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Glad that you like it - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows File Systems Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treevie....asp?frame=true Look under the section titled Evalution Issues and look at item #1. - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows File Systems Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

"What's the best defragger under WinXP Pro for: -> the registry" Are you referring to internal fragmentation of registry hives (due to deleted registry keys) and compacting the registry hive to recover space? OR are you referring to defragmenting the registry hives as they exist on disk - so that the hives are contiguous? If the latter, then no "special" defrag software is needed. Microsoft's defrag APIs fully support defragmenting registry hives while Windows is running. ANY defragmenter should be able to defragment registry hives. - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows File Systems Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

I personally think that Executive is reverting back to the "old" way that software was licensed - based on the "power" of the machine - in this case, based on the size and number of drives instead of the number and speed of the CPUs (like mainframe software used to be priced). Our experience is that most companies would rather spend $200 for the ability to defrag a server - regardless of number and size of drives -rather than $1000 - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows File Systems Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

No version of Diskeeper V8 is certified for Windows 2000 OR Windows Server 2003. Go to http://www.veritest.com/certification/ms/cfw/cfw_reports.asp for a list of certified applications. Regarding which version of Diskeeper V8 you need to purchase. If you are running a server version of Windows, then you would need to purchase a server version of Diskeeper. Workstation versions will not install on a server version of Windows. Now, the tricky part. Which server version of Diskeeper do you need to purchase. Is your system a web server? Then you might need Diskeeper Server Web. If you want the ability to defragment large drives (greater than 100GB), then you would need to purchase Enterprise Edition or Datacenter edition. At a retail price of about $1000 for Enterprise Edition, I personally think that is way too much money to pay simply for the ability to defragment large drives when there are solutions available for a lot less. The file system (NTFS) doesn't change amonst the various flavors of Windows Server (or workstation for that matter). - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows File Systems Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

Verify who has what permissions to access the pagefile. Does System have access? - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows Storage

Too bad. I was really interested in hearing of your perception of why PD didn't "stand up" to DK. What did you end up paying for Diskeeper Enterprise Edition? When I bought it for testing/comparision purposes, it cost me $1,000.00 Pretty steep for a defragmenter! - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows Storage Management/File System Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

Actually, it wasnt' much of a "debate". We barely got started before you stopped participating. You had made a claim that PD didn't stand up to DK. I had asked you to elaborate and you never responded. If you would like to continue our "debate", it's your turn - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows Storage Management/File System Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

According to the Diskeeper V7 Second Edition Build 430 readme: "The Diskeeper NTFS boot-time engines have been modified in this build to verify they have exclusive access to the volume being defragmented. This change ensures that no other drivers or services can modify the volume while the boot-time defragmentation is running. If the volume cannot be locked, an error message appears describing this and the boot-time defragmentation will not run." Prior versions of their NTFS boot time engine DIDN'T verify that they had exclusive access to the volume being defragmented 8) How were they previously guaranteeing file system/data consistency ;( I can certainly see why thy are strongly recommending that people update... - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows Storage Management/File System Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

Moving directories online on FATx partitions isn't supported by Microsoft's defrag APIs. To do this requires a boot time defrag. While O&O provides a boot time defrag ability, it doesn't provide a way to select directories. Symantec is recommending PerfectDisk to their customers because they found it from a network management perspective better that what else was available and from a defrag performance perspective better that what else was available (Symantec looked at all of the commercial defragmenters available). Symantec needed to recommend a defragmenter to their enterprise customer and was looking for something that could do the equivalent job or better than SpeedDisk was able to do (by bypassing Microsoft's defrag APIs) - the ability to work well in conditions of low free space, the ability to consolidate free space and speed. I don't mind if you quote me. - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows Storage Management/File System Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

Hey APK, you might want to update your site - a lot of the information is out of date. Microsoft's defrag APIs fully support defragmenting registry files online - it doesn't take a boot time defrag in order to do. Also, PageDefrag will only be able to completely defragment the pagefile IF there is a piece of contiguous free space the size of the pagefile. If there isn't, then it won't be able to completely defragment the pagefile. This means that you first really need to run a defragmenter that does a good job of consoli[censored] free space - which rules out most defragmenters "Speedisk has advantage for networking folks that HAVE to maintain servers". Symantec is discontinuing SpeedDisk for their enterprise customers (servers). Symantec is now directing their enterprise folks to PerfectDisk for their enterprise defrag needs. "The latest FULL model of O&O Defrag also defrags MFT, Pagefiles, directories, & registry". Unless I am mistaken, O&O defrag only allows defragmenting of directories on NTFS partitions. On FATx drives, it is not currently supported. - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows Storage Management/File System Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

