defrag os/2 hpfs

[Raul Z]

I am confused; i understand hpfs does not fragments files,
nevertheless, there is a utility to defragment the hpfs partition!

[Bruce Byfield]

The idea that HPFS drives don't need to be defragged is a
myth.
However, it is true that they need to be defragged much less
than FAT drives. My two HPFS partitions fragment at something like
one-fourteenth the rate of my FAT partition, even though they are much
more active. Both HPFS partitions, though, are less than half full. I
suspect that the ratio would decrease if the disks were fuller,
although the HPFS drives would still likely be superior to the FAT
partition.
--

Bruce Byfield
English Department, Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B. C. Canada V5A 1S6 604-291-3136
(byf...@fraser.sfu.ca)

[March Hare]

In article <36fkdo$9...@news.cs.tulane.edu>,
ra...@spec.phy.tulane.edu (Raul Z) wrote:
:I am confused; i understand hpfs does not fragments files,

:nevertheless, there is a utility to defragment the hpfs partition!

:

All file systems fragment files, except one which is no longer used
(that I'm aware of). A file system that doesn't fragment files
would run so slow that you would feel like you were writing a 400
page book on an Atari 400.

HPFS fragments files less than FAT. It isn't a bad idea to defrag
it once every blue moon. I do a lot of file transfers, so I run
one every three months or so. I think most people could get by
every six months, or maybe even a year before worrying about it.
It has the same advantages as defragging a FAT drive, but can have
serious disadvantages if done incorrectly. That's what all the
hoopla over using a DOS defragger is about.

John
----
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[Gaetano Liberatore]

In article <36fkdo$9...@news.cs.tulane.edu>, ra...@spec.phy.tulane.edu (Raul Z) writes:
|>I am confused; i understand hpfs does not fragments files,
|>nevertheless, there is a utility to defragment the hpfs partition!

HPFS does in fact fragment files, but the chances of that are very small,
especially when compared to FAT. Fragmentation happens in HPFS when the
partition fills up and there are no contiguous free clusters available.
With DOS, it can happen anytime.
--
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are my | Some people like cupcakes.
own. As if anybody else would take | But I, for one, care less for them.
credit for them! | -"The Muffin Man", Frank Zappa