Defragmenting?

Le Fumeur · Le Fumeur #1 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 01:54 AM

Forgive my noob questions, but:

1. Do I need to defragment my iMac hard drive?
2. If so, what is a good program that does it?

Thanks!

D3v1L80Y · D3v1L80Y #2 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 01:56 AM

No and none.
:black:

Le Fumeur · Le Fumeur #3 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 02:02 AM

Really? No defragmenting? That sounds too good to be true! Why not?

iWonder · iWonder #4 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 02:33 AM

It does it automatically when needed

yogi · yogi #5 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 04:49 AM

http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment
http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment
http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment
http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment
Defragmenting Hard Drive
http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment
http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment

*misleading information follows*
The basic reason why it isn't necessary is that Macs (and other modern Unixes) use a journaled file system called HFS+ (or ReiserFS or others). Windows relies on it's ancient NTFS which is really horrible. Welcome to the 21st century.

Avalon · Avalon #6 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yogi

The basic reason why it isn't necessary is that Macs (and other modern Unixes) use a journaled file system called HFS+ (or ReiserFS or others). Windows relies on it's ancient NTFS which is really horrible. Welcome to the 21st century.

As far as I remember, NTFS is journaled too, and actually the reason why OS X doesn't need defragmenting has nothing to do with journaling, as the purpose of journaling is a very different one.

OS X defragments files on the fly, that's why a disk doesn't get fragmented, unless it start becoming too full.

And, historically speaking, HFS+ exists since OS 8.1 or 8.5 I think, so it's not less ancient than NTFS... :cool:

coach_z · coach_z #7 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avalon

OS X defragments files on the fly, that's why a disk doesn't get fragmented, unless it start becoming too full.

yes, this is the reason you dont have to defrag
-chris

Le Fumeur · Le Fumeur #8 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 09:46 AM

Wow. Yet another great thing about Mac!

yogi · yogi #9 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 10:40 AM

Sorry if I picked that up wrong. I thought HFS+ was new with OSX after HFS. Sorry about that.

dohidied · dohidied #10 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avalon

And, historically speaking, HFS+ exists since OS 8.1 or 8.5 I think, so it's not less ancient than NTFS... :cool:

actually, NTFS has been around since the debut of Windows NT in 1993. And HFS+ has been around since OS 8.1 in 1998.

Noxian · Noxian #11 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 02:29 PM

its funny because Vista will be introducting this feature eventhough OSX has had it for awhile

Aptmunich · Aptmunich #12 (**permalink**)

07-21-2006, 04:23 PM

Actually AFAIK vista will be introducing sheduled regular defragmentations (Sunday at 4a.m. - yay waste more electricity in offices - please!), I haven't heard anything about mini-defrags after installs in vista yet...

Avalon · Avalon #13 (**permalink**)

07-22-2006, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dohidied

actually, NTFS has been around since the debut of Windows NT in 1993. And HFS+ has been around since OS 8.1 in 1998.

Right, I forgot that NT is more ancient than OS 8...but still, both are prehistoric now. :cool:

Avalon · Avalon #14 (**permalink**)

07-22-2006, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aptmunich

Actually AFAIK vista will be introducing sheduled regular defragmentations (Sunday at 4a.m. - yay waste more electricity in offices - please!), I haven't heard anything about mini-defrags after installs in vista yet...

Scheduled defragmentations...that's not a way to solve fragmentation problems...but the typical way MS works:
Don't change old things, no, just try to "improve" them... :cool:

Hurst01 · Hurst01 #15 (**permalink**)

07-23-2006, 12:42 AM

That is interesting. I have used Techtool Pro4 to defrag my Mac. I wasn't aware that it did not need to be done. I have done it several times on my old G3 B&W. Only once on the G4 since installing OSX 10.4.7.
Of course, I am kind of computer illiterate.

Ed

D3v1L80Y #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 02, 2004 Location: PA Posts: 12,455 Mac Specs: MacBook	07-21-2006, 01:56 AM No and none. :black: __________________________________________________ Posting and YOU\|Forum Community Guidelines\|The Apple Product Cycle\|Forum Courtesy mac: a waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric MAC: a data communication protocol sub-layer, also known as the Media Access Control Mac: a brand name which covers several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc.
	QUOTE Thanks

yogi #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 14, 2005 Location: St. Gallen, Switzerland Posts: 1,973 Mac Specs: iMac Core i5, iPad, iPhone 4	07-21-2006, 04:49 AM http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment Defragmenting Hard Drive http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment http://mac-forums.com/forums/showthr...ght=defragment *misleading information follows* The basic reason why it isn't necessary is that Macs (and other modern Unixes) use a journaled file system called HFS+ (or ReiserFS or others). Windows relies on it's ancient NTFS which is really horrible. Welcome to the 21st century. If you liked this post, consider using the Reputation System. Last edited by yogi; 07-21-2006 at 10:42 AM.
	QUOTE Thanks

yogi #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 14, 2005 Location: St. Gallen, Switzerland Posts: 1,973 Mac Specs: iMac Core i5, iPad, iPhone 4	07-21-2006, 10:40 AM Sorry if I picked that up wrong. I thought HFS+ was new with OSX after HFS. Sorry about that. If you liked this post, consider using the Reputation System.
	QUOTE Thanks

Aptmunich #12 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 09, 2004 Location: Munich Posts: 9,075 Mac Specs: Aluminium Macbook 2.4 Ghz 4GB RAM, SSD 24" Samsung Display, iPhone 4, iPad 2	07-21-2006, 04:23 PM Actually AFAIK vista will be introducing sheduled regular defragmentations (Sunday at 4a.m. - yay waste more electricity in offices - please!), I haven't heard anything about mini-defrags after installs in vista yet... Mac-Forums Twitter \| Mac-Forums Blog My Twitter \| Jetplane Journal
	QUOTE Thanks

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Le Fumeur #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 03, 2006 Posts: 76	07-21-2006, 01:54 AM Forgive my noob questions, but: 1. Do I need to defragment my iMac hard drive? 2. If so, what is a good program that does it? Thanks!
	QUOTE Thanks

iWonder #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Jun 09, 2005 Location: My world Posts: 632 Mac Specs: iBook 12" G4, 30 GB, 768 MB RAM. iPod 5G 30GB.	07-21-2006, 02:33 AM It does it automatically when needed
	QUOTE Thanks

Le Fumeur #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 03, 2006 Posts: 76	07-21-2006, 09:46 AM Wow. Yet another great thing about Mac!
	QUOTE Thanks

Noxian #11 (permalink)
Member Since: Jun 17, 2006 Posts: 542 Mac Specs: MacBook Pro 2.2ghz, 3GB, 250GB - 16GB White iPhone 3G - 2nd Gen 1GB Shuffle	07-21-2006, 02:29 PM its funny because Vista will be introducting this feature eventhough OSX has had it for awhile
	QUOTE Thanks

Hurst01 #15 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	07-23-2006, 12:42 AM That is interesting. I have used Techtool Pro4 to defrag my Mac. I wasn't aware that it did not need to be done. I have done it several times on my old G3 B&W. Only once on the G4 since installing OSX 10.4.7. Of course, I am kind of computer illiterate. Ed
	QUOTE Thanks

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