Noob question for the Linux experts

[wyvrn]

Do you scandisk and defrag in Linux? Is it needed, why or why not?

[Praetorian]

Good question. I'm not sure. I dont see any tools in here for that sort of stuff. I'm in Mandrake 8.1.

[JacobM5727]

i am no expert, and do not know about scandisk
but in linux you do not need to defrag.. saw it in a thread somewhere arund here...

something about linux just managing files better

edit: found it
http://www.techimo.com/forum/showthr...&threadid=5183

[Germ]

Linux isn't prone to file fragmentation because it will find the best place on the disk to place the file rather than spreading it around in little chunks like Windows. I think there were a couple of defrag utilities for ext1, but with ext2 and the journaling file systems it's not necessary.

Linux also has a utility similar to scandisk called fsck. It runs automatically at boot after the fs is mounted a certain number of times and any time the file system is not unmounted properly.

Germ

[lynchmob]

Ok,I'm not the Linux expert here,but,I think it works like this(and if I'm wrong,please say so):

Unlike windows, which puts files in the 1st available space it finds,Linux first makes space for the file and then assigns it an inode(index node)so the file is always linked to that inode.

On my linux system(s) fsck will run after every twenty reboots.It will then report the # of non-contiguous blocks.
lynch

[wyvrn]

Wow you post a question here and people actually answer it

Ok so Linux uses superior file placement, do we ever think Bill will implement that in Winhosed?

Can you manually run fsck if you are paranoid like me?

[otheos]

You can, but you don't need to at all. If you do however make sure your disk is not mounted or at least mounted read only, otherwise you will definitely loose your data.

fsck is more like scandisk, so dont expect any speed improvements. You can always set the interval between fsck's using tune2fs. see the man page.

[wyvrn]

Lose my data, eek not going to do that then. Where do I find this man page, and are women allowed?

[otheos]

from cli type:

man tune2fs

or xman and browse

or from kde Help select Unix Man pages

[wyvrn]

Otheos,

you are a scholar and a gentleman. If you are ever in Dallas drop by and I'll buy you a beer