Upgrading to 2024 and DB Fragments

Sue Renouf

When I upgrade my client's file to 2024 via the portable data file (and yes after sorting lists), the DB file fragments blow out to 10,000+. Rebuilding doesn't help.

So I restored the 2023 version of the file and had the high DB file Fragments.

When I download that same file and open it on my my computer, there are 101 DB fragments.

I have tried this several times and get the same result. When I upload the file to Reckon Hosted the DB fragments again become large.

Reckon support say I have to create the portable data file and restore it five to six times. But why so if it isn't a problem with the file on my desktop?

Datarec

Hi @Sue Renouf

How large is your clients company data file (QBW)?

Is there a specific reason you are concerned about the number of file fragments?

Is there any specific activity or task that you feel is impacted by the large number of file fragments?

The larger the data file and the more fragmented the hard disk drive or storage device that the file is placed on, the larger the number of potential DB File Fragments.

DB File Fragments are not an indicator of any damage in the company data file.

They do not cause data file damage and, they are not corrupt blocks of data.

Rebuilding the data file using the built-in "Rebuild Data" function will not reduce file fragments.

Restoring a portable file (QBM) to generate the resulting company data file (QBW) onto the same server or storage device would only decrease the number of file fragments if there are enough contiguous blocks on the storage device to place the file pieces next to each other.

Consider logging in with a different Hosted User Name or User ID (hence a different hosted account) and uploading the QBM file there and restoring it. (Clearly name the resulting QBW by adding a prefix like "TEST ONLY - " to the company name:

Example: "TEST ONLY - Company Name.QBW"

Then checking the number of file fragments to confirm whether this newly restored file that is done whilst logged into a different Hosted account, has more or less DB File Fragments.

(Press CTRL+1, to display the Product Information screen to see the DB File Fragments value)

Visual representation of a data file that is fragmented vs contiguous

(a) A fragmented file occupying six clusters and (b) the same file after defragmentation

It is the specific storage device on the Hosted platform that would need to be defragmented.

Note: A large number of file fragments may incur a performance cost during activities that require read/write operations such as generating reports or saving very large multi-line transactions.

Some optional info on drive fragmentation:

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/digital-computing/introducing-computing-and-it/content-section-5.5

Kris_Williams

my understanding of the defrag thing, and it goes back to early days where we did a manual defrag regularly, is that the drive itself is fragmented and so any large files that are saved on the drive can also be fragmented. I would have thought that a manual defrag of the drive through windows settings would be the place to start and nothing to do with the data file itself. Although I have read that the newer SSD drives are best left to Windows itself to control

Sue Renouf

Hi Datarec,

As per below, and in numerous articles by Reckon, it is advised to keep the DB file fragments under 50.

I'll try the logging under another hosted user name. Thanks for that suggestion.

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