defrag: move all the files in front of disk?

  • Thread starter Thread starter nick
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nick

I need to move all the files in front of disk so I can shrink the NTFS
partition. But the built-in one always leave some files at the end of my
hard disk. Any way to move the files in front of disk?
 
To shrink the size of a partition you need third-party software. By far the
most popular program is Norton Partition Magic.

A friendly tip: Altering the structure of your hard disk is not a job for
the novice. Asking the question that you asked brands you a novice.

Ted Zieglar
 
I don't have Partition Magic and I am using qtparted from Linux to do it.
Usually these kind of tools can shrink the partition to the largest continue
free space of the partition. That's why I need defrag the disk so the files
will be moved to the beginning of the partition. However, the XP built-in
defraq doesn't move all the files to the begining of the partition.
 
What you are trying to do is wrong and will eventually damage your system.

Ted Zieglar
 
Why it's wrong? I just want a defrag program that moves files to the
beginning and so I can shrink the disk to half of its original size.
 
nick said:
Why it's wrong? I just want a defrag program that moves files to the
beginning and so I can shrink the disk to half of its original size.
Click to expand...

Get BootIt Next Generation from www.bootitng.com

It has a 30 day free trial period.

Do not install it - just run it from the disk and you can resize and
adjust the partitions as you wish.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
 
nick said:
I don't have Partition Magic and I am using qtparted from Linux to do it.
Usually these kind of tools can shrink the partition to the largest continue
free space of the partition.
Click to expand...

That's an old story. You use an obsolete version of the NTFS resizer
that didn't support data relocation originally:
http://mlf.linux.rulez.org/mlf/ezaz/ntfsresize.html#fragmented

Just use one of the free system/recovery/rescue/admin live
CD/DVD/USB-Key/floppy software (there is also a long list of them in
a table on the above URL) that has a more up-to-date version and you
should be fine. It has built-in defragmentation and sophisticated
consistency check for extra safety. It's much faster and safer than
Partition Magic.
 
I have spent the last three days trying to figure out a way to do the exact
same thing. Here is why you cannot. One: the positioning of files on a hard
drive is not in a linear fashion. "Most efficient" organization by way of
defragging does not consolidate information the same way you or I would. To
put it as plainly as possible the shortest distance between 2 pts (imagine
the drive head rotating to collect bits and pieces of data on 6 spinning
plates) is not a straight line. Lrg Apps are placed on the outer rings of
these plates and the information they reference when making their decisions
generally comes from the center.

To cut this short the reality is this: In theory it can be done. It is
not worth saving money if it can be done right. If it is worth it for you
not to reinstall and back it up. . . pay as much for it as you have to. I
went with VCOM's Part. Commander and the Boot disks I created directly from
their CD didnt work. NTFS is too new to be supported without MSFT help
 
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