[3X0]

The (oversimplified) way I've always seen it is that FAT32 and NTFS storage systems allocate data as such:
HEAD-FI.ORG

This means that if files were to grow or move, fragmentation would likely result.

While a file system such as ext3 (Linux/Unix) allocates data as such:
H E A D - F I . O R G

As such there is ample overhead for the movement of files and active file size increase without unnecessary fragmentation.

I can't really speak for MFS/HFS/HFS+ that's used for Macintosh devices. I've never had experiences with one.

In most cases defragmenting a player would pose infinitesimal benefit; perhaps it might make the most fragmented of players a tiny bit speedier in accessing the disk or perhaps save a small amount of battery life.

Despite this, I make it an obsessive-compulsive habit to defragment my iAudio X5L every time I change files on it. Only takes me about five to ten minutes for about 28GB of data.

It has a high risk of messing up players that aren't UMS drag-and-drop, I imagine.

 

[pds6]

3X0 says:
Quote:

I can't really speak for MFS/HFS/HFS+ that's used for Macintosh devices. I've never had experiences with one.

Apple recommends that your computer be kept on at all times. One of the reasons for this recommondation is that Apple does clean-up and repair while the users is asleep. My understanding is that an Apple computer defrags, fixes permissions and does other housekeeping functions automatically.

 

[3X0]

Ah, yeah, probably does background taskkeeping.

I've only used Windows XP Pro (NIGHTMARE with fragmentation with my song library and games) but have recently migrated to Kubuntu 6.06LTS. Not having to defragment, ever, is a dream.

In all honesty I still maintain that defragmentation of a totally fragmented DAP hard drive that bodes well with the procedure would be far from harmful, and might actually show small improvements.

 

[mnhnhyouh]

It has been demonstrated over at misticriver.net that defragging an iRiver H320 will make it boot faster under stock firmware.

However, much quicker than defragging, and leading to less HD use, is to delete everything and copy it back across either using x-copy, or not as good, just a standard copy.

HFS+ is not compatible with FAT32.

h

 

[FA22RaptorF22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnhnhyouh It has been demonstrated over at misticriver.net that defragging an iRiver H320 will make it boot faster under stock firmware. However, much quicker than defragging, and leading to less HD use, is to delete everything and copy it back across either using x-copy, or not as good, just a standard copy. HFS+ is not compatible with FAT32.

You mean the dos command xcopy? And with your last statement...are you trying to state that macs (HFS+) are not compatible with say an Archos (FAT32)?