Defrag tool

[buugmenot]

I know it is not very useful to defrag ext2/3 but I want to do it.
Which tools are there? (for free)

[FeatherMonkey]

mv and cp
Or wait for ext4, there is something about but it is not doing more than moving and copying.

AFAIK to lessen fragmentation you would just copy one to another, not dd.

I really doubt you have much fragmentation due to the way ext3 allocates the space.

Why doesn't Linux need defragmenting?

I would find the defrag thing but google will have it and I doubt this is something you really need to do, and I doubt you've been advised to either, and neither will I.

[buugmenot]

I can't find a tool in Google there is always said it is not necessary, but I want so a tool still
I saw a beta of O&O but just a beta..

[FeatherMonkey]

I'll find it but is little more than a script, but I'll only find it if you can give me one thing you expect to gain from defrag, and can show how defragmented your drive is now.

So really I won't find it because by the time you've solved the above, you'll find there will be little to zero gain.

[buugmenot]

If I want to partition my drive on the Linux Partitions there are always problems. In NTFS too but if I defrag NTFS it always works.
So I thought maybe it would be so too in Linux

[FeatherMonkey]

You really shouldn't have any trouble with linux partitions.

Maybe explain the problems defrag will not help one little bit.

I personally use gparted for my bits but yast partitioner should handle it fine. If you explain the error message we can perhaps help you solve the partitioning problem.

Partitioning is really low level stuff shouldn't really encounter too many problems(Beyond losing all data PEBKAC), if you mean resize then we need more info to help you.

[buugmenot]

Yes I meant resize.
It is not now a problem but in general.

[FeatherMonkey]

There is no problem in general, partitioning works fine for linux partitions with linux tools.

I would look at gparted or start being specific because you don't often see problems with resizing. If you do I would be more inclined to think hardware problem before partioning software problem or de-fragmentation.

Most partitioning errors come between the keyboard and the chair and I speak from experience after losing 200gb rebooting in the middle of a resize.

[buugmenot]

Ok then is good
If I have an error again I will ask

[MD25]

you don't often see problems with resizing.

The last time I tried I think I had troubles resizing partitions as I wanted (at least with Yast, I do not remember very well if I tried gparted). I really wished I had the equivalent of Partition Magic at that time!
My trouble came from the fact that the tool I used could only increase a partition by the side of the sector with the biggest number and not by the front. So by resizing part1 I had freed some room that I could not use with Linux unless I erased all the partitions that came after the hole.
Is this still the case or which tool should I use to avoid that problem and do resizing from both sides, graphically if possible.
In essence, I want a clone of Partition Magic!