System and method for defragmenting a file system
US6397311B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 22, 1995 |
| Grant date | May 28, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 22, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F16/1724
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method of defragmenting a file system is described which includes the steps of building a block descriptor array and reading a portion of the file system to a section of RAM creating new free space within the file system. The file blocks from the RAM are then written to free space within the file system. The pointers identifying the file blocks are then repaired on the disk. Files are then retrieved into the section of RAM for contiguous placement in the newly created free space within the file system. These files are then placed in contiguous manner into the new free space and the pointers identifying these files are repaired on the disk. The method of the present invention uses several optimization techniques and is designed such that it is secure from power loss during the defragmentation process.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.