Script for VMware directories

[jdoll42]

I've got a bunch of VMware files on a separate disk.  I'd like to defragment the disk, leaving a decent size gap (5-10% disk size maybe?) after each of the virtual disk files (*.vmdk) to accomodate future growth.  Otherwise, as soon as one of the virtual machines is booted, the disk file would almost instantly be fragmented again.

ie:  File1.vmdk...(empty space)...File2.vmdk...(empty space)...File3.vmdk...(empty space)

How would one accomplish this with a MyDefrag script?

Thanks!

[jeroen]

Sadly enough Windows will not (always) use empty space behind a file if it needs to grow that file. So MyDefrag does not have any setting to leave free space behind a file. Your best bet is to change the virtual disks into a fixed size.

[Darlis]

If you want a gap after a file, you have to do this by hand for every file:

Code:

VolumeSelect
  ...
VolumeActions
  FileSelect
    Name("File1.vdmk")
  FileActions
    SortByName(Ascending)
    # Make a gap of at least 5% and put the next file at a fixed position
    AddGap(PercentageOfVolume(5) UntilPercentageOfVolumeMultiple(5))
  FileEnd

  FileSelect
    Name("File2.vdmk")
  FileActions
   ...

VolumeEnd

Otherwise, the DefragmentOnly script should leave some gaps after the files, with minimum file-movement.
The best solution would be, as Jeroen already mentioned, to give the virtual disks a fixed size. This should also improve performance.

[jdoll42]

Thanks for the quick replies.  I think going to a fixed sized will be my best solution now that I have the disk space to do so.  You've gotta love how Windows expands files.   

[thedave]

Sadly enough Windows will not (always) use empty space behind a file if it needs to grow that file. So MyDefrag does not have any setting to leave free space behind a file. Your best bet is to change the virtual disks into a fixed size.

It occurs to me that even if Windows doesn't use conveniently located available free space, leaving this free space now will make future defragmentations more efficient since MyDefrag could use this space.

With this in mind, would it be worth the hassle trying?

[Kasuha]

this free space now will make future defragmentations more efficient since MyDefrag could use this space.

Maybe in future versions of MyDefrag.

[sag47]

Not just a fixed size, but also preallocate the space (a setting in VMWare when you create the virtual machines).

[thedave]

Not just a fixed size, but also preallocate the space (a setting in VMWare when you create the virtual machines).

In my case, I'm using snapshots, this completely defeats any benefits of using preallocated fixed size disks.

[thedave]

this free space now will make future defragmentations more efficient since MyDefrag could use this space.

Maybe in future versions of MyDefrag.

I don't think this needs any real changes in MyDefrag...

I'm spacing out VMWare images by placing them in separate zones, meaning that even when files grow out of their "zone", they can be easily relocated by MyDefrag, meaning that even when a bit of fragmentation happens within a set of VM files, the physical heads aren't moving from one end of the drive to the other constantly.

In a bit of testing it seems to be working, bringing up snapshots is happening in roughly half the time it did before and a full pass of MyDefrag only takes about 15 minutes each night, so I think this is better than compacting everything together.

[Acecape]

What do you think why my vmware doesn't run in my MAC OS? However, it does really work in windows. I think the problem is that the vmware isn't compatible with my OS.

[BloodySword]

Look at my script. It is intended for a partition with VM-Files and regular files. The VM-Directory structure must be in a directory named "Virtual Machines" but you can change it in the scripts. ".snapshots" is intended for zipped VM directories as "snapshots" from a VM with VM-Ware Player wich doesn't support snapshots. It is a weekly script. If you like, remove the "WithShuffling" inside the FastFill brackets, it will be a daily one . MoveUpToZone() provides assurance that the files will get in their zones.

Title('VM-Disk optimization')
Description("This script optimizes a disk with Virtual Machines")

VolumeSelect
   CommandlineVolumes()
VolumeActions
   #Zone 1 - NTFS-Files
   FileSelect
      SelectNtfsSystemFiles(yes)
   FileActions
      PlaceNtfsSystemFiles(Ascending,MftSize * 0.01)
   FileEnd

   # Zone 2 - Directories
   FileSelect
      Directory(yes)
   FileActions
      SortByName(Ascending)
   FileEnd

   # Zone 3 - VM-Files + 1GiB-GAP
   FileSelect
      DirectoryName("Virtual Machines") and not (DirectoryName(".snapshots"))
   FileActions
      Defragment(Fast)
      Defragment()
      MoveUpToZone()
      FastFill(WithShuffling)
      AddGap(ZoneEnd + 1Gi) #Constant 1 GByte gap after VMWare Files for the files to grow
   FileEnd

   # Zone 4 - Snapshots of VM's + System Volume Information
   FileSelect
      DirectoryName(".snapshots") or
      DirectoryName("System Volume Information")
   FileActions
      MoveToEndOfDisk()
   FileEnd

   #Zone 5 - Rest
   FileSelect
      all
   FileActions
      Defragment(Fast)
      Defragment()
      MoveUpToZone()
      FastFill(WithShuffling)
   FileEnd
VolumeEnd