People,

I have a dedicated audio drive which contains all the .wav files used
by my digital multitrack recording software (SONAR.) The files are of
course, located in Folders named for each music project.

I want to optimize those files, by moving all the folders to the outside
of that drive, for faster, more efficient access by the program.

So, in Speed Disk 2004...in "Drive Options"...under the "Files First" Tab...the "Add File" option wont let me select Folders only...so I am assuming I choose "Wildcard"; & simply list the Folders I want moved to the outside of the disk?

How are the Folders listed? (i.e., how is this accomplished?)

Thanks very much,


mark4man

IIRC, SpeedDisk is a glorified Defragger. When I used it in the past it did the same things as Windows Defrag but lot's quicker (98's defrag was s-l-o-w).

What do you mean by 'placing folders outside'? Storing folders and files outside of the Sonar program? If you move them with SpeedDisk and Sonar needs to know where they are, it may lose the ability to find them with the audio program. You probably should set the program up to store the projects on another partition or drive and manually move the completed ones 'there' (whatever new folder or partition of your making is).

hopefully I've interpreted your question correctly, if not, please explain and we'll try again... :)

mark4man, I have Speeddisk 2003 which is very similar to 2004. I must admit as a first point I am not sure that you will see the kind of improvement that you believe will be acheived by forcing Speeddisk to place files/folders on the outside of the HDD. However, I suppose it is worth a try.

Do you not have a tab in options named 'Folders' where you can tick the option to 'Move Folders to front' and then underneath that there is also a box that you will allow you to place those folders in order also.

All the best

Do you not have a tab in options named 'Folders' where you can tick the option to 'Move Folders to front' and then underneath that there is also a box that you will allow you to place those folders in order also.Nope. Someone else sent me a link to a Norton white paper detailing customizing options (which is I believe what you are referring to)...& I do not have that option. I guess my version (17) must be a watered down version, or something...although...it came as part of Norton System Works 2004...I just don’t understand.

What do you mean by 'placing folders outside'?On the outside of the drive's platters...for performance benefits. SONAR looks for audio files in whatever direction I point it.

Thanks,

mark4man

Do you have any online documentation that can explain the reasoning and method behind placing files to the outer diameter of the disks?

Cd's and dvd's are written from the center outwards and the resting point of the read heads on a harddrive is also to the center. So my assumption is that when you use SpeedDisk it arranges your os and most used programs towards the center and leaves the outer area clear, to be used as data accrues. So I am not sure you want to use the outer diameter of the disk especially with very large drives available these days unless there some advantage I am unaware of at this time.

It would seem that a drive's spindle speed, cache size and seek times to be the biggest influence on performance and careful selection of primary partition size to also help the program function faster.

What would seem to be a performance boost to me would be to use a partition for your os and programs using native space sized to include your current projects only. Once the project is completed, transfer it to other partitions or drives and then reuse the regained space for the next project. With the read heads not having to pass over completed areas at all and only be working in an active area, seems to me at least, to be the best situation.

I don't feel that utilizing a software on a large drive to be the answer. There's just too much space and area to scan, read or write to, to be efficient. Partitions these days, are much more important since drives have skyrocketed in size. JMHO and FWIW.