"Setup is unable to create enough contiguous space on your hard drive for a GoBack history buffer of 3.187GB" This means that the free space on the drive is fragmented and that GoBack isn't able to find enough contiguous free space to create its history file. You need to defrag with a disk defragmenter that does a good job of consoli[censored] free space (something that the built-in defragmenter really doesn't do a good job of doing). - Greg/Raxco Software Microsoft MVP - Windows Storage Management/File System Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

How did PD not stand up to Diskeeper? Was it a matter of speed or was it something else? - Greg/Raxco Software

Thanks for cutting-n-pasting the marketing material from Executive Software's web site. However, you forgot to include marketing material from the other defrag vendors - who also claim to be the fastest defragmenter available for Windows - have the most advanced defrag technology, etc - Greg/Raxco Software MVP Windows Storage Management/File System Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software - www.raxco.com, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

O&O Defrag is based out of Germany. It may take a while for a response... - Greg/Raxco Software

I would suggest looking at the permissions on the drive itself. I know that with PerfectDisk, because the "engine" runs under the context of the System account, System must have at least READ access to the partition. I quickly looked in the O&O Defrag online help but didn't find anything about permissions needed to see/defrag a partition. I also don't think that O&O Defrag is limited to the number of partitions that can be seen. You might also want to contact their support department and see if they can be of some assistance. - Greg/Raxco Software Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility and a competitor to O&O Defrag, as a systems engineer in the support department.

Well, I'm scrolling through this crazy conversation looking for where I said that MS bought Executive Software code and I'm not seeing it... I also believe strongly in something - that this conversation is going nowhere - so for me, this conversation is done... - Greg/Raxco Software

"Did Execsoft create/write an API that MS bought..." Where did you get this nonsense???? Listen, it is obvious that you really believe that ES wrote the code that performs file moves - and you are certainly free to continue to believe that. I've stated what has been made known to Raxco by the head of the file system development team at Microsoft as well as one of the actual developers of MS's defrag APIs. Let's just agree to dis-agree on who actually wrote the actual file move code - Greg/Raxco Software

"The MoveFile API won't do it by itself... that's my point. It needed its apiary extended apparently with Execsoft API calls to make it safe & make it work. Extending the existing API with their work. SO, that given, execsoft DID WRITE PARTS OF SAID API, & sold it to MS." The defrag APIs are actually part of the file system. ES didn't write the file system - didn't sell any technology to MS for use in the file system. Defrag APIs also tightly integrate with the memory manager and caching system. That's all MS code - nothing from ES there as well... - Greg/Raxco Software

"Which companies' that? Just curious... Norton/Symantec & their Speedisk?" Nope. Eventually you'll narrow it down. Here's a clue... http://www.veritest.com/certified/win2000server/CDIOnLine.ASP?WCI=wcIndex&INDEX=INDEX

"(Granted, it does show it creates "hooks" to some API calls (To the API itself from MS in the filesystem... BUT, it is itself, an API in itself since other programs utilize it: Remember, Applications Programming Interface/API is just that, a hook to functions you can use. Yes, semantics & about definitions, but still an API... one used in defragmentation by MS products no less & others))" As you are probably aware, there is a difference between writing an API specification and actually writing the code that does the work According to the ES web site, they co-developed these APIs - which is true. What is NOT true is that they actually wrote the code that does the file move itself (yes I've heard the "we wrote the APIs claim myself manytimes and have had numerous customers also ask Raxco if it was true). I know of a certain defrag company that claims that their latest version is certified for Windows 2000 but actually isn't. Most people wouldn't know how to verify this claim and wouldn't know that this claim was not true... The end result is to not take anything on faith. Verify for yourself. - Greg/Raxco Software

Okay - a challenge for someone. You have 4 logical partitions on a single hard drive (C:, D:, E:, F If you have file that resides on the E: partition starting at logical cluster 100,000, at which physical cluster on the hard drive does it start? Furthermore, on which platter of your hard drive does reside? If you have an answer, please provide details on how this information was gathered. - Greg/Raxco Software

