Partition and Fragmentation

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

When I first installed XP (2002) I made a 6GB partition for it. A three or
four months ago it began to fragment very quickly (24-36 hours to exceed 5%),
and a couple of months later I got a warning that the partition was almost
full. So I doubled it to 12GB. The new size does show correctly in My
Computer.

However, the partiton still fragments very quickly, often with system
restore files in as many as 355 fragments. I assume this is becasue a
Restore Point is being created every time Windows Update goes to work ? I've
turned off Windows Update and now other new files seem to fragment.

I had Norton Speedisk set to defrag three times a week, and it would still
run at additional times because the fragmentation exceeded the threshold I'd
set (originally 5%, but laterly I set it to 20%). In the last day or so
I've tried Perfect Disk, which does a good job, but the disk is already
fragmented again (and the download of Perfect Disk ran to hundreds of
fragments).

It seems perhaps me something hasn't registered the new size of the
partition and is still fitting new files into the gaps. I've looked at some
KB articles, but none of them quite describe my problem. There IS an article
on a similar problem, but in that case the new partition size is said not to
show in My Computer, whereas in my case it does.

Anyone got any constructive suggestions, please ?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Re my previous post, I should have said that this problem arose before
installing SP2 but has persisted afterwards.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Why such a small partition? I think the primary partition for Windows XP,
should be at least 30GB. You need space for the MFT, Page File, and temp
files.

Bill Crocker


"YellowTump" <YellowTump@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:5B9DBA18-63D4-4C4D-9868-E007972196B7@microsoft.com...
> When I first installed XP (2002) I made a 6GB partition for it. A three
> or
> four months ago it began to fragment very quickly (24-36 hours to exceed
> 5%),
> and a couple of months later I got a warning that the partition was almost
> full. So I doubled it to 12GB. The new size does show correctly in My
> Computer.
>
> However, the partiton still fragments very quickly, often with system
> restore files in as many as 355 fragments. I assume this is becasue a
> Restore Point is being created every time Windows Update goes to work ?
> I've
> turned off Windows Update and now other new files seem to fragment.
>
> I had Norton Speedisk set to defrag three times a week, and it would still
> run at additional times because the fragmentation exceeded the threshold
> I'd
> set (originally 5%, but laterly I set it to 20%). In the last day or so
> I've tried Perfect Disk, which does a good job, but the disk is already
> fragmented again (and the download of Perfect Disk ran to hundreds of
> fragments).
>
> It seems perhaps me something hasn't registered the new size of the
> partition and is still fitting new files into the gaps. I've looked at
> some
> KB articles, but none of them quite describe my problem. There IS an
> article
> on a similar problem, but in that case the new partition size is said not
> to
> show in My Computer, whereas in my case it does.
>
> Anyone got any constructive suggestions, please ?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

There should be no reason to use more than 20 GB (what I have for XP Pro) for a
boot partition IF apps and data are installed on other partitions. If you're
REALLY careful, 10 GB is enough (what I have for XP Home).

If you're using FAT32, convert to NTFS, which is less susceptible and
sensitive to fragmentation.

Move all your Temp directories to another partition.

Ensure your Temp Internet Files directories are limited in size; move them,
too!

Limit the size of your Pagefile, and ensure the min and max size are
identical.

Move your Store Folders for Outlook Express elsewhere.

Don't let apps install themselves on the boot partition.

Move all the $NTUninstall directories and logs from the Windows folder to
somewhere else. When the system is stable, delete them.

Clean up the System Restore files when the system is stable. Retain only
the latest restore point.


"Bill Crocker" <wcrocker007@comcast.net> wrote...
> Why such a small partition? I think the primary partition for Windows XP,
> should be at least 30GB. You need space for the MFT, Page File, and temp
> files.

> "YellowTump" <YellowTump@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote...
>> When I first installed XP (2002) I made a 6GB partition for it. A three or
>> four months ago it began to fragment very quickly (24-36 hours to exceed 5%),
>> and a couple of months later I got a warning that the partition was almost
>> full. So I doubled it to 12GB. The new size does show correctly in My
>> Computer.
>>
>> However, the partiton still fragments very quickly, often with system
>> restore files in as many as 355 fragments. I assume this is becasue a
>> Restore Point is being created every time Windows Update goes to work ? I've
>> turned off Windows Update and now other new files seem to fragment.
>>
>> I had Norton Speedisk set to defrag three times a week, and it would still
>> run at additional times because the fragmentation exceeded the threshold I'd
>> set (originally 5%, but laterly I set it to 20%). In the last day or so
>> I've tried Perfect Disk, which does a good job, but the disk is already
>> fragmented again (and the download of Perfect Disk ran to hundreds of
>> fragments).