Formatting after project

Posted by MikeDerk 
Formatting after project
April 15, 2006 02:35PM
I've heard mention of people reformatting their external drives after they finish a project.

Is this just a good way to clean the disk, or does it also prolong the life of the drive? Basically, is it a good idea?

Thanks,

Mike
Re: Formatting after project
April 15, 2006 06:06PM
Good way of making sure your disk is empty, and has as much space available as possible....to ensure good speed.
Re: Formatting after project
April 15, 2006 08:53PM
my understanding, (which may be out of date, or just plain wrong):

simply deleting the files on the disk actually leaves them there, but with a flag on them saying "i can now be written over"

i think then they are written over in a "last on, last off" sort of way,
(this is where i may be completely off-beam)
they WONT necessarily be written over in order of where they sat on the disk.
so new files may get fragmented.

so it's better to erase the disk.

nick
Re: Formatting after project
April 16, 2006 07:37AM
I erase all my disks once a week after the relevant show has gone to air. Keeps it all running smooth and clean.
Re: Formatting after project
April 16, 2006 10:27AM
you're lucky to have such a regular workflow.

do you get time to backup / tidy up, erase, one show, then start capturing the next,
or do stagger it?


nick
Re: Formatting after project
April 16, 2006 11:59AM
Thanks, I see the logic to it now. Can't wait to do it! (The project's already 6 weeks past deadline...)
Re: Formatting after project
April 16, 2006 08:17PM
>>do you get time to backup / tidy up, erase, one show, then start capturing the next,
or do stagger it?<<

No - it's staggered - each show has its own dedicated media drive, and there is a 'Vault' drive that has all the openers and graphics and music and sfx and so on for all the shows.

So I might send out a show on Wednesday morning, it goes to air on Thursday night, and I dump it off and erase its drive anytime after that. By this time work has started on the next episode of that show, and there is also another completely different show being prepped, so I find it best to make sure every episode has a drive (or partition) of its own. We also do TVCs, so there's a drive for that as well. When stuff gets sent to the wrong drives, there's always hell to pay!

Once a year I completely rebuild the machines and throw away all the unused junk that accumulates on the main drive. It's my favourite time of year smiling smiley
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