February 25, 2008 at 9:34 am
I've been reading several articles and there appears to be a conflict of opinions. Is there any point running the Windows Defrag on an NTFS disk with the SQL Server databases held on the disk still open and being used. I am reading information which says the windows defrag doesn't run on open files, but another user on this forum has said it can be run whilst SQL-Server is up & running.
I've recently joined a db team where my predecessor had set the auto grow option on a data file to 1Mb, hence we have mdf files split into over 15,000 fragments. I've already changed the auto grow setting and also resized the files to a sensibly large size anyway, but I now want to clean up the mess on the disk.
February 27, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Having a window-level defragment while SQL Server on is not recommended. It may crash your server.
February 28, 2008 at 8:35 am
As long as the defrag software can handle the file being allocated to SQL (it must defrag via the Windows API) then there is no problem. I have been doing this for years on multiple servers with no issues. I use Sysinternals Contig (now offered by Microsoft) http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897428.aspx
Other programs work as well. I have experimented with PerfectDisk as well with no problems.
Of course as you mentions controlling the growth and appropriate size allocation is optimal.
Francis
February 29, 2008 at 10:05 am
I think Diskeeper states they can handle this situation. I still recommend that SQL Server be off during defrag operations.
Best,
Kevin G. Boles
SQL Server Consultant
SQL MVP 2007-2012
TheSQLGuru on googles mail service
February 29, 2008 at 2:16 pm
And a good, full backup prior to doing the defrag can't hurt!
-- You can't be late until you show up.
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