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Does the OS X file system need to be defragmented? ...
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2005
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My G4 iBook is a couple years old. DiskWarrior 3 is telling me it is fairly badly fragmented.
I thought I remembered once reading that the OS X file system would automatically keep itself defragmented for files under 20mb.
What's the story on this topic?
Thanks very much in advance!
(Last edited by cmeisenzahl; Dec 7, 2006 at 07:19 AM.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
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DiskWarrior is measuring directory catalog fragmentation, not filesystem fragmentation. If you let DiskWarrior rebuild the disk it will create a new, defragmented catalog. As for regular defragmentation, most people here say it is unncessary for the reason you mentioned.
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"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by Big Mac 
DiskWarrior is measuring directory catalog fragmentation, not filesystem fragmentation. If you let DiskWarrior rebuild the disk it will create a new, defragmented catalog. As for regular defragmentation, most people here say it is unncessary for the reason you mentioned.
Much appreciated, thanks!
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
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Originally Posted by cmeisenzahl
Much appreciated, thanks!
You're welcome. 
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"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Dark Side of the Moon
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I recently used iDefrag to defrag my Macbook. It does make it run faster afterwards, particularly if you have little space left or have had large files on the disk (movies). I wouldn't normally defrag, but it was necessary to install bootcamp. So for older laptop users in particular I would recommend it. iDefrag is pretty cheap too.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2006
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There is a big difference between file fragmentation and optimization. File fragmentation is not an issue with OS X unless you have no room left on your drive or are working with huge video files. The OS defrags on the fly. Optimization is where all of your applications and data and fonts and printer drivers are all tidy. That can help, a bit. Disk Warrior creates a brand new directory catalog so that the location of all of your files is nice and organized.. That is a very good thing.
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Admin Emeritus  Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
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Erm... sorta.
File fragmentation is one thing. This isn't that big a deal most of the time. Mac OS X fixes this automatically for most files.
Free space fragmentation is another. This also isn't usually a big deal. Macs have always been better at preventing this problem than PCs.
Directory fragmentation is again different. DiskWarrior fixes this, and no other utility does as good a job, by a long shot.
Filesystem optimization is yet something else. Mac OS X does this automatically, for the most important files.
tooki
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