That's a major problem with the MFT management - Once expanded, it ( as far as I know) stays expanded. Once fragmented, it stays fragmented. and even if you make the space between fragments available for it's next expansion, I understand that the use still proceeds using the allocation parts in the order allocated, rather than using it as a solid lump - because the MFT does not get re-structured. So - if you are going to have lots of small files on a NTFS partition, then expanding it may be worth while while it can still be kept in 1 lump.
BUT - I have read of a method to expand it that doesn't need third party software - perhaps in the SDK on the windows CD, or MSKB. And it warns in that notice that it will stick as well. That's another reason to keep NTFS partitions at about 50Gb, avoid MFT expansion, as well as so you can copy/backup/restore the data into newly created, and adjusted partitions. JimB ----- Original Message ----- From: "McPeak, Harry D." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 6:48 PM Subject: HARD/SOFT: manipulation of MFT w/ Diskeeper 10 I 'm trying out the trial version of Diskeeper 10 to see if it offers much improvement over the plain vanilla version that MS bought and ships w/ XP. One of the features that I find interesting, but scary, is a feature that (O think I have this right) allows the space reserved for the MFT on an NTFS disk to be enlarged so that the MFT doesn't get fragmented if it gets too large to fit in the space XP sets aside for it. As I understand it if I do adjust the size and then don't keep the software, the change will "stick". Any thoughts on whether this is a good ides, bad idea, indifferent? As always, TIA. Harry -- ---------------------------------------- To Change your email Address for this list, send the following message: CHANGE WIN-HOME your_old_address your_new_address to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Note carefully that both old and new addresses are required. -- ---------------------------------------- To Change your email Address for this list, send the following message: CHANGE WIN-HOME your_old_address your_new_address to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Note carefully that both old and new addresses are required.
