Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!221.162.fido!Geoffrey_Welsh
From: 221.162.fido!Geoffrey_Welsh@watmath.waterloo.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: pc disk optimizers
Message-ID: <17144@watmath.waterloo.edu>
Date: 27 Feb 88 12:48:23 GMT
Sender: ugate@watmath.waterloo.edu
Lines: 37


   I've used "DOG" by G. Allen Morris III (shareware). It allows you 
to create a configuration file that tells Disk OrGanizer what you want to
put where. The latest version I have is 1.01a.
 
   The downside to that is that it takes forever to analyze the disk 
before it starts and it is pretty slow.
 
   I've also use Norton Speed Disk; it's faster but does not allow 
custom configuration of the disk.
 
   As I watch Norton SD work (it shows you what it's doing), it seems 
to me that, considering the fact that it's operating on a 640K PC with a
slow drive, it wastes a lot of time shuffling clusters. [oops, speaking of
memory, DOG requires almost ALL of DOS' 640K memory to be free!].
 
   When Norton wishes to 'clear out' a space at the beginning of the 
disk, it shuffles the clusters to the next available free space (even if
that free space is further down the area it is trying to clear!). WHen it
eventually gets to clearing that space, it simply reshuffles the same
cluster down.
 
   I'm no expert on de-fragging (or on C&O), but surely it'd save much 
reshuffling of the same clusters if Mr. Norton put shuffled clusters in the
LAST free space before the end of the disk?
 
   Altogether, I have yet to see a disk optimizer (shareware like DOG 
or commercial like Norton) that works quickly enough for me (I run a Fido
mail site on a 4.77 MHz XT with a 31-meg XT-speed drive...)
 
   I have yet to see vOpt; I've heard much good about it but haven't 
seen it anywhere (and don't look forward to the price, either).
 
   Geoff ( watmath!fido!221.171!izot )

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