Defrag AND move of data files

Defraggler
1

Running Server 2012 Standard with hardware raid for a small parochial school which has no extra money.

Trying to resize partitions to test virtualization.

Used Defraggler to optimize the drive which is 638 GB w/500 GB free.

Watching the display, i could tell the data at the end of the drive was not getting moved which is stopping "shrink volume" from working.

I could move the data to another drive but the metadata files & the Microsoft file table don't budge.

There is a SysInternals tool that talks about defragging the metadata files ($logfile & $MFT are the two files causing my problem) but does not move them.

I can remember MANY years ago PC Tools would defrag & move the data to the front of the drive.

Until I can get the a defragging tool to also move data, I am stuck with this large free space that I cannot shrink.

I am almost to the point of spending $499.00 for a M$ support line call.

Suggestions?

Thanks - Dennis

2

I usually suggest using Windows Defragger when repartitioning. Did you try it?

3

Yes I did.

That was the easiest thing to use, not realizing files are not move up to the front of the drive.

Which was another assumption I made based on past experience.

The SyInternals tool I used is Contig.exe.

It does just what the name suggests.

4

I presume that you are aware that restore points usually land smack in the drive's middle, so before defragging for repartitioning I delete all of them along with paging file and hibernates cos they don't get moved.

5

That is something I didn't think about.

I will give it a try later today once my teachers & students have left.

Thanks - Dennis