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Disk directory consolidation question



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 10th 18, 08:28 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Bill in Co
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,927
Default Disk directory consolidation question

There is an option with some defrag utilites to select boot time directory
consolidation, which moves all the directories together at the beginning of
the disk partition, instead of leaving them scattered throughout the disk
(based on when they were created).

I read that doing so is beneficial, especially for FAT32 volumes (presumably
in terms of access times to get to the folders and files).

My current setup is this:
C: system and boot up (the main partition). NTFS (60GB)
D: FAT32 partition for misc files (40 GB)
E: FAT32 partition for music files (40 GB)
F: FAT32 partition for video files (80 GB)

My question is this. I did that on my D: FAT32 partition (C: is the NTFS
system partition). Is all the information on where the directories and
files are stored on D: contained on the D: partition, or is it also stored
in the root C: partition in its MFT?

If the actual location of the directories on D: is stored on C: in its MFT,
or whatever, I can see a potential problem if both C and D are not both
archived properly in terms of making backup images (in case one needs to be
restored and is unaware of the changes in the updated directory locations)

I presume some of the information on the directories location is contained
in C: too, since otherwise it seems to me you would NOT need to use a "boot
time" directory consolidation option for the D: partition, but could instead
do it live (with Windows running).


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  #2  
Old May 10th 18, 09:40 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
JJ[_11_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 744
Default Disk directory consolidation question

On Thu, 10 May 2018 13:28:12 -0600, Bill in Co wrote:

There is an option with some defrag utilites to select boot time directory
consolidation, which moves all the directories together at the beginning of
the disk partition, instead of leaving them scattered throughout the disk
(based on when they were created).

I read that doing so is beneficial, especially for FAT32 volumes (presumably
in terms of access times to get to the folders and files).

My current setup is this:
C: system and boot up (the main partition). NTFS (60GB)
D: FAT32 partition for misc files (40 GB)
E: FAT32 partition for music files (40 GB)
F: FAT32 partition for video files (80 GB)

My question is this. I did that on my D: FAT32 partition (C: is the NTFS
system partition). Is all the information on where the directories and
files are stored on D: contained on the D: partition, or is it also stored
in the root C: partition in its MFT?

If the actual location of the directories on D: is stored on C: in its MFT,
or whatever, I can see a potential problem if both C and D are not both
archived properly in terms of making backup images (in case one needs to be
restored and is unaware of the changes in the updated directory locations)

I presume some of the information on the directories location is contained
in C: too, since otherwise it seems to me you would NOT need to use a "boot
time" directory consolidation option for the D: partition, but could instead
do it live (with Windows running).


Windows built in disk defragmentation engine can not defrag directories of
FAT partitions. This doesn't apply to NTFS partitions. So, defragmenting FAT
directories requires a boot-time defragmentation, or other method which can
dismount, defrag, then remount FAT partitions. Both are not part of the
Windows built in disk defragmentation engine. But so far, disk
defragmentation softwares only provide a solution which is boot-time.
  #3  
Old May 10th 18, 09:43 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
JJ[_11_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 744
Default Disk directory consolidation question

On Thu, 10 May 2018 13:28:12 -0600, Bill in Co wrote:
There is an option with some defrag utilites to select boot time directory
consolidation, which moves all the directories together at the beginning of
the disk partition, instead of leaving them scattered throughout the disk
(based on when they were created).

I read that doing so is beneficial, especially for FAT32 volumes (presumably
in terms of access times to get to the folders and files).

My current setup is this:
C: system and boot up (the main partition). NTFS (60GB)
D: FAT32 partition for misc files (40 GB)
E: FAT32 partition for music files (40 GB)
F: FAT32 partition for video files (80 GB)

My question is this. I did that on my D: FAT32 partition (C: is the NTFS
system partition). Is all the information on where the directories and
files are stored on D: contained on the D: partition, or is it also stored
in the root C: partition in its MFT?


