Hi,
Do we need de-fragmentation in ext3 filesystem ?
If yes, why?
If no, why?

In windows, filesystem gets sluggish by time and a defragmentation is necessary to reorganize the file system efficiently.

In Linux it's a different story. Linux writes on ext3/2 file systems more elegantly were you virtually don't need to defrage.

Within windows users, the myth is that defrage will speed up the system. The truth is that you're running a crappy file system or the crappy OS can't keep up with NTFS.

If computer is suffering from poor performance then i suggest you look at other parts of your system. CPU, Memory Hard Drive seek time and System Bus speed are a lot more important to look at.
Other software tips: look at processes that eat up the system. from the shell type top and check on processes that eat system resources.

There are tools to defrage in Linux but i think they are completely unnecessary. I've been running Ubuntu on my laptop for two years and I'm getting the same great performance since i installed it.

if you have time read this link ... it explains damm well why Linux file system is a lot more reliable.

http://geekblog.oneandoneis2.org/ind..._defragmenting

Not a myth. If the system is fragmented, defragmenting it does speed up the system.

It may be your opinion that the file system and/or OS is "crappy", but that does not make it "the truth". There is a difference between the truth and your personal opinion!

To answer the original question:

If the file system is fragmented then it does need to be defragmented, if not then it doesn't. Fragmentation happens more slowly on a Linux file system than under Windows, but any file system will fragment with repeated use.

With a domestic system it is unlikely that the file system will become fragmented enough to cause significant performance issues, but it is entirely possible.

I've found that I can minimise fragmentation on a Windows box by doing the following:
On installing the OS or if Windows comes pre-installed, run defrag before doing anything else.
Then after each software install run defrag to organise the filesystem.
Set defrag to run automatically on a monthly basis. Ignore any message that says you don't need to defrag and do it anyway.
My Windows partition is not noticeably slower 3 years after I installed Windows XP on it.
And I've found that defragmentation takes less time the more often it is run.

I don't have a personal hatred to windows or microsoft or anybody. It's a proven fact that ext3 file system is much more reliable than NTFS.
Defragmentation in Windows works for a short period then the file system goes back to being defragmented again. The more the operating system runs the more defragmenttion you will need. That was my personal experience with couple of windows 2000 and 2003 servers that have been running for couple of years.
By saying Myth I meant to say that'Windows way' of speeding up the system doesn't necessarily apply in Linux. Linux administrators don't think about defragmenting at all; while windows administrators have too .. .(you know ....scheduled task defrag and all that.... Or a script to defrag 100 machines on the network every two month ... beautiful right?)

Sorry "mikieboy" ... "hand of fate" and I have started a little discussion there .. .but that's part of Linuxquestions.org so bare with us :-)

Oh, my! What is it, a nudist beach? I thought I was participating in a Linux discussion forum...

Sorry, couldn't help it.

If you want to know how fragmented a file is run 'filefrag file' (or use -v option for verbose).

ext3, unlike JFS, XFS, Reiser4, and ext4, does NOT support extents. So, it will likely fragment more than these, but you may not notice it. Nothing like what happens with FAT32 or NTFS (even tho NTFS supports extents).
source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extents

ya funny ... if you say so ... people like to get into some intense fights around here ... MS vs LINUX and all that good stuff .....
If you say NTFS is crappy people will jump on your back ... well, it's crappy i think ... don't you?

Then if you say MS Exchange is great people will jump on you too ...

So it's more of a strip club man ...

Bare with us people ..... .

Yeah, sough it seams...

Getting back to the subject, Linux file systems generally do not need defragmenting.
Here's a pretty good explanation of why
http://geekblog.oneandoneis2.org/ind..._defragmenting

Thanks, that is a good explanation.

Faith No More had a song on their "King for a day, Fool for a Life Time" album called Sitting Naked in Front of a Computer. I always thought it was about porn but now I'm not so sure...

@ timbothecat:

I think it depends whether you're using a webcam

See guys ... you just proved that this site is not about Linux.
We always go back to our human roots.
Oh by the way ... i like Ubuntu because it's sexy enough and because it's easy to configure a webcam on it ... ;-)

And I like Slackware 'cause chicks dig it! Holywar, anyone? Just kidding.
BTW, I've never really understood the webcam thing. Don't even have it. If I wanna see a gal I met on the Web, I just ask her out (happened twice so far).

ext3 doesn't need to be defragmented,some other Unix filesystems-i think it should be XFs-do need it but ext3 doesn't.

There are some utility to defrag in Linux too but i suggest you to don't use them,the oldest is defrag but is old and can make your os more unstable and have to do some tweaks in the kernel,another is shipped alongside conlivas patches...

MY SUGGESTION is :defragment ONLY win or Macos,DON'T defragment LINUX with ext3.

Good Luck with Linux !