Clearing unused MFT

G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.file_system,microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Hi,
I would like to know which are the third-party utilities capable of
consolidating unused MFT records, and so, shrinking MFT without
re-formating...
This article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q303079/ states that:
"Currently, only third-party defrag utilities consolidate unused MFT FRS
records and reclaim unused MFT allocated space.", so there must be some
tools that does that...

Thanks in advance,
Luiz Borges
 

jeffrey

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May 4, 2001
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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.file_system,microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Hi,

Not sure, but I beleive Perfect Disk can do what you want.

Jeff

"Luiz Borges" <luiz_borges@gmx.net> wrote in message
news:edDZZuy4EHA.1400@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> I would like to know which are the third-party utilities capable of
> consolidating unused MFT records, and so, shrinking MFT without
> re-formating...
> This article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q303079/ states that:
> "Currently, only third-party defrag utilities consolidate unused MFT FRS
> records and reclaim unused MFT allocated space.", so there must be some
> tools that does that...
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Luiz Borges
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.file_system,microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Yes, I know the perfectdisk does it.

http://www.raxco.com/products/perfectdisk2k/


"jeffrey" <jeffrey@nospam.okinawa.com> wrote in message
news:uEOMsyy4EHA.2124@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
>
> Not sure, but I beleive Perfect Disk can do what you want.
>
> Jeff
>
> "Luiz Borges" <luiz_borges@gmx.net> wrote in message
> news:edDZZuy4EHA.1400@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > Hi,
> > I would like to know which are the third-party utilities capable of
> > consolidating unused MFT records, and so, shrinking MFT without
> > re-formating...
> > This article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q303079/ states that:
> > "Currently, only third-party defrag utilities consolidate unused MFT FRS
> > records and reclaim unused MFT allocated space.", so there must be some
> > tools that does that...
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Luiz Borges
> >
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.file_system,microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

I tried Perfect Disk already, but with no luck, it there is an option to
remove unused MFT it is very hidden, also, i didn't find anything about that
on their docs...
Still looking for an app that does that.

Luiz Borges

"gerryf" <gerryf at thecomputerparamedic.com> wrote in message
news:el%23U5I24EHA.2540@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Yes, I know the perfectdisk does it.
>
> http://www.raxco.com/products/perfectdisk2k/
>
>
> "jeffrey" <jeffrey@nospam.okinawa.com> wrote in message
> news:uEOMsyy4EHA.2124@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> Hi,
>>
>> Not sure, but I beleive Perfect Disk can do what you want.
>>
>> Jeff
>>
>> "Luiz Borges" <luiz_borges@gmx.net> wrote in message
>> news:edDZZuy4EHA.1400@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>> > Hi,
>> > I would like to know which are the third-party utilities capable of
>> > consolidating unused MFT records, and so, shrinking MFT without
>> > re-formating...
>> > This article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q303079/ states that:
>> > "Currently, only third-party defrag utilities consolidate unused MFT
>> > FRS
>> > records and reclaim unused MFT allocated space.", so there must be some
>> > tools that does that...
>> >
>> > Thanks in advance,
>> > Luiz Borges
>> >
>>
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.file_system,microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

I think I misunderstood you.

PerfectDisk defragments the MFT and by doing so also removes gaps,
increasing speed of access. That is, it consolidates the metadata records
(it also moves the MFT to a more optimal location on the disk). It does not
shrink the amount of space allocated to the MFT (12 percent of the drive, I
think).

Is that what you are after--to shrink the space allocated to MFT (used and
reserve space)?

Why? Nah, scratch that--guess I don't need to know that.

First, be aware that Windows will use that reserved space if it needs it. It
just won't write data there until all other space is used....so what you
want to do isn't really necessary unless there is some reason that escapes
me (which is wholly possible).

There was a windows nt hack where you would add a registry setting, but I am
not certain it still works.

As always, use great caution editing the registry, and as noted, I am not
certain this still works--or that it will not mess up your machine.

You need to add a dword value to the following key, called
NtfsMftZoneReservation

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Filesystem

The default value for this key is 1.

You can also make the value 2,3,4--the larger the number the less space is
allocated for the MFT reserve.

Takes effect on reboot

I would be extremely hesitant to do this on a full drive...EXTREMELY. My gut
feeling is you could end up causing yourself a heap of trouble if you had
more files records then would fit in the MFT--at the very least, your MFT
would be created in a very fragmented state.

As noted, this is really unneeded, since windows will give you that space as
needed.

The other way to reduce the size of the MFT and its reserve is to use
smaller partitions. Various Partition Managers/resizers, need to rewrite the
the MFT when doing their work.

Does that help?

"Luiz Borges" <luiz_borges@gmx.net> wrote in message
news:Ozl%23tQ44EHA.1976@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> I tried Perfect Disk already, but with no luck, it there is an option to
> remove unused MFT it is very hidden, also, i didn't find anything about
that
> on their docs...
> Still looking for an app that does that.
>
> Luiz Borges
>
> "gerryf" <gerryf at thecomputerparamedic.com> wrote in message
> news:el%23U5I24EHA.2540@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> > Yes, I know the perfectdisk does it.
> >
> > http://www.raxco.com/products/perfectdisk2k/
> >
> >
> > "jeffrey" <jeffrey@nospam.okinawa.com> wrote in message
> > news:uEOMsyy4EHA.2124@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> Not sure, but I beleive Perfect Disk can do what you want.
> >>
> >> Jeff
> >>
> >> "Luiz Borges" <luiz_borges@gmx.net> wrote in message
> >> news:edDZZuy4EHA.1400@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> >> > Hi,
> >> > I would like to know which are the third-party utilities capable of
> >> > consolidating unused MFT records, and so, shrinking MFT without
> >> > re-formating...
> >> > This article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q303079/ states that:
> >> > "Currently, only third-party defrag utilities consolidate unused MFT
> >> > FRS
> >> > records and reclaim unused MFT allocated space.", so there must be
some
> >> > tools that does that...
> >> >
> >> > Thanks in advance,
> >> > Luiz Borges
> >> >
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
 

Tasslehoff

Distinguished
Oct 16, 2004
12
0
18,510
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

The newer version 9 of diskeeper defrag can also resize your mft to whatever
size you want.

"Luiz Borges" <luiz_borges@gmx.net> wrote in message
news:edDZZuy4EHA.1400@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> I would like to know which are the third-party utilities capable of
> consolidating unused MFT records, and so, shrinking MFT without
> re-formating...
> This article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q303079/ states that:
> "Currently, only third-party defrag utilities consolidate unused MFT FRS
> records and reclaim unused MFT allocated space.", so there must be some
> tools that does that...
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Luiz Borges
>