Defrag the hard drive?

Is there a way to defrag the hard drive, like on a PC, on my iBook G4 if it is running rather slowly?

If you get into home tech, and buy an external bootable enclosed
hard disk drive, you could clone your complete computer drive
over to an external (FireWire for PPC, USB 2.0 for Intel) using a
clone utility; then use the booted OS X installer's Disk Utility's
options to zero data on the hard drive and reformat it to HFS+.
This will wipe everything and also as a result, will defragment it.
And then you can re-clone your (pretested) full system clone
back into the computer from the external using the clone utility.
That's how I occasionally defrag; but I don't do all this for that
end. Making a complete computer backup before and after
successful system upgrades, is always a primary reason to clone.

Similar Messages

  • Defragmenting your hard drive

    I am a recent convert from a PC to an iMac. Is there a need to defragment the hard drive as you would do on a PC? If so, is there software already installed to do this or is there a need to purchase an app?
    Your comments would be appreciated!

    There is no need to defrag a Mac. 

  • Defrag my hard drive on my iMac now I tunes can't find my songs in the iTunes library

    I defraged my hard drive now iTunes can't find the songs in the library. Not connected to the cloud yet. Any suggestions on getting iTunes to find the master copy of the songs so I can play them on my iMacs. I have the same songs on my I pad but I don't know of any way of transferring my music from my iPod to the iTunes library on my iMac. Any thoughts.

    Same problem here. In my case I suspect due to having been cleaning out duplicate music files when hard disk was filling at an alarming rate (as I watched.) No longer doing that but my cleanup must have moved essential elements and files.
    Anyone know how to get my purchased stuff, showing as purchased but with exclamation mark, back into itunes again?

  • Defragment your hard drive

    i read you can Defragment your hard drive in windows, but can you do it in a mac? if so, how?

    Unix(core of os X) handles files far better than windows does, so you do not get near the fragmentation that you get under windows.
    OS X automagically defrags files under a certain size.
    Short answer-you do not have to defrag.
    If you absolutely feel you have to, search out some utilities for os x to do so.

  • Best way to defragment my hard drive?... XD

    I use my mac to run ProTools and Logic. Because I have so many audio files on my hard drive and make edits all the time I need a way to defrag it. OSX takes care of most of the problems for the average user... too bad I don't fall into that category XD... DON'T TELL ME IT TAKES CARE OF ITSELF! An external drive with a is normally my way to solve this problem but i'm in a situation where that resource isn't available to me. All thoughts are appreciated. If theres a free way to do it I'd be smitten THANKS Y'ALL

    How To Defragment A Hard Drive
    This is the fastest and safest method for defragmenting a drive. Plus, it does not require third-party software, but it does require a spare hard drive.
    1. Get an empty external hard drive and clone your internal drive to the external one.
    2. Boot from the external hard drive.
    3. Erase the internal hard drive.
    4. Restore the external clone to the internal hard drive.
    Clone the internal drive to the external drive
    1. Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
    2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.
    3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
    4. Check the box labeled Erase destination.
    5. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
    6. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
    7. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
    Destination means the external backup drive. Source means the internal startup drive.
    Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager appears.  Select the icon for the external drive and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
    After startup do the following:
    Erase internal hard drive
    1.  Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
    2. After DU loads select your internal hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area.  If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing.  SMART info will not be reported  on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
    3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.  Do not quit Disk Utility.
    Restore the clone to the internal hard drive
    1. Select the destination volume from the left side list.
    2. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
    3. Check the box labeled Erase destination.
    4. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
    5. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
    6. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
    Destination means the internal hard drive. Source means the external startup drive.
    Note that the Source and Destination drives are swapped for this last procedure.

  • New user from PC.. how do I defragment my hard drive?

    Not really sure how to defrag my hard drive as someone normally would with a PC..

