[opensuse] Windows (NTFS) file defragmenter from Linux
I would like to defragment my Windows C:/ drive (main system drive, NTFS-formatted) from within Linux so as to enable moving/defragging in-use & system files as well. Is there a method/ utility that will enable me to do this ? Thanks, Jay -- Linux User 483705 | openSUSE 11.1, Ubuntu 9.04 (i686) w/ Windows XP Smolts Profile: http://www.smolts.org/client/show/?uuid=pub_b541a450-9bc1-45fd-beab-d46ee43a... -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Jay Mistry wrote:
I would like to defragment my Windows C:/ drive (main system drive, NTFS-formatted) from within Linux so as to enable moving/defragging in-use & system files as well. Is there a method/ utility that will enable me to do this ?
I can't say from personal experience, but they *should* be renumbered, as the kernel starts numbering from whence it found them. I think you may be able to override the numbering via special changes in 'udev', (at least you can with 'ethX'). However, if you label your partitions (use XFS, or another file format that supports labels), then you can mount by label and when the devices are renumbered, it won't matter. I assume (?) that none of them are 'boot disks' (is that even possible these days?)... Note -- down deep, grub seems to use serial numbers or something weird. I ran into this when I moved my disk image to a new server and it wouldn't boot because the serial-id path was different. I just put in for it to boot from /dev/sdaX and all was fine...damn newfangled boot mechanisms that are supposed to protect me from changing disks... What about changing machines!?! :-) -l -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Ignore the post about kernel renumbering...not applicable to this thread! (oops!) Linda Walsh wrote: XXXXX XXXXX I can't say from personal experience, but they *should* be XXXXXrenumbered, as the kernel starts numbering from whence it found them. XXXXX XXXXX I think you may be able to override the numbering via special XXXXXchanges in 'udev', (at least you can with 'ethX'). XXXXXHowever, if you label your partitions (use XFS, or another file format XXXXXthat supports labels), then you can mount by label XXXXXand when the devices are renumbered, it won't matter. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Saturday 03 October 2009 00:40:08 Linda Walsh wrote:
However, if you label your partitions (use XFS, or another file format that supports labels), then you can mount by label and when the devices are renumbered, it won't matter.
Are there any file systems that don't support volume labels of some sort? All the ones I use (XFS, ext2/3/4, reiserfs, swap, FAT32) all support volume labels[0]. You can change the label for ext2/3/4 file systems while mounted. XFS and reiserfs require the file system be umounted first. FAT32 and swap need the label be given at the file system creation time, at least under Linux. Under Windows, FAT32 and NTFS labels can be changed without reformatting. One thing you need to make sure of, if you're going to use labels, is that you don't have two file systems with the same volume label as this can confuse and/or break things. [0] JFS also supports labels, but I don't actually use that. Regards, David Bolt -- Team Acorn: www.distributed.net OGR-NG @ ~100Mnodes RC5-72 @ ~1Mkeys/s openSUSE 10.3 32b | openSUSE 11.0 32b | | openSUSE 10.3 64b | openSUSE 11.0 64b | openSUSE 11.1 64b | openSUSE 11.2m7 RISC OS 3.6 | RISC OS 3.11 | openSUSE 11.1 PPC | TOS 4.02 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On Saturday, 2009-10-03 at 01:26 +0100, David Bolt wrote:
Are there any file systems that don't support volume labels of some sort? All the ones I use (XFS, ext2/3/4, reiserfs, swap, FAT32) all support volume labels[0]. You can change the label for ext2/3/4 file systems while mounted. XFS and reiserfs require the file system be umounted first. FAT32 and swap need the label be given at the file system creation time, at least under Linux. Under Windows, FAT32 and NTFS labels can be changed without reformatting.
mlabel (1) - make an MSDOS volume label - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.9 (GNU/Linux) iEYEARECAAYFAkrGoRcACgkQtTMYHG2NR9UeDQCeIvf0+H7T7O+Dcx8d9xWeMsgp vjwAoIa80RHi/Bp+2O6WbJvsa0A9DI3v =6oNE -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Saturday 03 October 2009 01:55:42 Carlos E. R. wrote:
mlabel (1) - make an MSDOS volume label
Oh good. Now I don't need to reformat the things to set a volume label. Regards, David Bolt -- Team Acorn: www.distributed.net OGR-NG @ ~100Mnodes RC5-72 @ ~1Mkeys/s openSUSE 10.3 32b | openSUSE 11.0 32b | | openSUSE 10.3 64b | openSUSE 11.0 64b | openSUSE 11.1 64b | openSUSE 11.2m7 RISC OS 3.6 | RISC OS 3.11 | openSUSE 11.1 PPC | TOS 4.02 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On Saturday, 2009-10-03 at 01:59 +0100, David Bolt wrote:
On Saturday 03 October 2009 01:55:42 Carlos E. R. wrote:
mlabel (1) - make an MSDOS volume label
Oh good. Now I don't need to reformat the things to set a volume label.
