Settings for Windows 2000 to achieve optimal performance

Source: Internet
Author: User
Tags file system disk defragmenter

It is important for the operating system to maintain optimal reliability and best performance, which the Windows 2000 operating system implements through built-in system tools called Disk Defragmenter. Disk Defragmenter is developed through mutual collaboration between Microsoft Corporation and Executive Software International. Keep watching for more information about disk fragmentation and defragmentation, and how Disk Defragmenter supports disk-efficiency maintenance.

Fragment type

Fragmentation is caused by creating and deleting files and folders, installing new software, and downloading files from the Internet. The computer does not have to save the entire file and folder in one space on the hard disk, which is stored in the first available space. After most of the hard disk space is used, most subsequent files and folders will be saved as a few paragraphs throughout the volume. (In this discussion, the term disk and volume are often used interchangeably.) When a file or folder is deleted, the space that is subsequently vacated is randomly populated with the newly saved file. This is the process of producing the fragments. The more fragmented the volume, the lower the input and output performance of the computer files. There are two main types of disk fragmentation: file fragmentation and free space fragmentation.

File fragmentation

All parts of a file are stored in one location on the disk, known as "continuous." If a file is not contiguous, it is dispersed throughout the disk to form multiple fragments. All Windows NT and Windows 2000 file types (file allocation table (FAT) and NTFS file system (NTFS)) are prone to fragmentation.

After file fragmentation is generated, the disk's performance is reduced because the head takes more time to move back and forth at different points of the disk as it reads the fragmented file portion. This is the main reason for the gradual decrease in system performance--The specific reason for the longer read and restart times.

Free Space Fragmentation

A locally filled disk contains unused space, which is what we call free space. Ideally, this space should be some contiguous available portion of the hard disk. It's a good thing we have free space, but it's not going to happen if it's fragmented. Free space debris means that the file space is divided into multiple segments and not connected together. For this fragment type, the hard drive performance is reduced because the head is moved to a different point on the hard disk to find free space and then write to the file. The free space to produce fragmentation increases the likelihood of file fragmentation (resulting in file fragmentation) when the file is larger than the hard disk space to write.

Analyze defragmentation

Defragmentation is the process of re writing noncontiguous files to the continuous sector of the hard disk, which can increase the speed of data access and retrieval. Because FAT and NTFS disks can degrade and produce more fragmentation over time, it is important to defragment to optimize system performance.

Debris Analysis Research

How does the system form a fragment? In June 1999, American Business Research Corporation of IRVINE, Calif., analyzed the debris and found that of the 100 enterprise offices that did not use Defragmenter, 50% of the respondents had 2 server files , 000 to 10,000 pieces-another 33% of the respondents, whose files were divided into 10,333 to 95,000 pieces. The results of various scenarios are similar: Server and workstation performance is significantly reduced.

Good housekeeper.

Even new computer systems can cause file and free space fragmentation as a result of loading the operating system. You can test this by loading the operating system on the new machine and then running the profiling feature of the Disk Defragmenter (described below).

For individual users, you should run Disk Defragmenter after the operating system is loaded, and then perform a manual check periodically. Determine the time to defragment based on the type of work in progress-remember that the general and day-to-day use of the computer produces fragmentation. You should consider defragmenting after compressing and decompressing files and installing the operating system and applications. Typically, for moderate and heavy usage, defragmentation can be done on a weekly, intermittent use to reduce the sorting frequency.

Disk Defragmenter can be used to analyze disks before determining whether to defragment them. After disk profiling, a dialog box is displayed that prompts you for the percentage of fragmented files and folders in the volume and recommends a series of actions. Periodically analyze volumes and implement actions when Disk Defragmenter recommends defragmentation.

Disk analysis and defragmentation should be performed regularly for all Windows 2000-based servers and workstations to ensure that the disks are running optimally.

Secure defragmentation

During the development phase of Windows NT, the Defragmentation application Programming Interface (API) was developed and built into Windows NT to ensure that files are securely moved while the operating system is running (no loss of data, system crashes, or corruption occurs). In Windows 2000, Microsoft has further refined, tested, and certified these defragmentation APIs to ensure that files created using Windows 2000 can be defragmented without risk.

The process of performing disk defragmentation

To ensure protection against data loss, system crashes, and file corruption, Windows 2000 Disk Defragmenter can be used with file systems and APIs.

Disk Defragmenter can optimize the disk and keep the disk running efficiently by doing the following:

1. Find fragments of every file in the entire disk.

2, copy it continuously to a new position.

3, ensure that the copy is the exact copy of the original.

4, update the Master File Table (MFT) to set the location of the new file.

5, unassign the original location and reclassified it as free space.

I have a matter of mind

It is the file system, not the Disk Defragmenter, that is responsible for all data movement.

The API does not support the MFT, paging file, FAT directory, or defragmentation using open files such as the Windows registry.

The NTFS directory can be defragmented in Windows 2000.

Elements of the disk defragmentation process

To maintain the efficient operation of your disk, you need to understand and control the following key sections: Master File table, paging file, hibernation file, and directory.

Master File Table

NTFS contains a file called the Master File Table (MFT). The MFT is an index file that maps all objects stored in a disk. In the MFT, each file (including the MFT itself) on an NTFS disk has at least one mapped item. The items in the MFT contain the following data: size, time and timestamp, security attributes, and data location.

Once the MFT is fragmented, Disk Defragmenter cannot defragment it. However, because the MFT can be used consistently to access all other files on the disk, it is also gradually fragmented, resulting in longer disk access times and reduced disk performance. NTFS minimizes this impact by reserving 1/8 of the disk space for the MFT-specific purpose. This area of the disk, called the MFT Zone, retains its continuity as much as possible as the MFT increases.

Paging file

The paging file is the disk space that Windows 2000 uses to Exchange data from or to random access memory (RAM). When the storage space required exceeds the total physical RAM, the virtual Memory manager transfers the oldest data stored in RAM to the paging file. This allows RAM to be used in higher priority use. If the paging file is fragmented, disk performance may be severely affected by increased disk input and output times.

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