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Defragmenting the hard disk


Daniel Roethlisberger

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Good evening

Today, I defragmented my main hard disk. A few minutes ago, I made a flight in FSX from LSZH (fsdt) to LFLB (FranceVFR). So I took off at Zurich and overflew the airport again, when I noticed (I may be wrong, but it was my impression) that the airport's textures were loading slower than usually. I took about 5 to 6 seconds.

As I approached Chambéry from north, I saw Geneva (fsdt) from about 13'000ft, and I noticed the same thing. During the flight, the fuselage textures of my Wilco 319 were sometimes there and sometimes just black.. And it isn't a performance problem at all.

Is this because I defragmented the hd?

Best regards

edit: Here's a picture showing the textures of the airbus. Please have a look at the right wing and the left flaps.

AF.JPG

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Nothing to do with FSX.

Everything to do with the choice and manner of defragmentation.

Search the forum: You will find the solution. We discussed it at length some time ago.

You need a proper defragmentation tool...

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...indicating precisely what a poor job your default defragger has been doing. That is precisely why your textures (and your sim) takes so long to load.

You should allow plenty of time for the first run - although it looks like nothing has been achieved the timescale is NOT linear, so just because it looks after ten hours that only ten percent has been done it does not mean a total defrag will take 90 hours more...

Let it do its job, then measure the results. Future defragmentation runs will take only minutes.

A tip for those with multiple hard drives (as opposed to partitions on a single hard drive) is to move OUTSIDE the FSX folder/FSX Hard drive all aircraft you are not currently flying - create a folder called `Addon Aircraft`, `Hangar` or whatever and then move all the `spare` aircraft to it, as this substantially reduces the size of the FSX folder, and speeds up defragmentation substantially, as there's a lot of sequential file loading of aircraft textures, so the defragmentation will attempt to defrag ALL of them. All you need is a shortcut to the addon aircraft folder inside FSX and you can quickly access and move across aircraft for ready-use.

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A tip for those with multiple hard drives (as opposed to partitions on a single hard drive) is to move OUTSIDE the FSX folder/FSX Hard drive all aircraft you are not currently flying - create a folder called `Addon Aircraft`, `Hangar` or whatever and then move all the `spare` aircraft to it, as this substantially reduces the size of the FSX folder, and speeds up defragmentation substantially, as there's a lot of sequential file loading of aircraft textures, so the defragmentation will attempt to defrag ALL of them. All you need is a shortcut to the addon aircraft folder inside FSX and you can quickly access and move across aircraft for ready-use.

Good suggestion, I'm going to try this. Can the default FSX aircraft be moved out, or will that cause problems?

I use O&O defrag by the way, with COMPLETE/Name on the FSX drive and SPACE on my C drive. I don't recall how long the initial defragmentation took, but now it takes an hour or two. I have a defrag job setup that defrags both my C: and D: drives, reboots the computer, does an offline defrag of C: and then shuts down the computer. I run it whenever I think it is necessary, usually when I go to bed at night.

Tom

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You can move the default aircraft, mindful of the fact that you might need to change the aliasing address for any addon aircraft that specifically alias the default sounds, and you will have problems with any default flights or missions that call these aircraft.

As you are not moving the gauges it should be fine, or at worst only cause a minor difficulty. However, bear in mind the advice to launch complicated addons from a DEFAULT aircraft still stands, so I wouldn't move all of them.

In any case they actually seem quite small compared to some of the ludicrously-large addons (you know who you are...) so the savings would be minimal. Moving 75 megs-worth of Cessna 172 versus 1.5 GIGAbytes-worth of L-4 Grasshopper seems like a waste of time... ;)

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Now Smart Defrag works about 5 hours on this "spuninst.exe" file..

I don't know Smart Defrag, but that doesn't sound right. How much free space have you got on your harddrive, in % of total disk size? If your drive is almost full, that might explain it. Another possibility is a corrupt file or a harddisk error. Did Smart Defrag do a disk check before it began defragmentation?

