Formatting or defrag???

Hey,

I've been advised to format my start up HDD as the data on my HDD is dispersed over such a large area, so I cannot partition my HDD.

I am just wondering the best way to format my HDD, whether it be to use a bootable clone on a separate external HDD, or to format using the start up disk (i.e. as restarting the computer pressing c, and going on from there on?) and having a back up on time machine, and restoring after. As these are backups, this means everything will be exactly the same doesn't it? As I have been advised to do this to make the area smaller that they cover, wont it be exactly the same?

If that is the case am I best just starting from scratch and having all my files copied to a disk and partitioning, then adding the files after? Could a defrag programme sort this, is there any good ones for the mac?

Thank you

Ash

Hi Ashes
If you format your hard drive you will lose al the data o that drive. Which operating system do you have? and which Mac do you have? and what are you trying to accomplish? As for de-fragmentation I use idefrag which is available from Coriolis , if you let me know I will try and help you through

Hey teapot,

I am trying to get the data on my HDD into a smaller area, as at the moment, I am unable to partition my HDD through bootcamp as the data on my drive is spread over such a large area on the disk. I've been told several different methods, one is to use Super Duper and create a clone onto a separate external drive and have that as the boot HDD whilst I format or erase the internal, and also been told to do this with time machine, I am baffled as I only have one external and not sure which one to do.

I have the MacBook Pro (2.0 GHz and 160GB HDD) running the Snow Leopard OS.

Thank you for your help and advice

Ash

Hi Ash
I take it you are using the Boot camp set up assistant and you are trying to setu a volume o install a virtual system

Yes, thats right, but unable to partition due to data on disk being wide spread over it.

Thanks

Ash

do you have an external disk that you can use to bac up your date on or at least run a de frag app on?

Yes, I have got a recent back up of it through super duper

When trying to create your partition for windows mhat is the exact message that you get?

IDefrag can be found here http://www.coriolis-systems.com/iDefrag.php

I find it quite useful