Why does this Diskeeper 8.0 reviewer infer it's best not to have PST file defragmented?

[Jay]

Hi,

I'm using Diskeeper 8.0 Pro, an aftermarket defragmenter program more robust
than the module that Windows XP Home has. This morning, I read, on
http://switchboard.shopping.com/xPR...essional_Edition_8_0_21219372~RD-121500962436 ,

in the middle of a Diskeeper review, a paragraph (see below) that suggests
that I should "exclude" my Outlook 2000 PST file, so that it won't be
defragmented. I already have gobackio.bin (a GoBack file) excluded from the
operation of Diskeeper 8.0, so I'm familiar with this functionality of
Diskeeper 8.0. Any idea what the reviewer is driving at? jay



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Excerpt from the review from the aforementioned webpage:

What I had to do was first clone the user HD (hard drive for short) to a
brand new HD just to save the users files. Once this was done, I had
installed diskeeper professional 8.x and run the defrag before returning the
PC back to the user and making sure to run SCANPST.EXE on the users PST
file. Then set diskeeper to exclude the user PST files and folder, but in
this case the user profile is kept on their PC on not on the server. Yes I
know bad idea. Also I would set it to forget it, and let diskeeper run after
10 pm at night. So when the user logs back into the PC the user will be
okay. I haven't heard back from the user after this. "When I see her in the
halls of the company she tells me what wonderful job I did!"

 

[James M. Fisher [MVP]]

The "reviewers" at this site can be anybody and how authoritative is that?
Check out the spelling and grammar mistakes.
Now if someone like Diane Poremsky or Sue Mosher at
http://www.slipstick.com/index.htm said this, I may tend to believe it.
I have used DK and Outlook for years and have never come across such a
suggestion, nor have I noted any impact on Outlook's performance or
experienced a corrupted PST file.
I searched Executive's knowledge base and came up empty.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

I'm not familiar with diskkeeper since i don't use it (but many of my
friends swear by it, most use OE though)... but the act of defragging a
drive containing a pst isn't a problem in itself. However, you can't defrag
if the pst in use... and since I don't know how DK works, I can only say to
make sure Outlook is closed when you run it.

"Also the user had reported that MS Outlook PST files always corrupted
everyday. The IT staff on hand just kept running SCANPST.EXE on the
corrupted PST file"

Based on this sentence, I think he excluded psts outof fear of corruption.
<g> Whether the fragmented drive caused the corrupt pst or something else,
who knows, but the pst is not normally this easily corrupted.

 

[Jay]

James,

I appreciate your thoughts. I was dubious but figured doesn't hurt to
confirm. jay

 

[Jay]

Diane,

On reflection, now that you've parsed the review, I can see where he might
have excluded the PST's in an abundance of caution. I have the comfort
level I was looking for; thanks for your feedback and the suggestion not to
defrag a PST file while it's open. jay