The problem is, that each format type has its own tools, and that "man mkfs.msdos" does not reference mlabel at all, because it belongs to a very different set of tools - thus it is not easy to find out what to use for labeling an vfat partition, or any other type of partition, as a matter of fact. - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.9 (GNU/Linux) iEYEARECAAYFAkrHEroACgkQtTMYHG2NR9XbsQCdGy7akKASNogOBu0XBeL97zJn BxEAnRoFylpMSUF8zlMDmSwY6KqH4GWy =5+9y -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Saturday 03 October 2009 10:00:36 Carlos E. R. wrote:
On Saturday, 2009-10-03 at 01:59 +0100, David Bolt wrote:
On Saturday 03 October 2009 01:55:42 Carlos E. R. wrote:
mlabel (1) - make an MSDOS volume label
Oh good. Now I don't need to reformat the things to set a volume label.
And that comment was made before I delved into just how usable it would be for me.
The problem is, that each format type has its own tools, and that "man mkfs.msdos" does not reference mlabel at all, because it belongs to a very different set of tools - thus it is not easy to find out what to use for labeling an vfat partition, or any other type of partition, as a matter of fact.
Actually, looking at mlabel and all the setting up to make it work, I seriously think I'll stick with reformatting the USB keys and flash cards. It looks as though I'd need to make changes for each different one I want to relabel. It'd be quicker for me to reformat giving it the new label, packing and unpacking any contents if required. Regards, David Bolt -- Team Acorn: www.distributed.net OGR-NG @ ~100Mnodes RC5-72 @ ~1Mkeys/s openSUSE 10.3 32b | openSUSE 11.0 32b | | openSUSE 10.3 64b | openSUSE 11.0 64b | openSUSE 11.1 64b | openSUSE 11.2m7 RISC OS 3.6 | RISC OS 3.11 | openSUSE 11.1 PPC | TOS 4.02 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On Saturday, 2009-10-03 at 11:07 +0100, David Bolt wrote:
Actually, looking at mlabel and all the setting up to make it work, I seriously think I'll stick with reformatting the USB keys and flash cards. It looks as though I'd need to make changes for each different one I want to relabel. It'd be quicker for me to reformat giving it the new label, packing and unpacking any contents if required.
Actually, you only need one change, one line, like: drive o: file="/dev/sda1" drive p: file="/dev/sdb1" drive q: file="/dev/sdc1" Just create lines for the device nodes where your sticks usually appear, and then use the letter for that one in the command line. Mtools are a usefull set of tools. Even if you need to edit the line, it is faster than reformatting. Some tools: * mclasserase:: erase memory card * minfo:: get information about an MS-DOS filesystem. * mzip:: zip disk specific commands * mformat:: add an MS-DOS filesystem to a low-level formatted floppy disk - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.9 (GNU/Linux) iEYEARECAAYFAkrHJfUACgkQtTMYHG2NR9XMMQCfb7PLf7E0CT6qanyIJ1Uru0cn MRcAn1a/zueBpQp+Nd9UkqjaTXNbmnTZ =w0lB -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Sat, 2009-10-03 at 11:07 +0100, David Bolt wrote:
On Saturday 03 October 2009 10:00:36 Carlos E. R. wrote:
On Saturday, 2009-10-03 at 01:59 +0100, David Bolt wrote:
On Saturday 03 October 2009 01:55:42 Carlos E. R. wrote:
mlabel (1) - make an MSDOS volume label
Oh good. Now I don't need to reformat the things to set a volume label.
And that comment was made before I delved into just how usable it would be for me.
The problem is, that each format type has its own tools, and that "man mkfs.msdos" does not reference mlabel at all, because it belongs to a very different set of tools - thus it is not easy to find out what to use for labeling an vfat partition, or any other type of partition, as a matter of fact.
Actually, looking at mlabel and all the setting up to make it work, I seriously think I'll stick with reformatting the USB keys and flash cards. It looks as though I'd need to make changes for each different one I want to relabel. It'd be quicker for me to reformat giving it the new label, packing and unpacking any contents if required.
IIRC, the YaST Partitioner tool will set a label without reformatting the partition in question. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Saturday October 3 2009 9:34:08 am Mike McMullin wrote:
IIRC, the YaST Partitioner tool will set a label without reformatting the partition in question.
It will. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Jay Mistry wrote:
I would like to defragment my Windows C:/ drive (main system drive, NTFS-formatted) from within Linux so as to enable moving/defragging in-use & system files as well. Is there a method/ utility that will enable me to do this ?
Very dangerous idea. I'd say not. Use sysinternals tools to defrag inuse file -- will defrag registry, journals, hibernation, pagefiles....anything else you should be able to kill off processes responsible for using them. sysinternals now owned by ms, so if you type in 'sysinternals.com' will take you to download site. tool (a gui based tool) you will want is 'pagedefrag' -- it does it's magic on your next reboot as your machine is coming up It also has a 1-file defrag (which can operate recursively on subdirs as well). Also rootkit scaner, tool to find files hidden from the Winapi, and a bunch more...the author wrote the 'Windows internals' series that he's just updated for Windows 7. he was an independent (he wrote more tools back then)...MS made him an offer he couldn't refuse -- a VP level MS-fellow engineer position -- but keeps him away from releasing the same volume of of free tools he used to -- though he still puts some out, so all is not bad... either sysinternals.com in the addr bar or google for sysinternals website. either way will get you to the MS download site. There's a download button to download all the tools at once...a good bet, as so many are very useful. (tracing registry and/or file accesses)... linda -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
participants (6)
-
Carlos E. R. -
Constantinos Galilei -
David Bolt -
Jay Mistry -
Linda Walsh -
Mike McMullin