defrag

My images are on an external harddrive that I also use for data, pictures, etc. Since I often add and delete some of these files, I periodically defrag that drive. The TI V9.0 says defrag can create problems on incremental & differential backups.
Does it create a problem on full backup images? Need to know if I need to create new images everytime I defrag.

 

The problem is not with existing images; it’s when creating new ones. Since TI backs up “in use” sectors, defragging the SOURCE drive can cause the next Incremental backup image to be quite large since the data has moved around and the “in use” sectors have changed.
The only problem with defragging an existing image is that they can be large and thus time consuming to defrag.

 

Personally I never defrag my extra back up internal hard drive or the external USB one either. All I keep on them is images and Stomp file backup 'images'. Might drop an occasional file on it for extra protection but never defrag. I run disk checking...chkdsk from the command prompt...with no fix or repair options checked, as I want to see what files are where...and then decide to fix or repair sectors. I usually run a couple of more thorough disk check programs, such as factory ones...if errors show, get a new drive and get the files moved. Blocking off sectors is a terrible idea...once they start, they will continue.

Defragging an Acronis Image is a waste of time...as possibly some file moving image file around could make the image show as the upspeakable *Corrupt!!*

...Allen

 

If you insist on doing a log of defragging put your images in a separate partition on the drive (it is possible isn't it?). Don't defrag the images since as Allen L. says it is a waste of time and moving them around is just another time that a problem can happen.

I am a "minimal defragger", I never see much of an improvement if any after doing it and it is just another potential screw-up opportunity IMO. Allen L.'s comment about a disk starting to show bad sectors is also right on the money, bad sector's aren't a fixing opportunity, they are a message that says get a new drive while the old one can still be read to some degree.