Formatting or defrag???

[ashes1991]

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

 

[teapot]

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

 

[ashes1991]

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

 

[teapot]

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

 

[ashes1991]

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

Thanks

Ash

 

[teapot]

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?

 

[ashes1991]

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

 

[teapot]

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