    I would go the empirical way. If at some point you think that performance is degrading, you could install some application with a defragmentation tool (such as Drive Genius or SpeedTools Utilities) and try them out (not all have demo possibilities). I don't know any free alternative, but a poor man's solution is to copy as much data as possible to another disk, delete it and copy them back in so that files get laid out in the best way possible (or do a full restore of the drive for maximal performance).
    Appl'es view on fragmentation is usually optimistic, though sometimes they estimate that it might be a workaround to applications such as the one you suggest. Keeping a lot of free disk space seems the way to avoid fragmentation for as much as possible, but I imagine that only experience will tell.
    Cheers.

  • Defrag the hard disk

    My Computer gets slower and slower each week. Is it possible to defrag the hard disk. ore what else does it could be..?

    If you want to defagment your hard drive you can use TechTools. I've used this a few times on two PowerBooks with Panther and Tiger. It may not however reslove your performance issue.
    http://www.micromat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=83
    You can optimize your file directory with DiskWarrior, but like defragging it may not increase performance.
    http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/index.html
    One way to certainly improve performance is to install a 7200 rpm hard drive, if your in a position to want to do this.
    http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/
    Michael
    PowerBook G4 17 inch, PowerBook G4 12 inch   Mac OS X (10.4.9)   Tiger + Panther

  • How to defragement a hard drive

    Just upgraded my iMac 27" purchased in August 2012 to Yosemite.  I move a lot of video files and my machine is running slow (nothing to do with the Yosemite upgrade).  I used iDfrag in the past but it has not been updated for Yosemite.  My questions is:  What is the easiest way to defrag my hard drive?
    Thank you
    VPH

