Install Defrag (Defragmentation Application) In Ubuntu

On most forums, websites and so on, when someone asks "do I need to defragment my Linux filesystems?", the answer is "no". But that's a common misconception and in some cases you do have to defragment your Linux filesystems. This is even confirmed by an Ubuntu developer on a very recent post I stumbled upon just a few minutes ago about ureadahead on the ubuntuforums.

I'm not sure if this common misconception is related or not, but there aren't many applications for defragmenting your Linux filesystems. In fact I could only find 2 and posted about them a while back (shake and defrag). Unfortunately defrag development stopped some time ago, but Phillip Susi rescued Defrag by creating a bzr branch in Launchpad and converting Defrag to a native Ubuntu package which you can access @ https://code.launchpad.net/~e2defrag/e2defrag/trunk

To help in saving Defrag, I've uploaded it to the WebUpd8 PPA (packages available for Karmic and Lucid).

You can either get the Defrag code from the bzr link above and create the .deb yourself or install it via the WebUpd8 PPA.

To add the WebUpd8 PPA and install defrag (Karmic and Lucid), paste this in a terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install defrag

Defrag will work on Ext, Ext2 and XFS Linux filesystems:

Mdefrag will reorganise data on a minix file system partition in order to improve the file system's performance. Edefrag is the equivalent program for the old extended file system. E2defrag in its turn is designed for the second extended file system (versions 0.3 onwards). And the xdefrag program will operate on Xia FS filesystems.

For how to use defrag, type this in a terminal:

man defrag

Attention: do not run Defrag without reading it's man page. Also, back up the data before using Defrag!

To find out if your partition are fragmented and a lot more info on defragmenting the Linux filesystems, see this post: Defragment Linux EXT3 Filesystems Using Shake And Defrag

Freeware Windows Application Defraggler Can Defragment Individual Files

Defraggler is a freeware defragmentation software from the developers of the very well known cleaning tool CCleaner, and comes with one really interesting feature: it can defragment individual files. Defraggler can defragment single or multiple files, folders or, obviously, the whole hard disk. Another interesting thing about Defraggler is that it can also defragment free space too.

Defraggler comes either with an installer or portable - in a single EXE file which is less than 1 MB in size. It runs on Windows 2000, 2003, XP and Vista: bot 32bit and 64bit versions.


Download Defraggler

You might also want to try MyDefrag freeware defragmentation software.

Defragment and Optimize Your Hard Disk with Freeware Application MyDefrag

MyDefrag is a freeware defragmenting and optimizing application for Windows (2000, 2003, XP, Vista, 2008, and for X64) with many optimization strategies, can handle floppies, USB disks, memory sticks, and anything else that looks like a disk to Windows.

Defragmentation and optimization will not only make a hard disk faster, but also lengthen it's life span, because the disk will have less work to do and therefore have less wear and tear. Also, it will refresh and strengthen the magnetic data on the hard disk by simply reading the (weakened) data and writing it afresh.

How MyDefrag works

-The beginning of a HDD is up to 200% faster than the end (you can test this using an utility such as HD Tune) therefore MyDefrag will copy files starting with the beginning of the HDD which makes accessing the data much faster.

-MyDefrag organizes files into zones, such as directories, Windows files, files used while booting, regular files, and rarely used files. The most accessed files are placed at the beginning of the harddisk, and files that are commonly used together are placed in close proximity to each other.

-It maintains free spaces at various locations on the disk to make temporary files faster.

-Windows reserves a percentage on NTFS disks for the MFT (Master File Table), but can place normal files there if the rest of the disk is full. The files will remain there, even when there is enough space again. MyDefrag can look for files in the NTFS reserved areas and move them to normal diskspace, making the reserved areas available again for the MFT.

Scripts included in MyDefrag

1. Slow Optimize - new users should run this first. It will take a looong time but after running it once, a "Fast Optimize" can be run once a day. It performs a thorough defragmentation and optimization of all the fixed, mounted, writable disks on the computer. This script is designed to be used in conjunction with the "Fast Update" script, where "Fast Update" is run daily and "Slow Optimize" is run only occasionally, for example once per month.
2. Fast update - Perform a fast optimization of all the fixed, mounted, writable disks on the computer. This script is designed for every day use in conjunction with the "Slow Optimize" script, where "Fast Update" is run daily and "Slow Optimize" is run only occasionally, for example once per month.
3. Fast optimize - Perform a fast defragmentation and optimization of all the fixed, mounted, writable disks on the computer. This script is designed for every day use.
4. Flash memory disks - The script will defragment all the fragmented files, and make the free space as large as possible by moving all files to the beginning of the disk, on all the removable, mounted, writable disks on the computer.
5. Analyze only - Analyze all the fixed, mounted, writable disks on the computer and write information to the "c:\Program Files\MyDefrag v4.1.2\MyDefrag.log" file.
6. Defragment Only - Defragment all the files and directories on all the fixed, mounted, writable disks on the computer. The script will first quickly defragment files for which it can find a large enough gap, and then slowly defragment files that are bigger than the largest gap, by shuffling data. This script is incompatible with the "Slow Optimize" script. It will defragment everything, including the wrap-around fragments that the SlowOptimize script so carefully creates.

Please note: defragmenting and optimizing is work, so excessive defragmenting and optimizing can actually cause more wear and tear than it prevents.

Download MyDefrag | Thanks Tinhed for the tip!