[NTFS] Delete the MFT!

Question

Hello everyone!

I've been searching for the answer to my problem for a long time without result ==> How do I delete the MFT (Master File Table) that:

1) Takes up 12.5% of my disk space
2) Contains a ton of files that I want to delete
3) Slows down searches for deleted files to the point where I have to wait 3 hours to get a negative result

and all of this WITHOUT FORMATTING...?

Something tells me this isn't possible... am I wrong??

Thanks in advance!

$$$

tadecause · Accepted Answer

To reduce the MFT, simply open CCLEANER, clean, registry, then go to tool ---> disk wiper ---> only free space.
It will clean the free space and the MFT.
Simple tool and no particular issues.
WARNING if you need to do a "system restore" everything will be lost... So only use with great caution.

sebsauvage · Answer

Huh?

If you delete the MFT from NTFS, it's like deleting the FAT from FAT32.
It's the structure that manages the files. It's the heart of NTFS.

You can't delete it.

Have you defragmented?
And cleared unnecessary temporary files (for example with CCleaner)?

--
“Life is short - You need Python” -- Bruce Eckel, member of the ANSI C++ committee

blondin777 · Answer

Hello. What you can do, at most, is to manage it as closely as possible. For that, you need diskeeper.  -- Knowledge is only wealth if it is shared.

alexpc1 · Answer

Lol... excuse me, I misspoke...

What I actually want to do is delete only the NTFS part of the Volume that contains the deleted files.

I have of course defragmented and my temporary files are empty (or almost)

Additionally, I have Diskeeper, how should I manage it?

Thanks again
$$$

henri59 · Answer

Hi

You can't return to FAT32 under Windows; only a software like Partition Magic can do it, but if you have data on this volume, make sure to back it up.

Under Windows, you need to delete the volume and then reformat it:

This PC/Right-click mouse/manage/disk management, highlight the volume you want to delete/right-click mouse/click on delete logical drive, respond yes, and then do the same thing and click on format and choose the file system either FAT32 or NTFS and click OK.

sebsauvage · Answer

Oh I see:

Can you prevent deleted files from being recovered?

There is a very good program that I use for that: SDelete

You just need to type: sdelete -z c:

"Life is short - You need Python" -- Bruce Eckel, member of the ANSI C++ committee

blondin777 · Answer

Properties of diskeeper>>>option frag shield -- Knowledge is only wealth if it is shared.

alexpc1 · Answer

Thank you very much to all of you... Sebsauvage's solution seems to me the best one because I can't use frag disk due to lack of space on the disk!

I will try sdelete and keep you updated

Thank you
$$$

alexpc1 · Answer

Uh, I ran sdelete and it really improved the scan speed! Thanks a lot!   $$$

dimi · Answer

hello

the discussion has gone awry... actually, I would like to know if we can minimize the MFT of a partition... the purpose? ... and of course, a 2GB swap partition is eating up 500MB and splitting my pagefile.sys in two for nothing... does anyone have the answer?

Peace!

sebsauvage · Answer

To defragment your pagefile, there is PageDefrag.

dimi · Answer

In fact, I would like to remove the space reserved for the MFT or at least move it to the beginning (or end) of the disk on a 2GB partition dedicated to my swap...

The defrag of the pagefile doesn't work because the space reserved for the MFT is located right in the middle of the disk... Even by reducing the size of the pagefile, it refuses to move the space reserved for the MFT...

The goal, if it's not clear, is to have a 2GB partition containing a continuous pagefile of 2GB (or a little less to leave a minimum space for the MFT if it cannot be removed on a swap partition, which is the case for data partitions).

sebsauvage · Answer

I would like to delete the space reserved for the MFT or at least move it to the beginning of the disk (or to the end).  You cannot delete the MFT space: Windows needs it to manage disks. JKDefrag frees up unused MFT space, and it seems to me that it can move the used MFT to the beginning of the disk, or at least defragment it.  JKDefrag also has an option to free up maximum contiguous free space. So you could temporarily move your swap to another disk, restart Windows, run JKDefrag on your 2GB partition to free up as much free space as possible, and then move your swap back on it.

dimi · Answer

Thank you for your help, it's really cool, I'll try that tonight...  Peace!!!

glinux · Answer

The response may be as follows.
Today, LINUX can manage an NTFS space.
Mount the NTFS space on a LINUX partition, do a "tar gz" of all the files into a compressed file.
Delete all files from the NTFS partition using "rm -rf *", restore the "tar gz" file.
Normally, the MTF space will have disappeared.

Effective

Gerard CALAS

GREEK · Answer

You need to use PERFECTDISK 2008.

GWP · Answer

With a bit of delay, I found a trick to reduce the size of the MFT (20GB on a non-system 80GB disk). Reformatting the disk didn't change anything.
The system reserves the MFT as long as there is space. When the disk fills up and it can no longer write elsewhere, it writes new files in the free MFT.
All you need to do is copy files until the disk is full, leaving only what you want (I left 100MB). The system reduces the size of the MFT accordingly; you just need to delete the files afterwards and the MFT remains reduced. QED.

jozio_k · Answer

you can easily fill your hard drive in a few seconds to free up the MFT using the following link  https://www.zebulon.fr/astuces/divers/208-creer-un-fichier-d-une-taille-specifiee.html  see you+

alpha66 · Answer

Hello, there is a command in Windows that allows you to increase or decrease the size of the MFT
fsutil behavior set mftzone [1 ...2 ...3...4]

NB: the values of 1....4 define a percentage then you check with the command fsutil behavior query mftzone

I have learned a lot from this forum, this is the first time I help someone.

Rossair · Answer

Sorry man, I have the same problem. Too bad, I deal with it because it's really effective. My neighbor (27 years old) works on a machine that is twice as good as mine. The price is also twice as high, and despite that, with the same operator and the same speed, I remain more efficient than him by far.
You have to choose, cleaning your gear is a way of loving it. It's also a way to enjoy it later. Good evening everyone.

[NTFS] Delete the MFT!

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