Category : HD Utilities
Archive   : OPTIMIZE.ZIP
Filename : OPTIMIZE.DOC

OPTIMIZE.EXE

- Written in ASSEMBLY language by Mark Desmery. Developed on
an IBM PC with 640K using a 360K RAM disk. Tested on an IBM
AT with 512K using a 20 megabyte hard disk. November 1985.

External Documentation:
This program collects the various sectors of a file and
places them together on a disk. When DOS writes a file to
disk it places the information in the first available sector.
This means that all the sectors of a file may not be
continuous if any erasure of previous files has occurred.
Eventually this method of file storage leads to a noticeable
decrease in disk speed.
OPTIMIZE.EXE reads each file of the current directory on
the default drive and copies it into a sub-directory it
creates called C:\MCD1985. Therefore this program will not
run unless a hard disk or RAM disk is present as drive C:.
Any file which is copied correctly is removed from the
default drive at this time. If the file does not copy
correctly it is removed from the temporary sub-directory.
Next, each file on the temporary sub-directory is copied back
onto the default drive. This means that those files which
OPTIMIZE.EXE has trouble moving (i.e. some proprietary and
copy-protected software), will not be touched. Hidden,
System, Read-Only, and files in other sub-directories are
not moved. This is important because certain copy-protected
programs look for information in specific disk sectors.
When the program is run it displays the name of the file
being moved and its file handle. It also displays where the
file is being moved to. The double or single-headed arrow
tells you if the file is being moved back or not. When
OPTIMIZE.EXE has trouble moving a file, it beeps and skips a
line. This does not mean an error has occurred, it just
means that those particular files will not be moved. This
may cause other files to be split by the unmoved files, but
disk performance should still be improved. If an error does
occur during DISK OPTIMIZATION the results can be disastrous.
If a RAM disk is being used and the system crashes, there may
be no way to recover the files which have already been copied
onto the sub-directory and removed from the default drive.
this is why the TEST PROGRAM should always be run before
attempting optimization. The TEST PROGRAM performs the same
way, but it never removes the original files, and copies the
results into another sub-directory called C:\TESTDIR7. These
files are either removed or saved depending on the choice
made from the main menu. If error messages are given, or the
system crashes, then the disk should not be optimized. I
have found very few files which will crash the system, but it
has occurred. If the TEST PROGRAM is run first, and the
results are checked by comparing the files and running the
programs in the test directory, then OPTIMIZE.EXE will be a
useful utility. If it is used carelessly it can destroy an
entire hard disk in a flash.













Instructions for Use:
This program will always act on the default drive!!!

B>a:optimize
will act on drive B: if OPTIMIZE.EXE is on drive A:

C>optimize
will act on drive C: if OPTIMIZE.EXE is on drive C:

** TAKE NOTE **
C>a:optimize b:
will act on drive C: if OPTIMIZE.EXE is on drive A:

It always acts on the default drive!!!


*** This program is distributed under the FREEWARE Concept.
It is yours to use or modify as you desire. You are
welcome to distribute it as long as no fee is charged.
The author will not be held responsible for any damages
which may occur. If you find the program useful
please send a donation or comment to the following
address:

Saturn Software
c/o Mark Desmery
10 Idlewild Park Dr.
Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY 12520

This will allow the author to continue to write software.
Contributors are entitled to free updates and other
program titles. Source code and explanation are also
available upon request.