lisbon@vpnet.UUCP (Gerry Swetsky) (09/11/89)
Maybe I've not kept touch with de-fragmentizer technology. The last I remember, if you had a power outage while running such a program, you could *definitely* kiss your data good-bye. Anyhow, last Thursday at work I decided to give my XT at work the once over with Golden Bow's Vopt program. It wasn't seriously fragmentized, I just didn't have anything to do and was getting bored. Well, you guessed it; right in the middle of the program execution, the whole building went black. I waited for half an hour and when the power didn't come back on I went home, remembering what was on my disk, and feeling certain I'd never see it again. Well, when I powered the XT up Friday morning, it was as if nothing had happened! All the data was there, just as it was Thursday before the power outage. I ran Norton's Disktest on it as well as Chkdsk and found zero problems. Just thought you'd like to know. Apparently these programs are mucho better than they used to be; else I was a lucky camper. In either case... Thanks, Golden Bow! -- ============================================================================= | Help stamp out stupid .signature files! Gerry Swetsky | | | | Home (312)833-8122 Vpnet (312)833-8126 lisbon@vpnet.uucp | =============================================================================
jim@jose.uucp (Jim) (09/13/89)
Gerry Swetsky writes: > > Maybe I've not kept touch with de-fragmentizer technology. > > The last I remember, if you had a power outage while running such a > program, you could *definitely* kiss your data good-bye. > ><lots of stuff deleted> was de-fraging and power went out >Thought it was gone forever, but.... Yes, the de-frag programs have improved alot in the last few years. Most of them now (The one you used, Mace, and several others) update the fat after every move, so that if there is a problem, your disk isn't dead.
cs4g6ag@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Stephen M. Dunn) (09/15/89)
In article <1989Sep13.143331.6397@jose.uucp> jim@jose.uucp (Jim) writes: >Gerry Swetsky writes: >> Maybe I've not kept touch with de-fragmentizer technology. >> The last I remember, if you had a power outage while running such a >> program, you could *definitely* kiss your data good-bye. >Yes, the de-frag programs have improved alot in the last few years. Most of >them now (The one you used, Mace, and several others) update the fat after >every move, so that if there is a problem, your disk isn't dead. PCTools' Compress program has been a "safe" one for at least a couple of years. Its scheme is something like: a) Read the data from where it is b) Write it into a currently-unoccupied area c) Update the FAT d) Read it back from where you just put it e) Write it where it's supposed to go f) Update the FAT Yes, it takes somewhat longer than less safe methods (especially if you have very little free space on your disk drive), but the only way you can lose data due to a power failure is if your read/write heads trash the surface. DISCLAIMER: I have no affiliation with Central Point Software; I just like their programs (generally). -- Stephen M. Dunn cs4g6ag@maccs.McMaster.CA ********************************************************************** <std_disclaimer.h> = "\nI'm only an undergraduate!!!\n"; "VM is like an orgasm: the less you have to fake, the better." - S.C.
mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us (Michael P. Cook) (09/17/89)
Stephen M. Dunn writes: >In article <1989Sep13.143331.6397@jose.uucp> jim@jose.uucp (Jim) writes: >>Gerry Swetsky writes: >>> Maybe I've not kept touch with de-fragmentizer technology. >>> The last I remember, if you had a power outage while running such a >>> program, you could *definitely* kiss your data good-bye. >>Yes, the de-frag programs have improved alot in the last few years. Most of >>them now (The one you used, Mace, and several others) update the fat after >>every move, so that if there is a problem, your disk isn't dead. > > PCTools' Compress program has been a "safe" one for at least a couple of >years. Its scheme is something like: I recently purchased PC Tools version 5.5 (excellent write ups abound) and used its Compress program on a hard drive. Fortunately I followed their instructions to the letter - 1. FULLY BACK UP YOUR HARD DISK BEFORE RUNNING. It ran into a problem and lost part of a binary file in the process. Of course, "part" is as good as none! In addition, the FAT got screwed up. I am going back to Norton Utilities. Norton Disk Doctor fixed my FAT and my backup "fixed" the lost file. Yes, I have heard of problems with Norton as well but my plain vanilla IBM PC has never encountered them. I would be very wary (still) of any programs that move file locations on your disk. In fact, given the WARNING by Central Point to backup every time you use Compress, they must be wary as well. -- Mike ________________________________________________________________________ Mike Cook Oak Park, IL usenet: mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us data: 312-383-6335 - Discovery Place BBS, 3/12/2400, 8N1 =>Home of Children's Software Library ________________________________________________________________________ THESE ARE MY OWN OPINIONS AND ARE NOT SHARED BY MY EMPLOYER OR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH MY EMPLOYER (I'M SURE, BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT THESE ARCANE ISSUES). ________________________________________________________________________
cs4g6ag@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Stephen M. Dunn) (09/18/89)
In article <9603@chinet.chi.il.us> mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us (Michael P. Cook) writes:
$I recently purchased PC Tools version 5.5 (excellent write ups abound) and
$used its Compress program on a hard drive. Fortunately I followed their
$instructions to the letter - 1. FULLY BACK UP YOUR HARD DISK BEFORE RUNNING.
