Defrag problems

Aster wrote:
"MEB" wrote in message
...

The apparent issues per the original queries by Aster, we

1. the attempt use DOS which does NOT work [not recommended] since
Win95; AND,

2. that when defrag is run from/in Windows, it did the *normal*
complaining about disk changes [generally: running background/startup
programs; screen saver or power settings; malware programs; limited
memory; disk cache and swap], AND that de-fragmenting took a long
time to complete;

3. *NOT* that it couldn't be de-fragmented.

WE [the normal group members] advised of various techniques and
scripts or applications which help with the issues and the
*questions* as originally placed by Aster.

PCR suggested a few programs [among other things] which can help to
determine WHAT is causing the disk writes and defrag pop-up warnings
concerning disk changes.

The question is WHY you have now chosen to proceed down the path of
bad clusters which would normally cause defrag to *refuse* to run at
all [which is *NOT* what was brought by Aster as questions/queries]
stating *scandisk* must be run first; NOR what normally causes
defrag to warn about disk changes.

--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.org/ref/windows-main.htm
Windows Info, Diagnostics, Security, Networking
http://peoplescounsel.org
The "real world" of Law, Justice, and Government
-------------------

Yes, exactly.
I don't see too much sense try to determine what application
constantly writing to the hard disk.

You should seek to avoid wear/tear on the hard drive if/when feasible.
You certainly don't need a senseless BHO doing it or the Windows
Critical Update Notification Tool doing it -- do you? Also, it may turn
out to be something even more ominous doing it! I take comfort knowing
the last 7 processes accessing my own C:\ were friendly apps like my
virus scanner & Explorer! And the only one accessing G:\ was Outlook
Express!

As I told, defragging works and I managed to defrag disk from Safe
mode. Also: does is make sense run Thorough Scandisk test if Standard
test is OK?

You should at least run the standard scandisk before running a defrag.
Occasionally it wouldn't be bad to run the thorough, like every 3 months
maybe. When I have forgotten to do a defrag for that long or longer, I
definitely do the thorough first.

I just want to clarify few details about ScanDefrag program suggested
by Bill Blanton, will try it.
http://home.earthlink.net/~bblanton2...efrag/main.htm

ScanDefrag can no run Defrag from Safe mode, for a cleaner run
environment? (even if we select 'Restrictive mode')

Wait a bit & Blanton will return. But that app is designed to avoid the
restarts -- so I would run it per its instructions.

Aster

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR

Aster wrote:
"MEB" wrote in message
...

The apparent issues per the original queries by Aster, we

1. the attempt use DOS which does NOT work [not recommended] since
Win95; AND,

2. that when defrag is run from/in Windows, it did the *normal*
complaining about disk changes [generally: running background/startup
programs; screen saver or power settings; malware programs; limited
memory; disk cache and swap], AND that de-fragmenting took a long
time to complete;

3. *NOT* that it couldn't be de-fragmented.

WE [the normal group members] advised of various techniques and
scripts or applications which help with the issues and the
*questions* as originally placed by Aster.

PCR suggested a few programs [among other things] which can help to
determine WHAT is causing the disk writes and defrag pop-up warnings
concerning disk changes.

The question is WHY you have now chosen to proceed down the path of
bad clusters which would normally cause defrag to *refuse* to run at
all [which is *NOT* what was brought by Aster as questions/queries]
stating *scandisk* must be run first; NOR what normally causes
defrag to warn about disk changes.

--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.org/ref/windows-main.htm
Windows Info, Diagnostics, Security, Networking
http://peoplescounsel.org
The "real world" of Law, Justice, and Government
-------------------

Yes, exactly.
I don't see too much sense try to determine what application
constantly writing to the hard disk.

You should seek to avoid wear/tear on the hard drive if/when feasible.
You certainly don't need a senseless BHO doing it or the Windows
Critical Update Notification Tool doing it -- do you? Also, it may turn
out to be something even more ominous doing it! I take comfort knowing
the last 7 processes accessing my own C:\ were friendly apps like my
virus scanner & Explorer! And the only one accessing G:\ was Outlook
Express!

As I told, defragging works and I managed to defrag disk from Safe
mode. Also: does is make sense run Thorough Scandisk test if Standard
test is OK?

You should at least run the standard scandisk before running a defrag.
Occasionally it wouldn't be bad to run the thorough, like every 3 months
maybe. When I have forgotten to do a defrag for that long or longer, I
definitely do the thorough first.

I just want to clarify few details about ScanDefrag program suggested
by Bill Blanton, will try it.
http://home.earthlink.net/~bblanton2...efrag/main.htm

ScanDefrag can no run Defrag from Safe mode, for a cleaner run
environment? (even if we select 'Restrictive mode')

Wait a bit & Blanton will return. But that app is designed to avoid the
restarts -- so I would run it per its instructions.

Aster

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR

On 1/6/2010 05:47, Aster wrote:


Also, according to microsoft, the volume must have at least 15 percent
free space for Defrag to completely and adequately defragment it. Defrag
uses this space as a sorting area for file fragments. If a volume has
less than 15 percent free space, Defrag only partially defragments it.
So, if my 20Gb hard drive has only 1.53Gb free space and I have
performed defrag, my volume has been just partially defragmented?

If you only have 1.5GB free it's either time to move some data off, or
buy another drive. If you're thinking that defrag is going to speed up
your system considerably, it won't. Far better to look at what processes
are running in the background.

It was mentioned that Scandisk reported bad clusters. In that case stay
away from any defrag utility. Defrag is for healthy disks.