    You don't defrag a drive running Apple OS X.
    Defragmentation in OS X:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1375  which states:
    You probably won't need to optimize at all if you use Mac OS X. Here's why:
    Hard disk capacity is generally much greater now than a few years ago. With more free space available, the file system doesn't need to fill up every "nook and cranny." Mac OS Extended formatting (HFS Plus) avoids reusing space from deleted files as much as possible, to avoid prematurely filling small areas of recently-freed space.
    Mac OS X 10.2 and later includes delayed allocation for Mac OS X Extended-formatted volumes. This allows a number of small allocations to be combined into a single large allocation in one area of the disk.
    Fragmentation was often caused by continually appending data to existing files, especially with resource forks. With faster hard drives and better caching, as well as the new application packaging format, many applications simply rewrite the entire file each time. Mac OS X 10.3 onwards can also automatically defragment such slow-growing files. This process is sometimes known as "Hot-File-Adaptive-Clustering."
    Aggressive read-ahead and write-behind caching means that minor fragmentation has less effect on perceived system performance.
    Whilst 'defragging' OS X is rarely necessary, Rod Hagen has produced this excellent analysis of the situation which is worth reading:
    Most users, as long as they leave plenty of free space available , and don't work regularly in situations where very large files are written and rewritten, are unlikely to notice the effects of fragmentation on either their files or on the drives free space much.
    As the drive fills the situations becomes progressively more significant, however.
    Some people will tell you that "OSX defrags your files anyway". This is only partly true. It defrags files that are less than 20 MB in size. It doesn't defrag larger files and it doesn't defrag the free space on the drive. In fact the method it uses to defrag the smaller files actually increases the extent of free space fragmentation. Eventually, in fact, once the largest free space fragments are down to less than 20 MB (not uncommon on a drive that has , say only 10% free space left) it begins to give up trying to defrag altogether. Despite this, the system copes very well without defragging as long as you have plenty of room.
    Again, this doesn't matter much when the drive is half empty or better, but it does when it gets fullish, and it does especially when it gets fullish if you are regularly dealing with large files , like video or serious audio stuff.
    If you look through this discussion board you will see quite a few complaints from people who find that their drive gets "slow". Often you will see that say that "still have 10 or 20 gigs free" or the like. On modern large drives by this stage they are usually in fact down to the point where the internal defragmentation routines can no longer operate , where their drives are working like navvies to keep up with finding space for any larger files, together with room for "scratch files", virtual memory, directories etc etc etc. Such users are operating in a zone where they put a lot more stress on their drives as a result, often start complaining of increased "heat", etc etc. Most obviously, though, the computer slows down to a speed not much better than that of molasses. Eventually the directories and other related files may collapse altogether and they find themselves with a next to unrecoverable disk problems.
    By this time, of course, defragging itself has already become just about impossible. The amount of work required to shift the data into contiguous blocks is immense, puts additional stress on the drive, takes forever, etc etc. The extent of fragmentation of free space at this stage can be simply staggering, and any large files you subsequently write are likely to be divided into many , many tens of thousands of fragments scattered across the drive. Not only this, but things like the "extents files", which record where all the bits are located, will begin to grow astronomically as a result, putting even more pressure on your already stressed drive, and increasing the risk of major failures.
    Ultimately this adds up to a situation where you can identify maybe three "phases" of mac life when it comes to the need for defragmentation.
    In the "first phase" (with your drive less than half full), it doesn't matter much at all - probably not enough to even make it worth doing.
    In the "second phase" (between , say 50% free space and 20% free space remaining) it becomes progressively more useful, but , depending on the use you put your computer to you won't see much difference at the higher levels of free space unless you are serious video buff who needs to keep their drives operating as efficiently and fast as possible - chances are they will be using fast external drives over FW800 or eSata to compliment their internal HD anyway.
    At the lower end though (when boot drives get down around the 20% mark on , say, a 250 or 500 Gig drive) I certainly begin to see an impact on performance and stability when working with large image files, mapping software, and the like, especially those which rely on the use of their own "scratch" files, and especially in situations where I am using multiple applications simultaneously, if I haven't defragmented the drive for a while. For me, defragmenting (I use iDefrag too - it is the only third party app I trust for this after seeing people with problems using TechToolPro and Drive Genius for such things) gives a substantial performance boost in this sort of situation and improves operational stability. I usually try to get in first these days and defrag more regularly (about once a month) when the drive is down to 30% free space or lower.
    Between 20% and 10% free space is a bit of a "doubtful region". Most people will still be able to defrag successfully in this sort of area, though the time taken and the risks associated increase as the free space declines. My own advice to people in this sort of area is that they start choosing their new , bigger HD, because they obviously are going to need one very soon, and try to "clear the decks" so that they maintain that 20% free buffer until they do. Defragging regularly (perhaps even once a fortnight) will actually benefit them substantially during this "phase", but maybe doing so will lull them into a false sense of security and keep them from seriously recognising that they need to be moving to a bigger HD!
    Once they are down to that last ten per cent of free space, though, they are treading on glass. Free space fragmentation at least will already be a serious issue on their computers but if they try to defrag with a utility without first making substantially more space available then they may find it runs into problems or is so slow that they give up half way through and do the damage themselves, especially if they are using one of the less "forgiving" utilities!
    In this case I think the best way to proceed is to clone the internal drive to a larger external with SuperDuper, replace the internal drive with a larger one and then clone back to it. No-one down to the last ten percent of their drive really has enough room to move. Defragging it will certainly speed it up, and may even save them from major problems briefly, but we all know that before too long they are going to be in the same situation again. Better to deal with the matter properly and replace the drive with something more akin to their real needs once this point is reached. Heck, big HDs are as cheap as chips these days! It is mad to struggle on with sluggish performance, instability, and the possible risk of losing the lot, in such a situation.

  • I was given the wrong macbook when I gave mine in for repair.  I want to complain.  Also, they wiped ALL my data off the hard drive.  I want to complain to someone in authority.  How?

