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ZippyGaloo
wrote on 10/28/2003, 10:45 PM
Comments
BillyBoy
wrote on 10/28/2003, 11:05 PM
The only risk is if during the defragging you have a system crash or power failure. Both are pretty rare events and highly unlikely. It should have zero impact otherwise. All defragging does is restore files to whole continious sectors. In all the years I've used PC's only once did Windows freeze during a defrag. It was on a NTSC file system. If it happens there isn't much you can do execept reboot. All that happened was Windows threw up a couple of interesting error messages I handn't seen before when I ran checkdisk and then it proceeded to rebuild one of the indexes. Result was one lost file of a few hundred bytes. The process did take about a half hour and during that time there was no indication Windows was doing anything with the status bar motionless and very little drive acticvity. Still Windows recovered and all of the other 100,000 plus files I had on that system were fine. So I wouldn't worry about defragging hurting your project files. Something could happen, but not very likely.
farss
wrote on 10/28/2003, 11:35 PM
I had a demo version of a defrag program called 'Perfect Disk' that seemed to do an excellent job. Unlike the Windoz defragger it doesn't just defragment the files it puts them all into the one contiguous space so the empty section of the drive is as large as possible which is really what you want when working with video.
I didn't end up buying it as I now just put one entire project on one drive and delete it all when it's finished but if you need a good defragger it wasn't expensive.
I didn't end up buying it as I now just put one entire project on one drive and delete it all when it's finished but if you need a good defragger it wasn't expensive.
kentwolf
wrote on 10/29/2003, 12:22 AM
With regard to defragging utilities, Diskeeper is also very good...from Executive software.
pb
wrote on 10/29/2003, 12:28 AM
Zippy: you should try to maintain 20% free space if you are using the Windows defragger because it won't run if you are down to less than 15%. Disk Keeper is far better for this kind of work. Your best solution is to channel some profit back into your gear and buy a couple of Lacie 200 Gig drives so that you can use a drive per project then wipe 'em clean afterward.
Peter
Peter
ZippyGaloo
wrote on 10/29/2003, 2:23 AM
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PhilHemel
wrote on 10/29/2003, 2:37 AM
Just a thought, if this data is important, shouldn't it be backed up? (whether you defrag or not).
A system crash or power failure can (and HAS in my case!) trash an entire drive at ANY time - not just when you're defragging.
I use an external hard drive for these situations and I wouldn't be without it. I also have a UPS (uninteruptable power supply) which is also a big comfort.
Of course, once it's backed up, you can defrag without fear!
A system crash or power failure can (and HAS in my case!) trash an entire drive at ANY time - not just when you're defragging.
I use an external hard drive for these situations and I wouldn't be without it. I also have a UPS (uninteruptable power supply) which is also a big comfort.
Of course, once it's backed up, you can defrag without fear!
Grazie
wrote on 10/29/2003, 2:50 AM
Phil, I couldn't agree more. I have a bank of external firewire drives - 60gb, 80gb and 2x 120gbs . . .
Zipps, if you haven't done so, I'd get one or two as soon as you can. It also allows me to "manage" projects and pump stuff to and fro to get that extra real estate. If you are anything like me - heaven help yah! - I need larger real estate because I flit from project to project - yeah?
. . getting a "confirmation" of what could or couldn't happen from this Forum, doesn't stop me from taking remedial responsible action for myself . . there's nothing more embarrassing or potentially litigious than a very upset, and quite rightly, furious client - yeah?
Zipps, get some "other" drives and relax - guess you knew this anyway?
Personally, I would not do anything until the project was outta the door and/or backed up in some way to another drive . . . .
Tell us how you get on . . and more importantly how the video was recieved by your client - yeah? I'm interested.
Grazie
Zipps, if you haven't done so, I'd get one or two as soon as you can. It also allows me to "manage" projects and pump stuff to and fro to get that extra real estate. If you are anything like me - heaven help yah! - I need larger real estate because I flit from project to project - yeah?
. . getting a "confirmation" of what could or couldn't happen from this Forum, doesn't stop me from taking remedial responsible action for myself . . there's nothing more embarrassing or potentially litigious than a very upset, and quite rightly, furious client - yeah?
Zipps, get some "other" drives and relax - guess you knew this anyway?
Personally, I would not do anything until the project was outta the door and/or backed up in some way to another drive . . . .
Tell us how you get on . . and more importantly how the video was recieved by your client - yeah? I'm interested.
Grazie
farss
wrote on 10/29/2003, 3:03 AM
If you can make a backup then one of the best ways to defrag is to delete everything off the drive and then copy it back from the backup.
Of course if the backup drive should die while you're doing that.....
Of course if the backup drive should die while you're doing that.....
stormstereo
wrote on 10/29/2003, 4:41 AM
Go on and defrag. It will do nothing bad to your project and you will loose nothing unless a power failure shoul occure in the process. Even then you might be ok.
Best/Tommy
Best/Tommy
pb
wrote on 10/29/2003, 5:20 AM
Zippy, I defrag regularly and until a year or two ago had a Norton Utilities prgram that did it automatically. The other posters who suggest external media for back up and storage are right, you should look into it. That's a nice size internal drive you have there and supplementing it with back up drives is prudent.
Peter
Peter