"I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE INFORMATION I HAVE HEARD & BELIEVED OVER THE YEARS IS ACCURATE, ESPECIALLY REGARDING MICROSOFT USING EXECSOFT DEFRAGGER CODE RATHER THAN SYMANTEC STUFF ON 2k/XP (I am certain that's NO rumor) & ALSO THAT IF THE NTFS FILESYSTEM CAN DO THINGS LIKE YOU SAID, WHY DID EXECSOFT USED TO HAVE TO PATCH NT 3.5x TO USE DISKEEPER 1.01 AT THE NT SYSTEM FILES LEVELS?" There were no native defrag APIs until NT 4.0. Previous versions of NT required a patching the operating system/file system to support defragmenting of files - this is what Executive Software did prior to NT4.0. They had a source code license to the operating system and patched the os kernal. This caused all sorts of problems as they really weren't supposed to replace the OS kernal End result was that if MS released a sp/hotfix, it would break executives stuff or ever worse - corrupt data. What ended up happening is that MS and ES got together and said "this isn't working very well. What can we do". End result is that ES worked with MS on the defrag API specifications (how to call, what information to return) and MS actually wrote the defrag APIs. How this got translated into the urban myth that it is - who knows. The fact that ES tells people that they wrote them probably has something to do with it In regards to the built-in defragmenter under Win2k. At the time that Win2k was in development (YEARS before it was released, there really was only 1 player in the defrag market for NT - ES. That's why MS partnered with ES to include a stripped down version in the operating system. In regards to WinXP, ES helped to write the built-in defragmenter - to MS' specifications. MS has sole control/ownership of the code and over future direction of the built-in defragmenter. - Greg/Raxco Software

I agree. It's more of an "excuse" than a solution. One thing to keep in mind. Symantec is getting out of the defrag business. You currently can't purchase a version that will install/run on a server OS. Eventually, the workstation version will go away as well as Symantec is moving toward strickly being a security company. I'm not sure if SystemWorks 2001 will install/run sucessfully on WinXP. From what I have seen in other forums, people have had quite a bit of trouble getting it to install/run. The other thing to consider is that bypassing Microsoft's defrag APIs requires SpeedDisk to handle on its own the I/O syncronization that occurs between the file system, caching system and memory manager to allow files that are in use to be moved. The version of SpeedDisk in SystemWorks 2001 may not handle things correctly and there could be issues. If you succeed in getting SystemWorks 2001 installed on WinXP, I'd strongly suggest making sure you have a good backup of things prior to trying to run a defrag pass. - Greg/Raxco Software

According to Symantec, under Windows XP, SpeedDisk is now using Microsoft's defrag APIs. Following is from Symantec's web site: "Situation: You are running Speed Disk under Windows XP. Speed Disk may seem to run slower than the 2001 version, and after completion, the drive still shows significant fragmentation. Solution: Speed Disk for Windows XP does not use the native Speed Disk driver. Instead it uses the Microsoft MoveFile API. This results in less functionality and less thoroughness for Speed Disk, though moves are now handled in a "Microsoft-approved" manner. As a result of the migration away from the Norton Speed Disk driver, higher amounts of fragmentation may remain on the drive after Speed Disk completes. Speed Disk for Windows XP does not touch system files, system folders, or Master File Table (MFT). In addition, some of the fragmented files are unmovable, such as the _Restore files and the Pagefile. Therefore, higher fragmentation rates may be reported, especially for the System Volume Information folder. However, fragmentation will still be much lower than it was before running Speed Disk, and file placement will be optimized." Please note that under Windows XP, there is no reason that system files, system folders and the $MFT (all but the first 16 clusters) can NOT be moved online - Microsoft's defrag APIs fully support it. Because SpeedDisk under Windows XP is using Microsoft's defrag APIs, there are certain files that it will not be able to defragment because SpeedDisk doesn't have the ability to perform a boot time defrag: directories on FATx partitions, the pagefile, the hibernate file and non-$MFT metadata on NTFS partitions. "use MS/Execsoft API's..." Just a point of clarification. The Microsoft Defrag APIs are not and never have been Executive Software defrag APIs. Executive Software never wrote them and doesn't maintain them - for NT4, Win2k OR WinXP. The story of how Executive Software "wrote" the defrag APIs is an urban myth. The person who helped write those defrag APIs (one of the original developers of the NTFS file system) gets quite a chuckle out of this myth. In regards to "short stroking" disks... The file system deals in logical clusters and has no idea of the underlying disk technology. The file system doesn't know how many platters your hard drive has or how many read/write heads or how much onboard cache it might have. It doesn't know if it is IDE or SCSI. It doesn't know if it is RAIDx or anything else. All the file system knows is that each and every partition starts at logical cluster number 0. Whether it is possible to create a partition so that it is located on only 1 platter of the hard drive and that it is located at the fastest part of the platter - I have no idea. - Greg/Raxco Software