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    Anyone use NTFS compression on their USB 2.0 external HDD?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by HTWingNut, Oct 11, 2010.

  1. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    Just wondering if there would be any benefit to using NTFS compression on your external USB 2.0 hard drive, if used primarily for storage. I would think that resultant transfer speeds would increase because it would have to transfer less data. Any advantages/disadvantages?
     
    HTWingNut, Oct 11, 2010
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  2. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    In my experience, any use of software compression has always been detrimental to performance (overall/in the end).

    In a USB2 implementation I can only see it as being worse.
     
    tilleroftheearth, Oct 11, 2010
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  3. Ayle

    Ayle Trailblazer

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    I do have compression enabled on my 500gb external and I haven't noticed any difference in terms of performance between when the data was compressed and when it was not as I still max out the USB2.0 bandwidth. If anything I welcome the fact that I can shove more data and the always decreasing free space I have on there.
     
    Ayle, Oct 11, 2010
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  4. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    I just use NFTS format and no compression... the USB2.0 speed is bottleneck... that's the real problem for me.. hate myy G73 for not having e-SATA..
     
    sean473, Oct 11, 2010
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  5. Gremo

    Gremo Notebook Geek

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    NTFS compression works like general compression algorithm? I mean can compress text files and plain file, but ratio should be 1:1 for video and audio right?
     
    Gremo, Oct 11, 2010
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  6. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    Yeah, I figured it should take less time to load through USB 2.0 and the time to decompress/compress would be even quicker than if it were to load the full size file through USB 2.0.

    I'm considering it for my whole Steam collection. My steamapps directory is about 560GB right now. However, when I use the "Steam backup" feature the files are compressed (on a handful of games I tried it on) anywhere from 10-40%. So even with 25% compression, I should be able to fit it on the 500GB external I currently have, granted it would be about chock full. I don't want to have to use the Steam backup feature on every game, basically just copy the steamapps folder to my external drive.

    I will probably buy a 1TB 2.5" external eventually, but for now I'd rather use what I got.

    [​IMG]
     
    HTWingNut, Oct 11, 2010
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