From: "Robert White" <rwhite@casabyte.com>
To: <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: VFAT Defragmentation under Linux
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 20:00:57 -0700
Message-ID: <PEEPIDHAKMCGHDBJLHKGOELGCOAA.rwhite@casabyte.com>
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Greetings,

I understand that the current file system drivers for the primary file
system types have anti-fragmentation logic built into them already.  (e.g.
ext2/3 moves things around and such while the file system is mounted.)

Do the VFAT drivers likewise defragment the VFAT partitions?

If not, is there a Linux-hosted defragment program for defragmenting an
unmounted VFAT partition?

If such exists I have been unable to find it via normal network searches
because the dos/windows tools raise the noise floor on "VFAT defragment" so
high that no other refinements seem to hit.

So far the only Linux-level defragment operation that I seem to have
available for a VFAT partition is to mount the drive, cpio everything off of
it, delete its contents, and then copy everything back.  That's a little
drastic and has obvious issues if you want to then boot that partition
separately/later.

Rob.

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