Running Fast Update before Slow Optimize

[csalsa]

Hi

An observation.

I was running Slow Optimize on my C: and found it very slow.  It took 100% CPU (single core) and seemed to take lots of time thinking between moves.  I had tried things like freeing up space on the drive (5.74GB free out of 30.0GB), running after rebooting and turning off anti-virus/firewall (after disconnecting from the network).  I tried several times but the Slow Optimize always slowed down in processing zone 3.

I know that Fast Optimize is compatible with Slow Optimize and so I tried run Fast Optimize instead.  It finished in a reasonable time and then I tried Slow Optimize.

I found that Slow Optimize ran straight through zone 3 processing and used low CPU.  Currently, Slow Optimize is happily processing zone 4 and using 50% CPU.


Is it co-incidence or does running Fast Update first actually improve running of Slow Optimize?

[jeroen]

Running Fast Optimize first will do some of the work that Slow Optimize also does, for example defragmenting files and placing them in the zones, so in that respect yes, it will make Slow Optimize finish faster.

[csalsa]

Hi jeroen

Thanks for your reply.  However, I was asking in the context of when Slow Optimize is consuming high CPU and taking a very long time.  I experienced this with Slow Optimize and I have read posts with similar problems.

What I meant is: could this be a tip when Slow Optimize is taking too long (possibly due to too little free space)?  Could this become a rule where: 'if Slow Optimize has not been completely run and spare space is less than 'x' percent, then run Fast Update and then run Slow Optimize'?


What I am guessing that Fast Update does some of the consolidation first making fewer but larger gaps.  This in turn reduces the burden (in calculations and then moves) on then running Slow Optimize.


Another way of asking this question is: if I have a fragmented disk with low percentage free space, will I get better performance of running Fast Update first followed by Slow Optimize in two passes than running Slow Optimize in one pass?  Will two passes be faster than one pass?

[jeroen]

if I have a fragmented disk with low percentage free space, will I get better performance of running Fast Update first followed by Slow Optimize in two passes than running Slow Optimize in one pass?

In my opinion for most users it will be slower, not faster. Please note that I am working on some performance issues, the program improves slowly but steadily.

[csalsa]

Please note that I am working on some performance issues, the program improves slowly but steadily.

I can see the improvement with each release.  Great work.

[eejay]

As far as I can see, the only difference between Fast Optimize and Slow Optimize is that in the latter files get sorted within zones. This will, naturally, take longer