# Defrag an MP3 Player?



## Grimfang (Jul 8, 2008)

For some reason, my Zune now feels it needs 15 minutes to sync a single song. I only have like 100megs left, so I'm guessing it's trying to pepper this song into the little leftover spaces on the hard drive.

Anyone know if there's a defrag option for mp3 players at all? Or any other possible causes?


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## net-cat (Jul 8, 2008)

For flash-based players, no. Don't bother. Don't even try. The address space the computer sees it and the physical space on the flash are not directly mapped to each other.

For hard drive based players, mount it in "disk mode" and use the normal defragging utilities. (If your device doesn't have "disk mode," you're probably out of luck. Check the manufacturer's website.)


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## Grimfang (Jul 8, 2008)

Ok.. I'll see if I can figger that one out, heh.

Whenever I sync the zune, it'll sync music, and then it'll also do some mysterious sync separately. And it isn't too informative, but maybe it was just installing an update? I dunno..


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## Runefox (Jul 8, 2008)

Yeah, I second the not defragging part. Flash-based players don't have to worry about fragmentation, because they can without any delay access any of the information stored on them, regardless of "where" it is. The reason it's so important for hard drives is because hard drives have to wait for the platter to come around again before seeking to another portion of the drive. This happens quickly, but not as quickly as with a flash-based drive. So, when the information is kept in a nice, straight line, the hard drive can read it similarly to how a record player does. When it's not, it's broken up and the drive has to wait for the disc to come around to the portion it resides on.

That said, I'm not sure why your Zune might be doing that... What antivirus do you have installed? Perhaps it's doing a number on it.


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## Grimfang (Jul 8, 2008)

I don't believe in antivirus xD
I don't even have a firewall up. Screw security. (I'm gonna get burned one day, I'm sure.. but I haven't yet)

It's a 30gig zune and runs on a hard drive. I've had it for about 7-8 months. I guess I'll see how the next sync goes, and if it takes more time than I have patience for, then I'll try what the net kitty said.


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## ZentratheFox (Jul 8, 2008)

Grimfang said:


> I don't believe in antivirus xD
> I don't even have a firewall up. Screw security. (I'm gonna get burned one day, I'm sure.. but I haven't yet)



I used to run like that, did for two years, never ONCE got a virus or the like. Anyways, since I believe the Zune is hard drive based, you should be okay defragging it. I defragged my iPod once, but not sure it did anything. Just make sure your songs are backed up before doing it, it never hurts.


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## flamealphamale (Jul 8, 2008)

I think that I know your problem. YOU HAVE A ZUNE!! HAHAHAHA!!!!!!  XD


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## Grimfang (Jul 8, 2008)

flamealphamale said:


> I think that I know your problem. YOU HAVE A ZUNE!! HAHAHAHA!!!!!!  XD



Hell no. I had an iPod first, and that POS was freezing and had all kinds of weird quirks. Apple's FAQ just said something along the lines of "We apologize for the inconvenience in the situation of your iPod freezing and the reset combination doesn't work. Just wait for the battery to die after like 11 hours." My Zune has been wonderful to me, besides just having an interface and screen that definitely turns me off to iPods. It's not perfect, but I'm much happier with it.


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## Drakkenmensch (Jul 8, 2008)

It's actually a bad idea to defrag flash-based solid state memory because it has a lot fewer re-write functional cycles than a hard drive does, and thus defragmenting it only shortens its life duration before it burns out permanently.

For your Zune's extended well-being, simply ignore any defragging options.


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## Aden (Jul 8, 2008)

net-cat said:


> For flash-based players, no. Don't bother. Don't even try. The address space the computer sees it and the physical space on the flash are not directly mapped to each other.





Runefox said:


> Yeah, I second the not defragging part. Flash-based players don't have to worry about fragmentation, because they can without any delay access any of the information stored on them, regardless of "where" it is.





Drakkenmensch said:


> It's actually a bad idea to defrag flash-based solid state memory



Hay guys, what about flash players? Do they have to be defrag'd?


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## Grimfang (Jul 8, 2008)

And I know I've mentioned already that it's a hard-drive, not flash memory


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## ArielMT (Jul 8, 2008)

*OT: Defrag a UT3 Player?*



Aden said:


> Hay guys, what about flash players? Do they have to be defrag'd?


Only if flashing your player is what caused you to get fragged to begin with...


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## Anonymous1157 (Jul 9, 2008)

I've heard of 360s having all sorts of whack-ass problems, and now your Zune is slowing down? What's up with Microsoft?

Honestly, I'd switch to what the Koreans are using. Oh, wait, I have.


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## Drakkenmensch (Jul 9, 2008)

Grimfang said:


> And I know I've mentioned already that it's a hard-drive, not flash memory



Ah, sorry for my mistake then. I wasn't aware Zunes run on hard drives. I thought that something so compact would default to flash memory.


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## Eevee (Jul 9, 2008)

Grimfang said:


> Apple's FAQ just said something along the lines of "We apologize for the inconvenience in the situation of your iPod freezing and the reset combination doesn't work. Just wait for the battery to die after like 11 hours."


Uh, the hard reset combo should _always_ work, period.  I've frozen my iPod on custom firmware and it still worked.



Grimfang said:


> My Zune has been wonderful to me, besides just having an interface and screen that definitely turns me off to iPods. It's not perfect, but I'm much happier with it.


What is different about the interface?


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## gliengul (Jul 10, 2008)

The Zune is pretty simplistic in terms of a file system. If it is getting crazy slow and your syncs have often involved removing songs then it could definitely be fragmented.

I haven't played with Zunes much, but you might have to clear it of songs and do a clean sync.


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## Grimfang (Jul 10, 2008)

Eevee said:


> Uh, the hard reset combo should _always_ work, period.  I've frozen my iPod on custom firmware and it still worked.



I know I've been in situations where it didn't work, and Apple's FAQ said to wait out the battery.



Eevee said:


> What is different about the interface?



It's not white background/black text. I don't have to hack it to put a background in. I will say the iTunes program trumps the Zune's easily as a media player, but as far as the players themselves go, I'm much happier with the Zune. I don't have to worry about the touch-pad going off, and the screen size is <3


And, thanks, gliengul. I just tried syncing a single song and it went quickly, so apparently it was doing an update or something before, and I was too dense to notice, heheh.


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