[errorrrr]

Defraging is commonly used on Desktop computers and helps the hdd clean it self... wonder if it helps in portable players?

 

[sebascrub]

Speaking only for the iPod, I've read from Apple and iLounge (I think on the latter) that defragging the iPod isn't really necessary at all, even if you change the music around a lot

 

[wax4213]

Defragging is most useful when files have been transferred on and off of an hdd, so I would guess that it depends on how you use your DAP. If you're like me and only change the music on it very rarely, I would think there would be minimal benefits to defragging it, but maybe if you were constantly changing what songs are on your DAP it would help more. I've always sort of wondered about this too.

 

[terrymx]

well it might help to load files faster, but 4 and 5mb mp3 files arent much. but 700mb video files maybe.

although for defragmenting purpose in general, i highly recommend Diskeeper over the standard windows one.

 

[EFN]

If your HD DAP is bigger than 1GB don't bother doing it. Even running on USB 2.0 it will be sickeningly slow. I have done that and I regret doing them.

The best alternative is to back up all your songs to your PC and then delete all songs from your DAP. Format them would be better. Once done copy your songs back to your DAP and you will have a very cleanly structured file arrangement

 

[cire]

defragging the drive is a bad idea as you're putting a huge load on the HD while it's in a small, crampt, uncooled enclosure. you're sending your drive through the pearly gates from overheating by doing this. also, you're not trying to get amazing performance out of a DAP's HD, so again, there's no point in defragging.

 

[FA22RaptorF22]

hmmm...lets dive into disk formatting....

A PC requires that you "defrag" every so often because of its file structure. Files get fragmented because of this...space is wasted due to cluster size etc. A PC's main file format today is NTFS. Portable players are generally FAT32. FAT systems, like macs, do NOT require defragging. Infact, defragging can screw up a drive in this format. File integrity is maintained consistantly in this format...Ipods are HFS+ i believe which is comparable to FAT32....dont even bother with defragging.

MAIN POINT?

Dont defrag a portable player unless you happen to format it in NTFS or something. All portable players when you get them do NOT have to be defragged.

 

[blazer78]

FAT32 doesn't require defragging? LMAO

NTFS is a much more efficient file system compared to FAT32 and still requires defragging.

To my knowledge the only file systems that do not require defragging are those used by linux and unix. (Ext3, Ext2, Reiserfs etc.)

 

[Mr Do]

From personal expierience the best thing to do for an ipod is to reset it within itunes to the factory settings. This deletes all you music files and fixes most common problems with the ipod hd. My 4g ipod photo was acting up and this fixed everyithing. Everything works so much smoother now with no glitches.

Later.
Do!

 

[samk64]

from what i've seen on atraclife forums, defragging seems more common for sony nw-a3000 users. i think for most players it will be fine if you don't.

 

[pds6]

Defraging says
Quote:

Defraging . . . portable players?

THIS IS FOR APPLE COMPUTERS:

I have read that Apple DOES NOT recommend you use Disk Utility to do anything with the iPod. Before I read Apple's recommondation, I ran Disk Warrior on the iPod. BIG MISTAKE! If you have any concerns, reformate and do a clean install.

I have a large number of Smart Playlists on iTunes. Every few months I reformate and reload my iPods with new Playlists. It is painless and take a few hours. I have never had a major problem.

 

[BlindTiger]

I made the mistake of using windows to defrag my Ipod.
Shouldn't of did that, messed up everything. Made it so I can't add any songs to it.

 

[FA22RaptorF22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlindTiger I made the mistake of using windows to defrag my Ipod. Shouldn't of did that, messed up everything. Made it so I can't add any songs to it.

hmmm...just what ive been saying all along....and fat32 can be defragged...but it rarely needs it. Of course ntfs is much better than fat32...hence New Technology File System lol. But dont ever bother defragging fat32. As for ipods...as we see here DONT DEFRAG THEM. lol

 

[John Reeves]

Hi,

Whilst I would not argue against the comments on defragging a DAP drive, it is simply rubish to say that a FAT32 drive in a computer does not need defragging regularly. NTFS also needs defragging. It is a more robust file system, but still needs the same attention. The file system is simply an index, it does not effect the file itself or how it is written to the disk. If you look at how a disk drive reads and writes then it is fairly obvious that after writes and re-writes etc files become split up since when you add a file it uses up available segments on the hard drive, not contiguous sgments.

Cheers
John

 

[EFN]

I repeat. dont waste time defragging those DAPs. Simply reformat and resync. faster and cleaner.

Defrag will never match the tidiness of fresh copy/sync