2 bugs: purple blocks + free space defrag

Defraggler Defraggler Bug Reporting
1

Two unrelated DF bugs:

1- I've got a problem on my new 2TB external hdisk with purple blocks (only graphical? Tested on Windows XP)

Added files seem to overlap the violet area (MFT?). Normal blue blocks have appeared again only after many GB of data.

See the example edited image to understand better (free space has been cut out).

2-free space defrag is cool, but it creates fragmentation even when it's not allowed.

I've started with 0 fragments, but ended up with 500+ fragmented files (tried on various hdisks)

EDIT: added more info

post-64805-0-23638200-1353924809_thumb.gif

2

I'm guessing the disk is not repartitioned. How much of that 2TB is free space?

3

Uh.. not repartitioned? The drive (external) is new and I've formatted it with a single NTFS partition (so it was empty at start).

The purple area was there before and after the formatting. It occupies about 1\7 of the total space shown by Defraggler.

I've noticed the overlapping issue immediately when adding files, because the violet blocks are near the start of the disk.

The space is 50% free for now. Ah, and I have Windows XP.

4

Initially you didn't indicate it was external, and since I lack sufficent experience there I can't properly advise. Hopefully others will come to your aid.

As to the free space defrag, I tried it once and didn't notice any improvement. :P

5

Defraggler shows me a list of Drives at the top,

Followed by a mass of coloured squares,

Followed by 5 or 6 Tabs which determine whether the space below shows a Drive Summary or a File List, or a Search or a Drive Map or Health or Highlighted.

You appear to edited the display and made it unintelligible to me.

I suggest you Analyze and click on the Tab "Drive Map".

With luck that will show below the Tabs what the different colours mean, and "Edit Settings" will allow you to change your colours.

A single complete screenshot of the entire Defraggler display would give a basis for discussion.

6

Kroozer:

ok, thanks anyway :)

Alan_B:

here is the full DF window.

Previously I've posted the edited image because I had to show the changes in time, whereas the full picture is just "static".

All the colours are set to defaults (purple should be "reserved MFT space").

post-64805-0-56844200-1354014138_thumb.gif

7

In your first post you referred to 500+ fragmented files.

I see no fragmented files.

Have you resolved that now ?

I believe the MFT is intended to occupy as much of the "reserved MFT space" as it needs.

The "reserved MFT space" can be larger than the essential MFT itself.

I believe it is common for the MFT etc to appear near the centre of the partition space,

and once enough files are added to fill the first region they will start filling the other side.

My C:\ System partitions have always been like that,

I find that an NTFS partition I use for Portable applications and utilities has its MFT etc very close to the beginning similar to your drive H:\.

This may be the result of how I used a third party Partition Manager to create the partition originally.

The main anomaly that I see is the vastness of the "reserved MFT space".

This may be a result of how the HDD manufacturer formatted it.

Personally I cannot advise upon how to shrink that space to a more sensible value, nor how to relocate it.

Sorry, but I too am out.

8

-once enough files are added to fill the first region they will start filling the other side

That's exactly what I expected, but it hasn't happened!

The added data filled the first region, then stopped showing up, like it was being written on the purple area (check my first image).

Only after many GBs, it reappeared to the other side.

Currently I'm not worried about the vastness of the "reserved MFT space", but only that Windows is not considering it, whilst DF is (at least graphically).

-In your first post you referred to 500+ fragmented files

Sorry, I haven't been clear. The 2 problems are unrelated to each other.

Free space defrag on other hdisks caused fragments.

It's solved by a simple defrag, but it should't happen in the first place.

9

Did someone have a similar experience or has other suggestions?

10

MFT may grow quite large under XP.

I have a 1TB external drive with hundreds of thousands of files. Possibly millions, but takes a while to calculate.

XP crashes on folders with over 5,000 files, while 7 opened 28,000 + no problem.

* Perhaps you can try 7 if you have lots of files? Maybe it will help with your MFT problem as well.

11

Agreed. MFT handling is 7 is way better than it was under WinXP.