Tom

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No disk check before the defragmentation. And I have still plenty of space on this brand ne harddisk, about 75% of 1TB. It must me a corrupted file. Or the defragger just can't handle "my" situation. Maybe I should try another free defraging program. Any ideas?

Regards

edit: I downloaded the trial version of O&O and it seems to be a great program. So far, everything works perfectly fine. :)

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Do a disk check, It might be the spuninst.exe is corrupted, or it might be partially located on a bad sector.

You might try Ultimate Defrag instead of Smart Defrag. I think it's available as a trial version, so there's no costs involved in trying it out. If you do, set the FIRST run to Consolidate, with `respect high performance` and `respect high performance then stop` both checked in the options.

This will combine the major files quite quickly, even on a 1TB drive.

Then run a second time, this time using the `Folder/File Name` option, with FSX folder specified in the main options menu as a `High Performance` file, and with the auto archive function active, and with the option in the Folder/File Name options menu set with `Respect High Performance then Stop` as UNchecked.

This two-stage defrag should enable you to overcome any problem with an individual file. As a final option, find all instances of SPuninst. exe and delete them - but only as far as the Recycle folder. Then run your Smart Defrag again. You can always recover that file/those few files afterwards by undeleting.

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I just made a Complete/NAME scan with O&O. Do you think I have to do another with Ultimate Defrag?

2009-01-22 17:07:26: C

Statusbericht von O&O Defrag von Rechner DANIEL erstellt am: 22.01.2009 17:07:26

Bericht für Laufwerk ©

Durchgeführte Aktion: COMPLETE/Name

Status: Erfolgreich

Start: 22.01.2009 12:51:10

Ende: 22.01.2009 17:07:26

Benötigte Zeit (hh:mm:ss): 04:16:16

Laufwerksdaten

Seriennummer: 389D-49A1

Gerätename: \Device\HarddiskVolume1

Dateisystem: NTFS

Gesamtkapazität: 931.50 GB (1'000'194'015'232 Bytes)

Freie Kapazität: 747.71 GB (802'857'005'056 Bytes)

