Curse

Nasadaws · Jun 26, 2008, 03:27 PM // 15:27

What does this do and what does this mean?

I'm normally good with this stuff but... I have seen it before...

Kattar · Jun 26, 2008, 03:32 PM // 15:32

Defragmenting takes all the file fragments on the HD and tries to put them all in one contiguous space. <- That's basic.

It can improve read speed and lessen seek time on a hard drive since everything is there close together. More or less.

Miska Bow · Jun 26, 2008, 03:37 PM // 15:37

When you delete files or folders, the empty spaces left behind are filled in randomly as you store new ones. This is how fragmentation occurs. The more fragmented the volume is, the slower the computer's file input and output performance will be.

Defragmentation is the process of rewriting non-contiguous parts of a file to contiguous sectors on a disk for the purpose of increasing data access and retrieval speeds. Because FAT and NTFS disks can deteriorate and become badly fragmented over time, defragmentation is vital for optimal system performance.

*Copied and pasted from the net, so dont gimme credit for this.

Nasadaws · Jun 26, 2008, 03:48 PM // 15:48

Ok, I'm Defragmenting my system.

Tarun · Jun 26, 2008, 04:11 PM // 16:11

Think of it like cleaning your room. You're putting everything in order, essentially.

Auslogics Disk Defrag is a good defrag if you don't want to use the Windows built in Diskeeper version.

The Meth · Jun 26, 2008, 04:17 PM // 16:17

Think of it like a book. A fully defragged hard drive is like a normal book, while a highly fragmented hard drive is like having individual pages mixed up in a pile. Defragged hard drive = faster to read files.

A more technical explanation of why it happens: lets say you delete a file of size 1 MB, leaving a hole of size 1 MB. You then try to copy a file of 10 MB. The 10 MB file will be split into a 1MB part (put in the empty space) and a 9 MB part (put in the next empty space). If the next empty space isn't large enough to hold the rest of the 9 MB, the file is split again. For especially large files or files that are expanded often with new data (gw.dat is both of these) you can get huge fragmentation, on the order of 100s or even 1000s of fragments. This means that if you needed to access your entire gw.dat, the hard drive has to essentially make 1000 different 'passes' on each section containing the file. In practice the entire gw.dat file isn't ever loaded in its entirety, but the point still stands.

Nasadaws · Jun 26, 2008, 06:50 PM // 18:50

So, If I just deleted 700MB and got Guildwars then defragging it would make Guild Wars better?

Kattar · Jun 26, 2008, 06:55 PM // 18:55

Deleting things, then defraging, then installing, then defraging again (just to be safe on the last one) is generally how the order goes.

The last defrag isn't that necessary as the others since installing generally doesn't fragment files as much as deleting them does.

Nasadaws · Jun 26, 2008, 06:57 PM // 18:57

Ok, so when my PC finishes Defragging I will delete Guild Wars. And reinstall it?

Kattar · Jun 26, 2008, 07:00 PM // 19:00

Wait wait wait...why do you want to uninstall and reinstall GW? Is the dat file fragmented, like the other guy was talking about in that other thread?

The Meth · Jun 26, 2008, 07:01 PM // 19:01

No, after defragging you should be good. Defragging will rearrange the files on your hard drive so that they are all in one spot, not scattered around. Now, there might be a small amount of fragmentation still, this is usually because it would require a huge amount of time to completely defrag a large file and just a few fragments wont have any noticeable effect. Its eliminating the 100+ fragmented files that you are going after.

Kattar · Jun 26, 2008, 07:03 PM // 19:03

Ah ok, I see what you mean now. As Meth said, there's no reason to uninstall and reinstall after the defrag. You should be good.

Nasadaws · Jun 26, 2008, 07:07 PM // 19:07

Ok, will this defragmentantion stop my game crashing before I even load it up?
It crashes just after I double click my player to load the game.

Kattar · Jun 26, 2008, 07:11 PM // 19:11

Hmm...well that depends. Is there any error that it gives you, or does it just crash?

If it just crashes, you may need to redownload the dat file as it may be corrupted. That is a little more involved, but not so hard that someone can't talk you through it.

Covah · Jun 26, 2008, 07:13 PM // 19:13

Your normal defragger won't touch the GW .dat file. You need to run this to defrag GW.

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10037429

Nasadaws · Jun 26, 2008, 07:16 PM // 19:16

I am using the power Defragmenter.

Plus would having 255MB of RAM have anything to do with it?

I'm buying 1GB soon.

Kattar · Jun 26, 2008, 07:20 PM // 19:20

Heh, it's possible. How long does it take your PC to boot, 5 minutes? Lol.

It's more than likely the dat file though. I'd put my money on that if it were anything. Although if you're running other things, such as Internet Explorer (or anything else really since you have so little RAM), the operating systme might go a little crazy.

It would give you an error within Windows though if it was a RAM issue. Has it done that?

Nasadaws · Jun 26, 2008, 07:33 PM // 19:33

No message, Nothing running with it.

I don't see how I could of corrupted the file..., I haven't even played on it...

Could you help me redo it when you have time?
Like over MSN or something? I have no clue when it comes to games.

And yes, 2 Minutes to open Firefox when it just started up. 10 seconds when its in midflow.

Kattar · Jun 26, 2008, 07:47 PM // 19:47

All the information for the game is stored in a file called "gw.dat." Sometimes that file becomes corrupted, with the reasons for this being varied.

You've never played Guild Wars on this computer before? Try this: start up Guild Wars, but don't login or anything. In the bottom right, there should be a little dot that may have a lightning bolt through it. If you hover your mouse over the lightning bolt, it should say it's downloading.

Let it download for awhile. Like a half hour or an hour. Then try and login and see if there's a problem.

If that doesn't work, one of the other technicians will be able to help you, as I'm about to be out for the evening. If not, I'll get back with you as soon as possible.

Nasadaws · Jun 26, 2008, 08:17 PM // 20:17

Ok thanks. I will try that.