If you meant software settings which are file paths, then yes. Most would
likely be stored in drive C: or the system partition. Some would be in files
within user profile folders, and some would be in the Windows registry.
  #4  
Old May 11th 18, 08:48 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Bill in Co
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,927
Default Disk directory consolidation question

JJ wrote:
On Thu, 10 May 2018 13:28:12 -0600, Bill in Co wrote:
There is an option with some defrag utilites to select boot time
directory consolidation, which moves all the directories together at the
beginning of the disk partition, instead of leaving them scattered
throughout the disk (based on when they were created).

I read that doing so is beneficial, especially for FAT32 volumes
(presumably in terms of access times to get to the folders and files).

My current setup is this:
C: system and boot up (the main partition). NTFS (60GB)
D: FAT32 partition for misc files (40 GB)
E: FAT32 partition for music files (40 GB)
F: FAT32 partition for video files (80 GB)

My question is this. I did that on my D: FAT32 partition (C: is the NTFS
system partition). Is all the information on where the directories and
files are stored on D: contained on the D: partition, or is it also
stored in the root C: partition in its MFT?


If you meant software settings which are file paths, then yes. Most would
likely be stored in drive C: or the system partition. Some would be in
files within user profile folders, and some would be in the Windows
registry.


I don't really understand that. Maybe my rewording it will explain my
confusion.

I periodically make backup images of both my C: and D: partitions for backup
purposes using Acronis True Image. The C: is NTFS and is the main
partition. The D: is FAT32 and is just a secondary partition for misc work.
And on occasions I have had the need to restore them (depending on my
"software experiments")

I'm using Diskeeper for defragging, which does have the boot time option,
unlike many defraggers. It has the option of boot time defragging for
directory consolidation and MFT defragging and reducing Paging File
Fragmentation. I tried to do this on C:: but ran into some issues with that
(dirty bit and getting exclusive access, which is another story). So I
then decided to try it on the D: partition, and that worked.

So what I did was select the option to consolidate the directories at the
beginning of the D: partition on my D: FAT32 partition, and it worked (as
shown on the display).

My question is, is the MFT (on C updated after this change to show where
the directories are now located on the D drive? IF that is indeed the case,
then it seems to me I would not only have to make a backup image of D:, but
also a backup image of C:, in the event I wanted to do a future image
restore operation of D: Why? Because if I didn't, and I tried just
restoring the newly updated D: partition, the older existing C: partition
would have the incorrect information of where the directories are now stored
(on the newly updated D: partition).



  #5  
Old May 12th 18, 01:55 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
JT[_6_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 77
Default Disk directory consolidation question

Bill in Co wrote:

JJ wrote:
On Thu, 10 May 2018 13:28:12 -0600, Bill in Co wrote:
There is an option with some defrag utilites to select boot time
directory consolidation, which moves all the directories together
at the beginning of the disk partition, instead of leaving them
scattered throughout the disk (based on when they were created).

I read that doing so is beneficial, especially for FAT32 volumes
(presumably in terms of access times to get to the folders and
files).

My current setup is this:
C: system and boot up (the main partition). NTFS (60GB)
D: FAT32 partition for misc files (40 GB)
E: FAT32 partition for music files (40 GB)
F: FAT32 partition for video files (80 GB)

My question is this. I did that on my D: FAT32 partition (C: is
the NTFS system partition). Is all the information on where the
directories and files are stored on D: contained on the D:
partition, or is it also stored in the root C: partition in its
MFT?


If you meant software settings which are file paths, then yes. Most
would likely be stored in drive C: or the system partition. Some
would be in files within user profile folders, and some would be in
the Windows registry.


I don't really understand that. Maybe my rewording it will explain
my confusion.

I periodically make backup images of both my C: and D: partitions for
backup purposes using Acronis True Image. The C: is NTFS and is the
main partition. The D: is FAT32 and is just a secondary partition
for misc work. And on occasions I have had the need to restore them
(depending on my "software experiments")

I'm using Diskeeper for defragging, which does have the boot time
option, unlike many defraggers. It has the option of boot time
defragging for directory consolidation and MFT defragging and
reducing Paging File Fragmentation. I tried to do this on C:: but
ran into some issues with that (dirty bit and getting exclusive
access, which is another story). So I then decided to try it on the
D: partition, and that worked.

