in your Windows folder
typically: $NtServicePackUninstall$ and $NtUninstallKB282010$ etc.

These files may be compressed or not compressed. If compressed the text
of the folder name appears in blue characters. If not compressed you can
compress them. Right click on each folder and select Properties, General,
Advanced and check the box before Compress contents to save Disk Space.
On the General Tab you can see the amount gained by deducting the size
on disk from the size. Folder compression is only an option on a NTFS
formatted drive / partition.

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Plato]

A naive question I know, but in checking out my hard drive, My Computer
offers the option - "Compress drive to save disc space". The space that this
will save is significant - but is there a negative side to this process?
I'll await word from someone who knows more about it before I proceed.

NEVER compress your drive.