Defrag an iPod?

April 10, 2008 7:25 AM

To defrag or not to defrag (an iPod)?

For the most part, my 5th gen iPod has been behaving. However, when recording (using an Xtrememac MicroMemo), I will get the occasional instance of "lost time," as if seconds-long bits of conversation have been cut out. I've a feeling that this is occurring during occasional hard drive spin-ups. So I've been considering an iPod defrag. Opinions online conflict with one another, and most iPod defrag debates are three or four years old, so I'm turning to the AskMe hivemind for the current skinny.

Additional iPod info: 5th gen, 30GB (27GB used), Windows formatted.

posted by grabbingsand to technology (6 comments total)

well, As long as all your files exist in iTunes, a simple "remove all music from the iPod and then out it all back" will essentially BE a defrag. If you want to go a little more, restore the iPod to factory first. Quicker, simpler, does the same thing as a defrag (which may or may not do... well.. anything, but whatever.)
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 7:28 AM on April 10, 2008

2nding the restore. which will wipe the disk and start over. it does the same thing. just make sure you have your music stored on a computer before you do this.
posted by Amby72 at 9:09 AM on April 10, 2008

It appears that Apple doesn't recommend defragmenting iPods, claiming that the drive wasn't designed for the sort of sustained write operations that a defrag would entail. With that said, it is just a hard drive. A one-time defrag shouldn't cause any harm.

Since the iPod is formatted for Windows, and hence FAT32, you can use any defragging program you like. Defraggler is in beta, but it works well and is free. If you'd rather not use a beta, Windows' stock defrag tool should work fine.
posted by truex at 2:34 PM on April 10, 2008

3rding the restore. My friend's iPod completely croaked after she did a defrag. If you need to get the music off the iPod first, use Floola or YamiPod.
posted by calistasm at 7:25 PM on April 10, 2008

I did a defrag on my iPod Photo, using the native Windows tool, a few months ago. It didn't kill it, but it seems to be working a little less smoothly than it did before.
posted by Kronos_to_Earth at 8:15 PM on April 10, 2008

Update: I went with the Restore option. So far, so good. Thanks to everyone for your answers. What I'm taking from this is that while a defrag can be done, the Restore option is much safer and much quicker, even taking into account the prospect of refilling the iPod with tunes and other media.
posted by grabbingsand at 7:38 AM on April 11, 2008