Recommended Defragmenter

MG's Top Freeware Picks lists the following defragmenters:

Iobit SmartDefrag
Auslogics Disk Defrag
Lexun DrvCareXP
Power Defragmenter GUI
Diskeeper Lite

Rather than test-drive them all I was wondering if there is a consensus on which is "the best" (for XP SP2). Thanks for any input.

 

The only one I have ever tried is Auslogics, but I am very happy with it. Ridicilousy simple to install and use, and it works quickly and effectively.

/Mimsy

 

Why is Windows' defrag utility insufficient? I read that many people like a second party defrag utility, but why is Windows' not good enough? I may switch too if I find reason to.

 

It's just not very good at its job, as I understand it. All I know is that after running the built-in defragementer in Windows, Auslogics still managed to clear out an additional 10% of my hard drive.

/Mimsy

 

The windows defrag utility is great, its just that i find i get a lot more versatility and usability with diskeeper in regards to analyzation, job reporting, set and forget, program configuration etc.

Both repair fragmented files quite well though!

Regards

 

I love IObit...gets a more efficient job done in way less time

 

I use Power Defragmenter GUI which is the front end of the powerful defragmenter Contig. It uses the native Windows NT defragmentation support, but to my opinion much more efficient and with very high defragmentation speed (based on Sysinternals defragmentation engine).

 

I was just about to ask a question regarding defragmentations.

I use the default Window's defrag, but after every single defrag that I did, it keeps asking me to do another defrag.

For example last night I analyze and it told me that my drive needs to be drafrag. I did that. Right after the defrag finished, I analyze it again and it tells me I have to defrag it again. What's causing this? Should I use another program?

I just want my PC to be faster.

 

Anybody else?

 

I tried Auslogics. It did defrag things Windows utility missed, but there was no way to defrag C:\$mft file. Nice interface and seems like a solid program. I would like to defrag the C:\$mft file which logs all HDD activity and manages it, I believe and has only limited space. When full, it will cause errors. That is all I know, though. Anyone have input on that?

 

I know the original poster was looking for free progs, but I'm running the newest full Diskeeper Pro 2007, and it's nothing short of amazing. The biggest feature I like...it auto defrags on a constant basis, but only when it detects idle processor time. What this means is, I don't notice any resource use, and my disks remain completely defragged. I'll never need to waste time running defrag ever again. It will also defrag the MFT file that walter34payton2002 was talking about. Thumbs up!

 

Perfectdisk has a boot time option which defrags the MFT safely. Any "online" method bypasses the defragmentation APIs within Windows NT which Microsoft has provided for safe defragmentation, and can result in loss of data, data corruption, system crashes, or even loss of entire volumes.

It's not free however but the trial is fully fuctional.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/PerfectDisk_d268.html

 

I use Diskeeper Lite and have for quite some time... I like it, it's fast and easy to set up and use. And it works in place of the Windows defragger so when you run defrag from the Accessories menu, you get Diskeeper....

 

Wavetar: : "it auto defrags on a constant basis,..."

Major Attitude: "... constant defragging is not healthy for your PC."

Unconfuse me please.

 

Thanks, for the great tip ! Like mentioned above, I had a MFT file driving me NUTS, because I couldn't defrag it, too. Now, thanks to Perfectdisk defragging the MFTs, my PC's a tad snappier.

MG's great for these little snippets of info !!!!

 

Yes, I can see where the confusion comes in. Basically, a hard drive is a mechanical part, and thus the more you use it, the more likely it'll eventually break. Doing a complete defrag of your hard drive daily or even weekly for instance, is mostly unnecessary & simply puts unneeded stress on the hard drive. This is different from Diskeeper doing small defrag operations when it deems it necessary, and it'll save you from having to do complete defrag cycles which involve the entire hard drive.

 

Hey thx for all the info, didn't realize that the Windows Defrag wasn't all that great. I downloaded AusLogics and it's sweet. Thx again

 

Actually, if you have XP the built-in defragger is a version of Diskeeper.