Defrag Backup?

This is a partition on a secondary hard drive, not RAID, just used to
create an image of the primary hard drive. I use the backup tool in
Vista to make these images. What I don't understand is why I should
defrag the partition that contains only backup images of the primary
hard drive. Should it really be done?


--
JVM

No, it doesn't really NEED to be done. It's just more efficient to do it.
Like I said, it really doesn't hurt to do it.

It's totally optional.

--

Dustin Harper
dharper.RemoveThis@vistarip.com
http://www.vistarip.com | Vista Resource & Information Page

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"JVM" <guest.RemoveThis@unknown-email.com> wrote in message
news:63dc739c6a7bb7da449858048a38ca1b@nntp-gateway.com...
>
> This is a partition on a secondary hard drive, not RAID, just used to
> create an image of the primary hard drive. I use the backup tool in
> Vista to make these images. What I don't understand is why I should
> defrag the partition that contains only backup images of the primary
> hard drive. Should it really be done?
>
>
> --
> JVM

My concern is the image being altered and thus creating a problem if
restored on another hard drive, if defragmented. But, you say that would
not be an issue?


--
JVM

No, it moves the file fragments, leaving the file intact. When files are
written to the hard drive, they are written in the next free spot. When
something is moved or removed, that space becomes free. But, if the size of
the new file is too big, it writes a part there, then the rest somewhere
else. Defragmenting cleans that up and moves the similar files closer (or
right next) to each other. The image files themselves are still the same and
can be moved anywhere.

--

Dustin Harper
dharper DeleteThis @vistarip.com
http://www.vistarip.com | Vista Resource & Information Page

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"JVM" <guest DeleteThis @unknown-email.com> wrote in message
news:eb3f663c5c992bb6cc99e26faae9bb91@nntp-gateway.com...
>
> My concern is the image being altered and thus creating a problem if
> restored on another hard drive, if defragmented. But, you say that would
> not be an issue?
>
>
> --
> JVM

I don't see the button to rate your answer. Where is it?


--
JVM

JVM;759818 Wrote:
> I save entire disk images to a second internal hard drive that is
> partitioned just for backing up entire images of my primary hard drive.
> Windows analyzed and suggests defragging but should I defrag the
> backups? The suggestion to defrag is not for my primary hard drive--I
> know because I just defragged that drive.
>
> I have Vista Ultimate x64 edition.

You do NOT need to defrag backup images. Infact, it's better not to,
because the backed up images are usually compressed (with whatever
algorithm the imager uses) and it's the compression that may show up as
fragmentation. The best thing to do with backup images is to LEAVE them
alone since they are usually the last line of defense when it comes to
recovering your system. You don't want to mess with that.

Where it would be really useful, and what you have probably done
already, is to keep the source drive (i.e. your primary drive)
defragmented so that backup times are kept in check. Since backing up
involves a lot of sequential reads, fragmentation can slow down things.
Automatic defragmenters help a lot in keeping the drives defragmented
and improving backup times, especially for large networks so that the
admin does not have to waste time scheduling and checking the results of
the defrag for many machines.

Also, you have the right approach for backups i.e not putting them on
the same *physical* drive. A hardware failure of the primary physical
drive would then take out all the data on all the partitions on the
drive, rendering backups totally useless. But I've seen too many people
make this mistake.

Cheers!


--
Benjamin