Problem With DATA Fragmentation

[jek1862]

I am having a very frustrating problem related to defragmentation. My file fragmentation always comes out okay, at zero, but I can't seem to get my DATA fragmentation down! It consistently stays in the 18% range, no matter what I seem to do. I have tried 5 different defraggers, Smart Defrag, JKDefrag, Defraggler, Power Defragger, and O&O. None of them work. On another computer forum someone suggested that "the fragmentation may be in the restore points. Most defraggers will not report files they cannot defrag". Then he told me to do the following: "Run Disk Cleanup and delete all but the last restore point, or if necessary, turn off System Restore, reboot and defrag, then turn System Restore back on and create a new restore point. You may also want to defrag in safe mode". Well, I did all these things and the situation worsened. The data defrag percentage jumped from 18 to 20%. So I have come to this site and forum because you guys look like you know what you are talking about. Any other ideas on why my data fragmentation is so high, while my file fragmentation is under control, and how can I get the data defrag percentage down. I have Googled this, but cannot find a solution nor a utility that addresses this specific problem. I hope somebody can help me. Thanks.

[ctal]

I looked at your post in the other forum you referred to. It looks like "folder fragmentation" is 0, but "file fragmentation" is 18%+, not 0 as you stated above. I assume "data fragmentation" means the same thing as "file fragmentation"; not sure what else your defragmenter programs might mean by "data fragmentation."

Your defragmenter programs should provide a list of what files could not be defragmented, and their sizes. That information would provide good clues. If they don't provide that list, Windows' built-in defragmenter will, at least the XP version that I am familiar with.

What operating system are you using? Windows Vista? Windows XP? Other?

And how full is your drive? If it is mostly full, and the files that don't defragment are large ones, that would be the explanation. Defragmenters need room to operate.

Also, fyi, it would have been better to put this question under a software-related sub-forum, rather than "components, peripherals, cases, mods & cooling."

Regards,
-- Al