Disk defragmentation using Diskeeper

Recently Executive Software Company issued a new version of a disk defragmenter that has already become quite popular – Diskeeper®. I examined one of program from the Diskeeper series – Diskeeper Professional Edition version 9. The developers of this disk tool position it as the program that has made another break-through in defragmenting technology, so let’s take a look at it and see if it’s the case.

The design of the program is simple and pleasant without the enormous quantity of buttons and pictures of every sort and kind, and so simple is the control of the program, which lets you most effectively use various features of it. The menu items are divided into several groups, which simplify the menu navigation process, and the most important menu functions for the user convenience are as well reproduced in the right part of the tool window.

The program provides a large number of functions, which may satisfy the needs of even a hard-to-please user. So, what does the new version of Diskeeper have to offer?

The program can be launched both as a service and from the command console, which lets you perform disk defragmentation in the local network from just one computer. If the net capabilities of this program don’t satisfy your needs or if you just don’t use the net features, then Executive Software company lets you pick up the most fitting version of the program for you – from Home Edition, which works just with a single home computer, up to Diskeeper for Network Package, which provides extra net capacities. The tool properly functions under most Windows operating systems – Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.
The program lets you analyze the disk fragmentation level, perform defragmentation and free space consolidation. The results of the analysis lets you decide if your disk requires defragmentation and to what extent it can enhance the performance of your system.

Among the declared features the developers point out the low-free-space disk management support, though defragmentation of a relatively small (according to modern standards) disk of 60Gb took quite a long time, but this is probably a disadvantage of all tools of this kind. Moreover, if you have less then 20 per sent of free space left on your disk, then you won’t be able to take advantage of the exclusive Frag Shield™ feature, which may help you build the paging file and file table in accordance with Microsoft corporation recommendations. Although, this feature is not available in the Home Edition version of the program, or if you run the tool under any operating system not in the following list: Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003. Let me here draw your attention to the fact that Diskeeper is one of the few programs that provide system file defragmentation support, including the paging file and Master File Table (MFT) defragmentation. As you probably know, Windows NT based operating systems don’t grant access to such files when the operating system is controlling the computer, so the developers provided a special defragmentation ‘boot-time’ mode. This mode can be switched on in the program settings, which lets the defragmentation process start before operating system is loaded. According to the program developer's opinion, application of this procedure helps you greatly enhance the overall performance of the system. Also, in the program settings you may choose a desired defragmentation type, by varying the different algorithms of its performing. Let me also draw your attention to such a useful feature of this program as SmartScheduling™, which is located under Set It and Forget It™ menu item. This function lets determine the moment when defragmentation is really necessary and start the tool when that moment comes. The developers point out the sophisticated algorithm, which calculates that eminent moment.
If you for some reasons wouldn’t like to use the automatic launching mode, then you may manually set the preferred launch time. In the Set a custom schedule menu you may set the disks to be defragmented and the days of the week to perform defragmentation.

Also to the pluses of the program can be attributed such features as setting the disk partitions and folders not to be defragmented and setting the program priority for both manual and automatic modes. Program tips are not nagging or tiresome but brief and helpful instead.

If you encounter any problems or have any questions when using this program, then you may visit the developer's site and find their necessary information. All in all, Diskeeper can be described as quite a successful disk defragmentation tool with an impressive number of useful features and pretty good usability.


Related Links:

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