Cluster gesamt: 244'187'992

Cluster frei: 196'010'011

Sektoren / Cluster: 8

Bytes / Sektor: 512

MFT-Grösse: 336576512 Bytes

Start des MFT-Spiegels: 122'093'996

Beginn des reservierten MFT-Bereichs: 980'480

Ende des reservierten MFT-Bereichs: 31'309'952

Laufwerksstatistik

Gesamtanzahl der Dateien: 275'032

Gesamtanzahl der Verzeichnisse: 25'473

Analysierte Dateien: 300'493

Verschobene Dateien: 509'392

Fragmentierte Dateien vorher: 174

nachher: 5

Fragmentierungsgrad: vorher: 0.171

nachher: 0.171

Liste der am stärksten fragmentierten Dateien

Fragmente Clusteranzahl Dateiname

400 25'632 C:\$Extend\$UsnJrnl:$J:$DATA

302 708 C:\$Secure:$SDS:$DATA

54 54 C:\$Secure:$SII:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

48 48 C:\$Secure:$SDH:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

11 11 C:\$MFT::$BITMAP

2 354 C:\$Extend\$ObjId:$O:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

2 82'172 C:\$MFT

Liste der größten fragmentierten Dateien

Fragmente Clusteranzahl Dateiname

2 82'172 C:\$MFT

400 25'632 C:\$Extend\$UsnJrnl:$J:$DATA

302 708 C:\$Secure:$SDS:$DATA

2 354 C:\$Extend\$ObjId:$O:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

54 54 C:\$Secure:$SII:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

48 48 C:\$Secure:$SDH:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

11 11 C:\$MFT::$BITMAP

Liste der am stärksten fragmentierten Metadateien

Fragmente Clusteranzahl Dateiname

400 25'632 C:\$Extend\$UsnJrnl:$J:$DATA

302 708 C:\$Secure:$SDS:$DATA

54 54 C:\$Secure:$SII:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

48 48 C:\$Secure:$SDH:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

11 11 C:\$MFT::$BITMAP

2 354 C:\$Extend\$ObjId:$O:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

2 82'172 C:\$MFT

Liste der größten Metadateien

Fragmente Clusteranzahl Dateiname

2 82'172 C:\$MFT

400 25'632 C:\$Extend\$UsnJrnl:$J:$DATA

1 16'384 C:\$LogFile

1 7'453 C:\$Bitmap

302 708 C:\$Secure:$SDS:$DATA

2 354 C:\$Extend\$ObjId:$O:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

54 54 C:\$Secure:$SII:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

48 48 C:\$Secure:$SDH:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

1 32 C:\$UpCase

11 11 C:\$MFT::$BITMAP

1 4 C:\

1 2 C:\$Boot

1 2 C:\$Root::$SECURITY_DESCRIPTOR

1 1 C:\$AttrDef

1 1 C:\$MFTMirr

Liste der am stärksten fragmentierten gesperrten Dateien

Fragmente Clusteranzahl Dateiname

Liste der größten gesperrten Dateien

Fragmente Clusteranzahl Dateiname

1 523'776 C:\pagefile.sys

1 8'064 C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\software

1 1'472 C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\system

1 960 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Daniel Röthlisberger\NTUSER.DAT

1 511 C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\system.LOG

1 171 C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\software.LOG

1 150 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Daniel Röthlisberger\ntuser.dat.LOG

1 128 C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\default

1 80 C:\WINDOWS\system32\Data\CTGER.DAT

1 64 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\NetworkService\Lokale Einstellungen\Anwendungsdaten\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat

1 64 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\LocalService\Lokale Einstellungen\Anwendungsdaten\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat

1 64 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Daniel Röthlisberger\Lokale Einstellungen\Anwendungsdaten\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat

1 64 C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\SAM

1 64 C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\SECURITY

1 57 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\LocalService\NTUSER.DAT

1 57 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\NetworkService\NTUSER.DAT

1 24 C:\System Volume Information\_restore{90CB276B-607E-4094-97E6-AB53A132C730}\RP119\change.log

1 24 C:\System Volume Information\_restore{90CB276B-607E-4094-97E6-AB53A132C730}\RP119\change.log

1 14 C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctdnlstr.dat

1 9 C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\default.LOG

1 7 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\NetworkService\ntuser.dat.LOG

1 6 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\LocalService\ntuser.dat.LOG

1 5 C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\SECURITY.LOG

1 3 C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\SAM.LOG

1 2 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\LocalService\Lokale Einstellungen\Anwendungsdaten\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat.LOG

1 2 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\NetworkService\Lokale Einstellungen\Anwendungsdaten\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat.LOG

1 2 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Daniel Röthlisberger\Lokale Einstellungen\Anwendungsdaten\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat.LOG

Liste der größten Dateien auf dem Datenträger

Fragmente Clusteranzahl Dateiname

1 523'776 C:\pagefile.sys

1 406'514 C:\Programme\Electronic Arts\Crytek\Crysis\Game\Objects.pak

1 256'288 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Daniel Röthlisberger\Eigene Dateien\Eigene Musik\iTunes\iTunes Music\Movies\....mp4

1 188'973 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Daniel Röthlisberger\Eigene Dateien\Eigene Videos\....avi

1 180'182 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Daniel Röthlisberger\Eigene Dateien\Eigene Videos\....avi

1 172'958 C:\Programme\THQ\S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl\gamedata.db1

1 169'375 C:\Programme\THQ\S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl\gamedata.db5

1 167'186 C:\Programme\THQ\S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl\gamedata.db3

1 166'052 C:\Programme\THQ\S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl\gamedata.db0

1 164'124 C:\Programme\THQ\S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl\gamedata.db6

