defragmentation

[exmayorlb]

Might be worth a sticky or an addition to the user manual....

(I hunted and could find no particular reference)

It is my understanding (and I have been suggesting accordingly on the Apple Discussion forums) that if you have very large files (larger than the 20 MB files that OS X defrags automatically), SD! will "defrag" your internal HD by simply smart updating the external bootable clone back to the internal HD.

Former Windows users ask questions about defragging all the time, and I wanted to be sure I am giving correct information.

Barry

[dnanian]

Well -- sort of, but it's not SD! that's doing it, it's the file system. And while the file ends up contiguious, "defragging" in its true sense is also about consolidating the catalog, optimally placing files, etc.

[exmayorlb]

Hi Dave:

However, if one restores a clone from an external HD, the net effect is defragmentation - right?

Barry

[dnanian]

If you do an erase-then-copy, the *files* are defragmented, yes. But fragmentation on a typical OSX volume is quit elow.

It's not the same as running iDefrag. But, again, fragmentation is not a big problem in most cases.

[t3rockhall]

Originally Posted by dnanian

Well -- sort of, but it's not SD! that's doing it, it's the file system. And while the file ends up contiguious, "defragging" in its true sense is also about consolidating the catalog, optimally placing files, etc.

So, an erase-and-replace defrags (the files only, or files and space?), but not the same as, say, running TT4 does? SD sure is a whole lot faster than TT4, though.