📎 AI Summary:
The thread discusses frustrations with NTFS fragmentation, with the original poster questioning why Microsoft doesn't improve NTFS to prevent fragmentation, citing other file systems like HFS+ and ext4 as examples. Subsequent comments suggest that Windows relies on defragmentation due to its network file management needs, and recommend SSDs as an alternative since they don’t require defragmentation. A deeper technical discussion follows about the evolution of Windows file systems, mentioning the canceled WinFS project, the limited adoption of Resilient File System (ReFS), and how modern applications increasingly rely on in-memory databases rather than traditional file systems. Overall, the conversation reflects a mix of frustration and technical insights into Windows file system design and evolution.
The thread discusses frustrations with NTFS fragmentation, with the original poster questioning why Microsoft doesn't improve NTFS to prevent fragmentation, citing other file systems like HFS+ and ext4 as examples. Subsequent comments suggest that Windows relies on defragmentation due to its network file management needs, and recommend SSDs as an alternative since they don’t require defragmentation. A deeper technical discussion follows about the evolution of Windows file systems, mentioning the canceled WinFS project, the limited adoption of Resilient File System (ReFS), and how modern applications increasingly rely on in-memory databases rather than traditional file systems. Overall, the conversation reflects a mix of frustration and technical insights into Windows file system design and evolution.
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Windows needs defrag because it is a network system and on a network you want files to be front loaded but if you personlly don't like the idea of your system doing upkeep then get yourself a SSD drive... they don't need defrag... in fact it's bad for them.
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I have brought this up for awhile, but @ussnorway is right. At one time there was a lot of talk about WinFS replacing NTFS, but it is my understanding that this project was cancelled.
Around the time of Windows 8 and after its release there was talk about Resilient Filesystem. Apparently this was implemented in Windows Server 2012, but I have never seen it in use. Since client machines are likely going to be using NTFS, and most server setups have redundant storage/backup already set up, its quite possible very few businesses are using "ReFS". But, apparently, it exists.
Here is some more information about that:
Resilient file system (Windows)
One issue, I think, you are seeing with the slowdown of the development of new files systems, is that many applications now (both online and offline) use transaction-based relational databases. Applications that use database systems reside heavily in memory and don't rely on the file system as nearly as much as older applications did. An example of this is that an older application would have relied heavily on disk reading and writing of a large number of files, whereas a newer application will use a relational database to improve the input/output time and side load the information for you.
Around the time of Windows 8 and after its release there was talk about Resilient Filesystem. Apparently this was implemented in Windows Server 2012, but I have never seen it in use. Since client machines are likely going to be using NTFS, and most server setups have redundant storage/backup already set up, its quite possible very few businesses are using "ReFS". But, apparently, it exists.
Here is some more information about that:
Resilient file system (Windows)
One issue, I think, you are seeing with the slowdown of the development of new files systems, is that many applications now (both online and offline) use transaction-based relational databases. Applications that use database systems reside heavily in memory and don't rely on the file system as nearly as much as older applications did. An example of this is that an older application would have relied heavily on disk reading and writing of a large number of files, whereas a newer application will use a relational database to improve the input/output time and side load the information for you.
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