1 163'919 C:\Programme\THQ\S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl\gamedata.db4

1 163'860 C:\Programme\THQ\S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl\gamedata.db2

1 163'851 C:\Programme\THQ\S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl\gamedata.db7

1 160'377 C:\Programme\Electronic Arts\Crytek\Crysis\Game\Sounds.pak

1 152'176 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Daniel Röthlisberger\Eigene Dateien\Eigene Musik\iTunes\iTunes Music\Movies\....mp4

1 141'242 C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Daniel Röthlisberger\Eigene Dateien\Eigene Musik\iTunes\iTunes Music\Movies\....mp4

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Deine Platte war vorher nicht nennenswert fragmentiert und ist es auch nach dem O&O Lauf nicht:

> Fragmentierte Dateien vorher: 174

> nachher: 5

> Fragmentierungsgrad: vorher: 0.171

> nachher: 0.171

Die verbleibenden fragmentierten Dateien, sind vom Windows System blockiert und können nur durch ein boot-defrag defragmentiert werden:

2 82'172 C:\$MFT

400 25'632 C:\$Extend\$UsnJrnl:$J:$DATA

302 708 C:\$Secure:$SDS:$DATA

2 354 C:\$Extend\$ObjId:$O:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

54 54 C:\$Secure:$SII:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

48 48 C:\$Secure:$SDH:$INDEX_ALLOCATION

11 11 C:\$MFT::$BITMAP

Ich würd sagen: besser wird's nicht (was die Fragmentierung angeht).

Cheers,

Emacs

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Danke Emacs. Das Problem war eher, dass der Windows Defragger alles durcheinander gebracht hat, so dass einige Texturen nicht mehr richtig geladen wurden. Das sollte nun behoben sein.

Thanks Emacs. The problem was rather that everything was messed up, caused by the default windows defragger, that some of the textures didn't load properly anymore. It should be repaired now.

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O & O on Complete/Name should have solved the problem.

Smart Defrag caused me some problems when I tried it, problems which O & O Defrag and Ultimate Defrag never did.

Either should be suitable for your needs. BUT it must be O & O version 11 NOT 10, as the newest version solves some problems specific to the data formatting of FS.

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What's this about O and O 10 being no good?

I actually would agree with that by the way - I just started a full defrag last night (already 14 hours ago) and O & O is telling me that remaining time = 1 Day, 10:12:30

Now THAT sucks. Is this an OO 10 thing? will 11 be faster?

The drive was only 16% fragmented by the way and the stalling seems to be in the microsoft folders - currently chewing away at VFR Germany BGL files

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Nick N from GEX was in communication with O & O after identifying a code failure in V10 that specifically affected FS defragmentation adversely. On that basis the advice was to stay with v8.5 until the new version addressed the issue. This was examined and verified by O & O who, as a result, recreated a sale page for the `old` version in direct response to the simmers needs in spite of the greater commercial need to supercede the old with the new.

A very decent response, and worthy of simmers support, if you don't already have Ultimate Defrag like me!

V11 has addressed the issue.

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Now THAT sucks. Is this an OO 10 thing? will 11 be faster?

The specific problem with O&O version 10 had to do with the way files were being placed on the harddrive using the /NAME defrag method. I took advantage of the offer that Snave mentioned, and I tried both versions (currently using the older one). I did not see any difference in overall performance (i.e. time to defragment my harddrive), so I doubt that whatever is causing the slow defragmentation would be any different in verison 11.

Tom

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  • 3 weeks later...

Today I flew fot he first time since I defragmented my hard disk. And the airports load faster than before. What remains are the textures of the airbus, which stay sometimes just black. I can handle it by activating the map and then close it again, but that's not the best solution. Could it also be the graphics card driver? I doubt it, because I didn't experience this "black-texture" problem before I defragmented the hard disk with the windows defragger.

I think the best solution will be to reinstall the Airbus Package. What do you think?

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