• Diskeeper 4 is supported on Windows NT 4. (It cannot be run on earlier versions of Windows NT. Diskeeper 1.9 is available for Windows NT 3.5 and 3.51 and contained on the Diskeeper 4 CD-ROM)

• Diskeeper supports the NTFS and 16-bit FAT file systems, but the 12-bit FAT file system is not supported. (The 12-bit FAT file system is used on FAT partitions smaller than 16 megabytes in size.)

• Diskeeper for Windows NT Server operates on local and network disk partitions.

• You must have Administrator privileges enabled before running Diskeeper.

• With Diskeeper 4, directory defragmentation and consolidation can be accomplished during a user-initiated boot-time.

• With Diskeeper, you can analyze the fragmentation on a disk (with a graphic or text display), as well as defragment the disk.

• More than one analysis or defragmentation operation can be performed at a time. You can simultaneously analyze or defragment disks independently of each other.

• Unlike "off-line" defragmenters, with Diskeeper you can run other tasks while defragmentation is occurring.

• Diskeeper can be set to run at five different priority levels. At highest priority, Diskeeper takes over and runs a high-speed defragmentation. Lower priority levels tailor Diskeeper to the system workload for transparent, background defragmentation.

• Diskeeper runs through the files on the disk in several "stages" during each defragmentation run. The number of stages varies, depending on the number of files and the degree of fragmentation.

• Diskeeper differs from DOS-based defragmenters in that it does not move all the files to the beginning of the disk. This is particularly true on NTFS partitions, since the beginning of the disk is reserved by Windows NT for the Master File Table (MFT).
• Diskeeper runs as a Windows NT Service assuring seamless performance, even when scheduling logged off workstations for defragmentation.

• A log of Diskeeper activity is stored in the Windows NT Application Event Log file and allows the user to enable/disable logging of various Diskeeper events.

• Diskeeper can be uninstalled in the standard manner using the Add/Remove Programs icon in the Windows NT Control Panel.

Executive Software — the developer and manufacturer of Diskeeper — has over a decade of experience in handling disk fragmentation in multi-tasking, mission critical enterprise class networked environments. Our customers include many top government agencies and industries both nationally and internationally.

Diskeeper is the first automatic defragmenter ever developed and to date it is still the only one technically advanced enough to provide complete administrative functionality and control over the Windows NT network for both servers and workstations.

When Windows NT was first released we determined that there was need for a reliable defragmenter — one that could match the Windows NT goal of a secure, crash-proof environment.

The result — Diskeeper for Windows NT was developed, extensively tested and released in 1994.

Today Diskeeper has become the industry standard. It is the most recommended and largest-selling disk defragmenter for Windows NT in the world.

Diskeeper for Windows NT continues to gain wide acceptance due to its seamless integration with Windows NT and because of Executive Software’s sharp focus on the real needs of the end user. Diskeeper is the only defragmenter available for all released versions of Windows NT.

In particular, customers choose Diskeeper Server and /or Workstation because:

• It significantly restores system performance lost to fragmentation. This is particularly noticed in the load times of heavily used applications, a major user concern.

• It is the only defragmenter that consolidates and defragments the paging file and directory files greatly improving performance results.

• It is the only defragmenter able to operate across a network with full administrative functionality.

• It is easy to deploy across the network and manage remotely.

• Diskeeper 4 runs as a service within Windows NT and across the Windows NT network. Because of this, administrators can control even logged-off terminals and experience truly transparent "Set It and Forget It" ® ease of operation – even across large networks.

• It is the only defragmenter that can run on multiple disks simultaneously.

• Diskeeper uses very few system resources when running – even when running on multiple server disks simultaneously.

• It is very safe and reliable and will not corrupt files.

• Diskeeper 4 is unaffected by Windows NT service packs and is compatible with other applications and utilities.

• Because of Diskeeper’s highly efficient automatic, background operation, it is a vital enhancement to all Windows NT’s dynamic server functions that need to stay up and running at peak performance levels.

Theory of Operation

As used in reference to Windows NT, disk fragmentation means two things: a condition in which pieces of individual files on a disk are not contiguous, but rather are broken up and scattered around the disk; and a condition in which the free space on a disk consists of little pieces of space here and there rather than a few large free spaces.

The effects of excessive fragmentation are two-fold as well:

file access takes longer because a file must be collected in pieces here and there, requiring several disk accesses instead of just one; and file creations take longer because space for the file must be allocated in little pieces here and there instead of just one contiguous allocation.

Before the introduction of Diskeeper, there was no method for completely correcting the problems of file and free space fragmentation on Windows NT.

In designing Diskeeper for Windows NT, the following goals were established:

• The product must be completely safe to use.

• It must improve Windows NT system performance. It is not designed to make the disk look "pretty"—it is designed to improve disk performance and, as a result, overall system performance.

• It should process live disks without interfering with user access to files on that disk.

• It should run without operator intervention.

• It must defragment all possible files and consolidate free space into the smallest possible number of large spaces.

A Review of Key Diskeeper Features

Directory Defragmentation

A Diskeeper exclusive and a major technical breakthrough. With version 4, Diskeeper can now move and consolidate directory files at boot-time. As a result, defragmentation is more complete and easier to maintain without "stuck directories" blocking free space consolidation.