So what I did was select the option to consolidate the directories at
the beginning of the D: partition on my D: FAT32 partition, and it
worked (as shown on the display).

My question is, is the MFT (on C updated after this change to show
where the directories are now located on the D drive? IF that is
indeed the case, then it seems to me I would not only have to make a
backup image of D:, but also a backup image of C:, in the event I
wanted to do a future image restore operation of D: Why? Because
if I didn't, and I tried just restoring the newly updated D:
partition, the older existing C: partition would have the incorrect
information of where the directories are now stored (on the newly
updated D: partition).


No, each drive has its own "MFT" table. (Although different in NTFS and

FAT)

No need to worry about the C: drive knowing about the changes made to

the D: drive.

JT

--

  #6  
Old May 12th 18, 02:10 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Bill in Co
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,927
Default Disk directory consolidation question

JT wrote:
Bill in Co wrote:

JJ wrote:
On Thu, 10 May 2018 13:28:12 -0600, Bill in Co wrote:
There is an option with some defrag utilites to select boot time
directory consolidation, which moves all the directories together
at the beginning of the disk partition, instead of leaving them
scattered throughout the disk (based on when they were created).

I read that doing so is beneficial, especially for FAT32 volumes
(presumably in terms of access times to get to the folders and
files).

My current setup is this:
C: system and boot up (the main partition). NTFS (60GB)
D: FAT32 partition for misc files (40 GB)
E: FAT32 partition for music files (40 GB)
F: FAT32 partition for video files (80 GB)

My question is this. I did that on my D: FAT32 partition (C: is
the NTFS system partition). Is all the information on where the
directories and files are stored on D: contained on the D:
partition, or is it also stored in the root C: partition in its
MFT?

If you meant software settings which are file paths, then yes. Most
would likely be stored in drive C: or the system partition. Some
would be in files within user profile folders, and some would be in
the Windows registry.


I don't really understand that. Maybe my rewording it will explain
my confusion.

I periodically make backup images of both my C: and D: partitions for
backup purposes using Acronis True Image. The C: is NTFS and is the
main partition. The D: is FAT32 and is just a secondary partition
for misc work. And on occasions I have had the need to restore them
(depending on my "software experiments")

I'm using Diskeeper for defragging, which does have the boot time
option, unlike many defraggers. It has the option of boot time
defragging for directory consolidation and MFT defragging and
reducing Paging File Fragmentation. I tried to do this on C:: but
ran into some issues with that (dirty bit and getting exclusive
access, which is another story). So I then decided to try it on the
D: partition, and that worked.

So what I did was select the option to consolidate the directories at
the beginning of the D: partition on my D: FAT32 partition, and it
worked (as shown on the display).

My question is, is the MFT (on C updated after this change to show
where the directories are now located on the D drive? IF that is
indeed the case, then it seems to me I would not only have to make a
backup image of D:, but also a backup image of C:, in the event I
wanted to do a future image restore operation of D: Why? Because
if I didn't, and I tried just restoring the newly updated D:
partition, the older existing C: partition would have the incorrect
information of where the directories are now stored (on the newly
updated D: partition).


No, each drive has its own "MFT" table. (Although different in NTFS and

FAT)

No need to worry about the C: drive knowing about the changes made to

the D: drive.

JT

--


OK, thanks for the clarification. So on further reading, it seems that each
disk partition stores its own directory information only on that very same
partion, so it's as if the partitions are for all practical purposes,
separate drives in that regard.

And even with a mix of NTFS and FAT partitions (or even physical drives),
each partition (and only that) contains the indexed directory structure
infomation for that partition.

And if I read you correctly, if you had a hard drive formatted into two NTFS
partitions, there would be two MFTs on that drive, each responsible only for
that particular partition.


 




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