how the files are archived in hd?

[raquete]

is one complicated question for me and maybe someone can give one single answer.

when we save one group of files in one folder,the explorer show this files just like the view options was configured :
in exibition-organize icons we have 4 options:
for name,for type,for size and for date.
changing the option,change the order of the files but it's only how we view.

but how this files are really organized in the hd?
what came first and what is the last?

[unmei]

There is no particular order.

The "Folder" is just a data block that contains adresses of other blocks that either contains a file's data or again contain only adresses of blocks that then contain a file's data.

Very small files may be stored in the folder directly and the level of indirection may vary from file system to file system (and inside one system als depending on the size of a specific file).

This also why moving even a huge file from one folder to another on the same disk/partition usually is very fast - it only deletes the address entry in the source folder and adds it to the destination folder. The file data itself is not moved.

Where on the disk the data of a file is stored.. well you would think it starts on one "end" and fills up as you create new files, but as soon as you delete files you create gaps where new files could be fit into, so it becomes pretty "unpredictable".


Have a picture:
http://homepage.hispeed.ch/mieru/doom9/inode.png
An "inode" is used for folders and files on unix (also for other stuff). NTFS on Windows probably uses a very similar structure, FAT may be simpler but still the same idea.

[jon.schaffer]

Maybe this utility can help you to understand where YOUR files are actually located on your HD:

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/DiskView.html

[Didée]

In this context, let me bring up SequoiaView (http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/) once more. Well, it doesn't show "where" the files are ... but it does show what's going on on your harddrive(s). I really like it. :)

[unskinnyboy]

In this context, let me bring up SequoiaView (http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/) once more. Well, it doesn't show "where" the files are ... but it does show what's going on on your harddrive(s). I really like it. :)

For that purpose, my personal recommendation would be WinDirStat (http://windirstat.info/), which is an improvement over SequoiaView.

[raquete]

all right ,thanks all for explanations,tools and links but i'm going deep:
i'm doing backups of my cdas(gold) in dvd medias.
if i organize icons by name,the files will be burned in one order in the dvd and if i select by size the order change.
example using 3 folders and respectives albums organized by names in explorer or inside the burning program(nero) :
Beatles
John Lennon
megadeth

now the same organized by size:
megadeth
Beatles
john lennon

well,the order is completely different and inside each folder have .rar files with differents sizes(the last rar is always short)

sequencial files will be easy to read from the dvd after the files are burned and choosing differents icons organizations options change the order of this files inside the dvd,right?

i want to find a way to burn the files in right sequences to be read later.
it's a mess...and i back to the start: how each folder will be burned in dvd media choosing differents ways to organize icons?

[edit]typos(lots)
my poor english is still unclear?

[int10h]

In data mode, file ordering is set by the software you use. As I don't know Nero, I can't really help you to configure it, but there might be a way to set this.

[raquete]

no...please test it in data mode or any other option...

if you have for example,5 rar files and you select all,this is the order(happen the same when select copy or cut and paste) :
2,3,4,5,1

but if you select 5,press "shift" and check 1 all files are selected and the order will be:
1,2,3,4,5
strange but true,this give the right order but is hard to organize...think when you have lots of folders with 10 rars inside each folder...
this is the way that i found to put all in order but is really hard,need patience and long time to adjust.
is needed to copy one by one folder and each file inside each folder have to be in order too to get the right order...i'm searching the easy way to do that!
remember that what you see in explorer or inside any program don't represent the right order...as i wrote in the first post is really one complicated question.
please,test it if you can with short files to remove my doubts.
thanks so much.

[kypec]

Why don't you use some file manager which has the capability
to sort files/folders by various criteria (size, time, name, extension)?
Then you could easily copy entire folders with many subfolders in it according to your preferences.
My favourite is Servant Salamander (http://www.altap.cz). Though the freeware version 1.52 is bit obsolete now it could still serve your purpose perfectly I think.
Another candidate could be Total Commander (http://www.ghisler.com)

[raquete]

both seems cool and you're right,the free version is perfect for what i need.

:) big thanks kypec!