New start with genstore drive

[frailer]

Our data files/jobs are kept on a 2nd RAID5 triple disk. I was at one stage de-fragging, but it got so frag'd I didn't do it any more, way back. I moved everything off it to the external while XMF 5 was installed. Restored a few current jobs, and will Restore from Archive (from the external), as needed.
Can I assume the new writes will be neat and unscrambled, initially, or should I have re-formatted to achieve a 'clean' set now that I'm starting to fill it again?

[Joe]

When you delete files it does not actually delete the data, It just removes the entries from the File Allocation Table. When you just delete and recopy it copy the files into the fragmented open spaces and you will end up with a fragmented drive again. I would reformat before copying the data back.

[frailer]

Suspected as much. Wished I'd remembered when Fuji guy was back yesterday. I little outside my comfort zone.
I still have only a relatively few jobs on E:/ drive. But Win 2003 Server stuff spooks me a bit.

OK, hypothetically.... I shift all data that's been restored there in the last 2 days, back to the LaCie, temporarily. I then go to... Disk Utility? (I'm at home Saturday here, no server at hand).
How safe a move is this? is it low-level IT tinkering? Probably.   :embarrassed:

[Joe]

Right click "My Computer", click "Manage" from the popup menu. Then in the left column select "Disk Management". Then in the right pane right click the drive you want to format, just make sure you click the correct one, then select "Format" from the popup menu. It's safe as long as you have your data backed up and you can always bring it back.

***** WARNING ***** The RAID may not have been setup with Windows Disk Management. If you don't see it in there you should revert to the RAID setup software originally used to reformat.

[frailer]

Warning noted. Shall speak to Fuji tech before I leap.

[frailer]

(Background music~Roy Orbison/Communication Breakdown)
We (Fuji guy and myself) discussed it earlier in the day. he did it (re-format) during the day when installing v5. So, it's done