Hi Jim,

Try a Google search on "disk fragmentation white paper" or similar. Keep in mind that a number of the hits are for defraggers...

Look for NSTL in those results. You may get a bit more of an unbiased view.

An interesting tidbit I gleaned from one, is that a regularly defragged drive's improved performance reduces TCO by deferring more costly hardware upgrades. One case cites $375,000 per year per 1,000 PC's. Someone seems convinced by the benefits...

Try this one for starters.

>... what hard facts are there to back up the axiom (it is essentially an axiom today) that fragmentation is bad?
>
>That fragmentation is bad is so prevalent a concept that I must be missing something obvious. What is it?