    I am extremely disappointed and angry with Apple service.  I am a writer and booked three weeks in Spain so that I could finish my book.  On the second day my laptop cut out on me asI was working on it, so I took it to Goldenmack in Cadiz.  Not only was I given someone else's macbook when I went back to collect it, but then when I returned to the UK, the Apple shop in Brighton managed to delete ALL my data from the hard drive because I was unlucky enough to get a trainee on her first day.  I have since learned she should not have deleted my data without even running a diagnostic.  She told me she was going to 'restore' the drive.  I took this to mean she was going to restore my work.  But no!  She erased the lot.
    I complained and eventually was put in touch with a supervisor, who I was told  had authority to resolve the issue. She said she would get the shop to phone me.  That was ten days ago and I'm still waiting. 
    Ok so there's nothing I can do now to get back the three chapters of my book that I have lost and didn't back up, but the  hard drive on this laptop is still faulty.  I try to back up my work every time I use the machine but as soon as I attach an external drive, the whole thing shuts down. I can't use it any more as I can't risk losing any more work.    This laptop is only just over a year old and this is just not acceptable, especially since I have really looked after it. 
    This is an appalling service I have encountered from Apple, and I am not going to ignore it.  I have contacted the young chap whose laptop I was erroneously given, and the repair of which I paid for! (although I did eventually get a refund),  to ask him if he had been given mine as well.  He said he had been completely unaware that his laptop had been given to me and he is furious as he had loads of "sensitive material" on it."  I have no idea in whose hands my laptop has been either, or indeed what damage it sustained while it was supposed to be in for repair.

    Contact Apple Support:
    http://www.apple.com/support/contact/
    Apple - How to Contact Us:
    http://www.apple.com/contact/
    Be sure to refer to the repair ticket number.
    Sounds like a terrible mixup.
    Good luck & happy computing!

  • Time machine won't back up since I have restored from time machine following hard drive replacement.  I am being told there is not enough space, however the back up is less than the hard drive size

    We recently had the hard drive replaced on our Mac as part of Apple's replacement programme.  Prior to sending it off for repair we did a final Time Machine back up, which was completed successfully.  SInce getting the computer back we restored everything from the backup disk using Time Machine, which all worked fine, however now we are having problems with it completing regular backups.  We receive a message each time telling up that the backup disk doesn't have enough space on it.  It is telling us that it needs in the region of 370gb and only has around 30gb available.  The computer hard drive is in the region of 350gb and the hard drive is a 400gb one.  It is almost as if it is not recognising that the data already on the disk is the back up of this computer and is trying to complete a completely separate back up as opposed to just updating the backup already on the disk.
    Has anyone else got any experience of this and therefore could give me some hints on what to do.  I am reluctant to wipe the backup drive and start again, however I would prefer not to have to buy another hard drive if I can avoid it as this one is technically big enough
    I look forward to getting some responses

    Hi, I never use TM myself.
    Have you looked through Pondini's extensive TM help site?
    http://Pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html
    http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
    Can't imaging something not being covered there.
    PS. It's generally recommended a TM drive be at least twice the size of your main drive.

  • MacBook Pro can no longer see the hard drive

    I've got a MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo, 15-inch.
    Okay, so I was chasing the nazis out of North Africa in Call of Duty 2 when the game froze. Command-Option-Escape was unresponsive, so I held down the power button to shut the whole thing down. When I brought it back up, I got the flashing folder icon.
    After yelling a few words I shan't repeat here, I booted off the installation DVD, then started up Disk Utility to try to repair the disk. However, Disk Utility only sees the DVD; it doesn't see the hard drive at all. Neither does Startup Disk or System Profiler. (The hard drive would be under the ATA section in System Profiler's menu, right? It only shows the DVD drive.) If I try to go ahead with the OS X installation, at the "Select a Destination" screen, where the list of disks should be is disturbingly blank. So according to every method I've tried so far, it's as if my hard drive has been entirely disconnected.
    This was my Christmas present, and I was hoping to get at least two years out of it, not two weeks. Anyone have any idea how to get this beautiful machine back on its feet again? I'm familiar with Unix and not afraid of using the command line, but I'm not sure what to try there.
    15" MacBook Pro C2D   Mac OS X (10.4.8)  

    Okay, second question: How does this forum software work? According to the thread list, someone named MacWizard has replied to this thread, but I can't see it.
    MacWizard, if you could email your reply to spearbrave at gmail point c0m so I can read it there, I'd appreciate it.
    15" MacBook Pro C2D Mac OS X (10.4.8)

  • I have an external drive - WD My Passport FOR MAC. I want to format it to work on both mac and windows. Which format do you think I should use? Will either one cause damage to the files on the hard drive?