$It ran into a problem and lost part of a binary file in the process. Of
$course, "part" is as good as none! In addition, the FAT got screwed up.
$I am going back to Norton Utilities. Norton Disk Doctor fixed my FAT and my
$backup "fixed" the lost file. Yes, I have heard of problems with Norton as
$well but my plain vanilla IBM PC has never encountered them.
That's odd ... I've been using their Compress R4.24 (and 3.24 before that)
on my machine for ages now, typically 2-3 times per week, and it's never
done anything wrong, and I used version 5.5 this summer at work with similar
results.
Can you describe the "problem" at all? I'd be interested in hearing
what happened.
As for NDD, it has to be one of the most useful programs around, especially
for people who (as I was this past summer) are in a support-type role, with
non-technical users coming up and saying "My disk won't work! Steve, you
_gotta_ help me!!!" (it's especially handy when the user is female ... ;-)
DISCLAIMER: I have nothing to do with Central Point Software other than the
fact that I like their products.
--
Stephen M. Dunn cs4g6ag@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca
**********************************************************************
<std_disclaimer.h> = "\nI'm only an undergraduate!!!\n";
"VM is like an orgasm: the less you have to fake, the better." - S.C.mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us (Michael P. Cook) (09/19/89)
<Michael P. Cook writes:
<$I recently purchased PC Tools version 5.5 (excellent write ups abound) and
<$used its Compress program on a hard drive. Fortunately I followed their
<$instructions to the letter - 1. FULLY BACK UP YOUR HARD DISK BEFORE RUNNING.
<
< That's odd ... I've been using their Compress R4.24 (and 3.24 before that)
<
< Can you describe the "problem" at all? I'd be interested in hearing
<what happened.
The Compress program aborted, apparently after encountering a read/write error
with respect to a rather large file. I have no idea what the origin of the
original error was. After exiting from Compress, I was also unable to access
either that file, or a different subdirectory (with my comm software in it),
kept getting the feared "General Failure Reading Drive C:" message upon doing
a "dir". That has never happened to me before or since. After doing a warm
boot, I could get a directory, but it had a number of scrambled entries in it.
Norton Disk Doctor reported that I had FAT problems, cross linked files and
what not. It fixed it but several of the files were truncated. I am fairly
certain that there was no other way to retrieve them whole (I wasn't worried
since I had done a full backup just prior to compressing, thank GOD).
I have no advice or opinion re: PC Tools other than.......BACKUP...BACKUP..
It may have been an abberation, a full moon, stray electrons, who knows.
<DISCLAIMER: I have nothing to do with Central Point Software other than the
< fact that I like their products.
Being that I don't have the time I used to for playing around and learning new
software, I have found Norton Utilities easier to use (although obviously more
limited in range of functions). The PC Tools manual was difficult to read
quickly, the menus (even with a mouse) required a bit of trial and error, the
comm program is very limited, the calendar too time consuming to be useful for
my office environment, etc. Not BIG problems I grant you. I expect by
version 7 or 8 it'll be a bit more polished and friendly. And less
irritating! (Took me a while to figure out how to install off of a backup of
the original distribution disks - change the volume label - aw come on, guys).
-- Mike
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Cook Oak Park IL USA
usenet address: mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us
SYSOP of DISCOVERY PLACE BBS - Educational Software, Kids, Parenting
312-383-6335 (No Fee Required) 24 hrs/day 8N1 3/12/2400 baud