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JethroSoft
Contributor
Contributor

What is the difference between compact and Shrink?

There are 2 functions in VMware7:

One is the Virtual Machine Settings->Hardware->Utilities-> compact ,

The other is Guest Os->Control Pane->VMWare Tools->Shrink.

Then what is the difference between them?

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AWo
Immortal
Immortal

Compact: http://pubs.vmware.com/ws7_ace26/ws_user/ws_disk_shrink.html#1023157

Shrink: http://pubs.vmware.com/ws7_ace26/ws_user/tools.7.29.html#1002701

It's nearly the same...


AWo

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continuum
Immortal
Immortal

Shrink: inside the VM unused diskspace is wiped with zeroes.

When that is done the existing vmdk is cloned into a new vmdk while skipping all wiped areas during the clone. When the clone was successful the old disk and the newly created one are replaced and the old one will be discarded.

Compact: as far as I know this sorts and checks the grain tables of sparse vmdks. Don't know exactly and have seen no good Kb explaining this in depth.

Shrink is much more effective than Compact as far as size reduction is concerned




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