    I have an external hard drive - WD My Passport FOR MAC. I want to format it to work on both mac and windows. I also want to be able to connect it to my TV and watch movies.
    I read up and I think I am supposed to use exFAT or FAT32? I also saw MS-DOS. Which format should I should use? Will any of them cause damage to the files on the hard drive?
    My little memory stick uses MS-DOS and it works on both mac and windows.
    Please can you just tell me a little about each and suggest which one to use.
    I know how to change it once you tell me so don't waste your time writing about changing it.

    Will any of them cause damage to the files on the hard drive?
    WARNING: FORMATTING A DRIVE ERASES IT COMPLETELY !!
    If you need to carry large files (e.g., larger than about 4GB) back and forth, you may need ExFAT. Otherwise MS-DOS works for smaller files.
    The Mac can Read, but not write Windows New Technology File System (NTFS) without an add-on program such as Paragon NTFS.

  • We have a PC with iTunes that needs the hard drive reformatted. Right now, it can't connect to other computers on the network. Can I save my music to a thumb drive, then re-load when the computer is reformatted?

    We have a Windows XP desktop with iTunes for windows. The hard drive needs to be reformatted. Right now, the computer will not connect to other computers on the network. Can I save my iTunes songs to a thumbdrive, then re-load after reformatting?  How do I do it?

    Copy the entire iTunes folder out to the drive. If it is too big to go as one copy stuff over to another computer in batches. It is important to have not only the media but the library file in order to properly restore your library.
    See also this User Tip. Assuming the machine won't connect to the internet you could download the SyncToy installer on another machine and then transfer it with the thumb drive. If it will connect to the net don't forget to deauthorize the machine before reformatting the hard drive.
    tt2

  • My external hard drive is 'seen' by my iMac and I can go into the Finder and open files and folders. I am using the hard drive for Time Machine back up. However Time Machine says it can't find the drive. Same thing has happened with Final Cut Express.

    My new LaCie external hard drive is 'seen' by my iMac and I can go into the Finder and open files and folders. I am using the hard drive for Time Machine back up. However Time Machine says it can't find the drive.
    The same thing happened recently between Final Cut Express and my other LaCie external hard drive used as the Scratch disk. It fixed itself.
    I've run out of ideas. Help would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

    have you done some searches on FCPx and time machine? Is there a known issue with using a TM drive with FCPx? dunno but ...wait...I'll take 60 sec for you cause I'm just that kind of guy....   google...." fcpx time machine problem"  Frist page link 
    http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/fcpx-bug-best-practices-for-using-external-hard- drives-and-final-cut-pro-x/
           You cannot have time machine backups on your hard drive if you intend to use it in FCPX.
    booya!

  • I have an older macbook pro and the hard drive is starting to go (making loud noises). i tried to back up to an external hard drive (my passport essential se) using time machine and the computer keeps shutting down. suggestions to complete backup please?

    I have an older macbook pro and the hard drive is starting to go (making loud noises). i tried to back up to an external hard drive (my passport essential se) using time machine and the computer keeps shutting down. the same thing happens when just trying to save my pictures from iphoto to a flash drive. suggestions to complete backup please?

    Sounds like you'll need to access that drive while it is not booted. You need to replace it anyway, so do that, then one way or another (ext enclusure, et), access it and copy files.
    If you keep trying to boot it, you might kill it for good and not get your files, so just swap it out first.

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