Paging File Defragmentation

A Diskeeper exclusive and a major technical breakthrough. With version 4, Diskeeper can now defragment the paging file at boot-time. As a result, defragmentation is more complete and easier to maintain.

Network Enabled

Diskeeper stands alone as the only Windows NT defragmenter providing complete administrative functionality and control over servers and workstations. It allows the system administrator to schedule, monitor, control and defragment each job on all workstations and servers from one console. Thus, a System Administrator is more able to exploit Windows NT’s breakthrough network functionality and with much less effort.

System Performance Enhancement

Because Windows NT is designed to track and handle vast workloads swiftly and safely, it can break a single file into hundreds of thousands of fragments — far more than older operating systems. Unhandled, this fragmentation has been proven to significantly impact system and application response time.

Diskeeper restores system performance by eliminating fragmentation. Diskeeper maintains that performance by keeping disks defragmented. It is designed to be as dynamic as the fragmentation that is occurring.

See, The Effects of Disk Fragmentation on Windows NT 4 File System Performance elsewhere in this guide.

Enhanced Scheduling

With the server version of Diskeeper you can schedule single, hundreds or thousands of disks or computers with just a few mouse clicks. You can even schedule an entire domain or several domains as easily.

Compatibility

Diskeeper is fully compatible with Windows NT 4 and supports NTFS and FAT volumes. No Windows NT files are modified by Diskeeper. It is unaffected by later Windows NT service packs. Diskeeper 4 CD-ROM also contains a version compatible with Windows NT 3.51. Diskeeper’s compatibility extends to virtually all other applications running on Windows NT.

Installing Diskeeper: Ease of Deployment

Diskeeper is SMS installable and easily and quickly deployed across any size network. Diskeeper automatically installs the correct version for the version of Windows NT being run. When setup is invoked from the root directory of the CD, whether auto-started by Windows NT 4 or by the user starting it manually, it will determine which platform it is on and will install the correct version for that platform.

"Set It and Forget It" Defragmentation

This feature allows Diskeeper to run in the background while other processes and users are active on the system. Or you can set a schedule at any priority level and for any time and frequency and have it run automatically until you stop or change it.

Manual Mode Defragmentation

This mode permits you to directly control the Diskeeper operation as above but on an event-to-event basis. Simply turn on Diskeeper, set the priority you want it to run at and launch it. When completed, Diskeeper stops.

Multi-Tasking

Schedule, analyze and defragment multiple disks locally or across your network simultaneously in either "Set It and Forget It" mode or manual mode.

Flexible Scheduling

Full scheduling capabilities allow you to defragment when you like, and as often as you like, entirely unattended.

Fully Transparent

Maintain peak performance levels for critical applications and disks that cannot be taken off line, such as Internet and e-mail servers and office suite applications. Diskeeper can run in the background using fewer system resources than would be used by reading from and writing to a fragmented disk.

Safety

This is our highest design priority. Diskeeper uses mechanisms built into Windows NT 4 that were developed and implemented by Executive Software and fully incorporated into Windows NT by Microsoft. By using these built-in mechanisms, Diskeeper maintains cache coherency, file security and permissions information and file content integrity — no matter how fragmented the files on the disk are. No data is ever at risk, even should anything cause your computer to stop during the defragmentation process.

Impact on System Resources

As mentioned earlier, Diskeeper typically uses fewer system resources than is used when disks are read from and written to in a fragmented state . Diskeeper is designed to run in the background without adversely affecting performance. Diskeeper was designed to ensure it will not interfere with other processes on your Windows NT computer. During times when system resources are not an issue, Diskeeper can be run at a high priority for a fast "defrag now" result.

Easy Administrator Access

Network controls built into Diskeeper server version can be accessed from any workstation connected to the network.

Safe Defragmentation of Open Files

Diskeeper can defragment disks while the system is in use with users active on the same disks. During most of the time Diskeeper is processing a file, it shares the file with any other users that may access the same file. The last step of processing the file, however, involves locking the file for a very brief period, a matter of milliseconds. There is never an interruption as a result of this delay.

Selectable Priorities

Five priority levels, including the fast, manual "run-now" highest priority, give the user the defragmentation power to precisely suit every system load and work schedule.

Easy Analyze

A server version feature. Allows administrators to quickly look at any disk on the system and evaluate fragmentation. It also provides other essential disk information (size, free space, number of files, etc.)

Graphic Analysis Display

Analyze your disks fragmentation at a glance and evaluate defragmentation results with an easy to use graphical display of the fragmentation on your disks. The colors of the display indicate the type and condition of the data on your disks.

Text Analysis Display

In text display mode Diskeeper shows a detailed text report of the fragmentation of your disk including a report on the most fragmented files.

Exclusions Lists

Any files or directories of files you do not want to defragment can be excluded from Diskeeper processing by choosing the Exclusion List button on the Diskeeper toolbar.

Selectable Logging Functions

Specify only what Diskeeper event data you want written to in the Windows NT Application Event Log.

Scan For Available Computers (Server Version)

Displays the domains and workgroups detected on your network. Double click on any domain or workgroup names listed to expand the display and show the individual computers within the domain or workgroup. Double click on an individual computer name to connect to that computer.

Security and Permissions

Diskeeper can be deployed and controlled across your entire network by the administrator without regard to end-user permissions level. Not only do you not have to alter end-user permissions, but end-users don’t even have to know Diskeeper is on their system.