Let me try to answer some of these questions:
Startup123 wrote:Brian, since users like you like the way it currently works and users in my situation will like how older versions work, Ghost will be a better program if it keep both options available.
But anyway, the way you explained it will be very good for me too if I can find a defragging app like that to move all these files on my hard drive in an optimal position.
So let me try to clarify my problem and ask a some questions
Ghost can't restore my recovery point on a smaller hard drive because the recovery point contains the empty sectors between my data and this requires larger disk space.
It's not so much because of the empy sectors, it's the location of the existing files. Say you had a file that was located at the starting point of 500GB, that file prevents you from restoring to a smaller drive so we need to move that file, and all the files before the 250GB mark in order to be able to restore it onto a smaller drive.
So, the solution is to defrag the drive. Is that correct?
No, The solution is to move the files to the beginning of the drive. Doing a defrag is just one way of moving files although it's the easiest to try because every version of windows has a defragger.
The drive can be defragged successfully only when it is not active system drive.
No, the drive can still be defragged but the active system can't move system files or files in use.
Problem, doing this with Disk Defragmenter of Windows 7 is unsuccessful. The drive is inactive but Disk Defragmenter reports 10 unmovable files and the spread stays at 800GB.
Beats me, maybe the defrag in windows 7 is a little stupid. Maybe it "sees" system files and doesn't know they are for another operating system. Or maybe it goes by file names and excludes things like pagefile.sys without checking to see if they are really in use. It's a free tool, sometimes you get what you pay for. If MS included a really good defragger I'm sure someone would sue them.
Next step, find a defragging program that can do a better job than Disk Defragmenter of Windows 7.
Am I on the correct path or I should be doing other things?
That was actully another option I been thinking about but I recomended that you try Brians suggestion of using BING first.
It can resize partitions like the program I suggested and might be able to work for you.
If I'm on the correct path I need to find out what programs are capable of defragging my data which is on a RAID hard drive.
Possibly, but try using Brians program to resize it first.
You help is very much appreciated
edit: Am I correct to think that partition resizing program can't help before my data is deragged properly? So, first defrag and then resize the partition?
No, a partition resizing program will move the files to accomodate the smaller partition. Thats what it's made to do.
