If you have a power failure/fluctuation which causes you computer to
freeze, reboot, etc. you have nearly 100% guaranteed lost data since
when defragging, the program removes data from one area, saves it in
volatile RAM and then copies it to another area of the hard drive.
Until all the info in the RAM is copied to the hard disk, it is only in
RAM which lost forever if the puter freezes and or reboots. Lost data
would also occur if another program locks up the system while defrag is
occurring. For most novices, they do not do it on a regular basis and
when they finally do it, it may take hours to complete. Depending on
where you live (my experience the more south you live in the USA, the
higher the possibility), the fluctuations in electricity range from
almost never to an every day occurrence more than once. When I lived in
Florida, several second outage was common several times a day. In
Georgia, where I am now, it is several times a week and lesser degree
are several times a day. I know because I hear my UPS kick in while
working in my office.

After several 100 xcopies, I have never had a problem except as
mentioned with a bat file. Remember, just because you have truncated
pointers (to include shortcuts), does not mean you will have a problem,
only if the xcopy changes it which it may not depending on the order of
copy.

Daniel Wysocki
Twin*.*Star Computers
770-498-2582 / 800-816-0663
Fast, Reliable, Wallet-Friendly
[log in to unmask]

----------
From:   Earl Truss[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]

Do you have any statistics to support this claim?  I've never seen a
power
failure while using defrag but I HAVE seen this problem with using
XCOPY
more than once.
This is anecdotal evidence of course and I don't have any numbers but
it
appears you do if you can make a statement such as the above.

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