On 1/6/2010 05:47, Aster wrote:


Also, according to microsoft, the volume must have at least 15 percent
free space for Defrag to completely and adequately defragment it. Defrag
uses this space as a sorting area for file fragments. If a volume has
less than 15 percent free space, Defrag only partially defragments it.
So, if my 20Gb hard drive has only 1.53Gb free space and I have
performed defrag, my volume has been just partially defragmented?

If you only have 1.5GB free it's either time to move some data off, or
buy another drive. If you're thinking that defrag is going to speed up
your system considerably, it won't. Far better to look at what processes
are running in the background.

It was mentioned that Scandisk reported bad clusters. In that case stay
away from any defrag utility. Defrag is for healthy disks.

On 1/6/2010 06:32, MEB wrote:
On 01/05/2010 07:02 PM, Bill Blanton wrote:

http://www.blueorbsoft.com/scandefrag/

Looks like a nice program, Bill...

Thanks.

On 1/6/2010 06:32, MEB wrote:
On 01/05/2010 07:02 PM, Bill Blanton wrote:

http://www.blueorbsoft.com/scandefrag/

Looks like a nice program, Bill...

Thanks.

On 1/7/2010 05:42, Aster wrote:

"MEB" wrote in message
...

The apparent issues per the original queries by Aster, we

1. the attempt use DOS which does NOT work [not recommended] since
Win95; AND,

2. that when defrag is run from/in Windows, it did the *normal*
complaining about disk changes [generally: running background/startup
programs; screen saver or power settings; malware programs; limited
memory; disk cache and swap], AND that de-fragmenting took a long time
to complete;

3. *NOT* that it couldn't be de-fragmented.

WE [the normal group members] advised of various techniques and scripts
or applications which help with the issues and the *questions* as
originally placed by Aster.

PCR suggested a few programs [among other things] which can help to
determine WHAT is causing the disk writes and defrag pop-up warnings
concerning disk changes.

The question is WHY you have now chosen to proceed down the path of bad
clusters which would normally cause defrag to *refuse* to run at all
[which is *NOT* what was brought by Aster as questions/queries] stating
*scandisk* must be run first; NOR what normally causes defrag to warn
about disk changes.



Yes, exactly.
I don't see too much sense try to determine what application constantly
writing to the hard disk.
As I told, defragging works and I managed to defrag disk from Safe mode.
Also: does is make sense run Thorough Scandisk test if Standard test is OK?

I just want to clarify few details about ScanDefrag program suggested by
Bill Blanton, will try it.
http://home.earthlink.net/~bblanton2...efrag/main.htm

ScanDefrag can no run Defrag from Safe mode, for a cleaner run
environment? (even if we select 'Restrictive mode')

No, it will not run in Safe mode. The way it is designed is to run
in normal Windows mode before many of the startup processes load. Sort
of a "process specific safe mode" (with some exceptions). Safe mode is
safe mainly because it does not allow autorunning of non essential
processes (including hardware drivers).

Try it. It is a stand alone executable, and only writes one program
specific key to the registry.

On 1/7/2010 05:42, Aster wrote:

"MEB" wrote in message
...

The apparent issues per the original queries by Aster, we

1. the attempt use DOS which does NOT work [not recommended] since
Win95; AND,

2. that when defrag is run from/in Windows, it did the *normal*
complaining about disk changes [generally: running background/startup
programs; screen saver or power settings; malware programs; limited
memory; disk cache and swap], AND that de-fragmenting took a long time
to complete;

3. *NOT* that it couldn't be de-fragmented.

WE [the normal group members] advised of various techniques and scripts
or applications which help with the issues and the *questions* as
originally placed by Aster.

PCR suggested a few programs [among other things] which can help to
determine WHAT is causing the disk writes and defrag pop-up warnings
concerning disk changes.

The question is WHY you have now chosen to proceed down the path of bad
clusters which would normally cause defrag to *refuse* to run at all
[which is *NOT* what was brought by Aster as questions/queries] stating
*scandisk* must be run first; NOR what normally causes defrag to warn
about disk changes.



Yes, exactly.
I don't see too much sense try to determine what application constantly
writing to the hard disk.
As I told, defragging works and I managed to defrag disk from Safe mode.
Also: does is make sense run Thorough Scandisk test if Standard test is OK?

I just want to clarify few details about ScanDefrag program suggested by
Bill Blanton, will try it.
http://home.earthlink.net/~bblanton2...efrag/main.htm

ScanDefrag can no run Defrag from Safe mode, for a cleaner run
environment? (even if we select 'Restrictive mode')

No, it will not run in Safe mode. The way it is designed is to run
in normal Windows mode before many of the startup processes load. Sort
of a "process specific safe mode" (with some exceptions). Safe mode is
safe mainly because it does not allow autorunning of non essential
processes (including hardware drivers).

Try it. It is a stand alone executable, and only writes one program
specific key to the registry.

"Bill Blanton" wrote in message
...
On 1/6/2010 05:47, Aster wrote:


Also, according to microsoft, the volume must have at least 15 percent
free space for Defrag to completely and adequately defragment it. Defrag
uses this space as a sorting area for file fragments. If a volume has
less than 15 percent free space, Defrag only partially defragments it.
So, if my 20Gb hard drive has only 1.53Gb free space and I have
performed defrag, my volume has been just partially defragmented?

If you only have 1.5GB free it's either time to move some data off, or buy
another drive. If you're thinking that defrag is going to speed up your
system considerably, it won't. Far better to look at what processes are
running in the background.

It was mentioned that Scandisk reported bad clusters. In that case stay
away from any defrag utility. Defrag is for healthy disks.

---------------

still not clear, has been my volume fully defragged, or just some partially?
Canno check this, since there is no 'Analyze' disk option, like win XP has.

"Bill Blanton" wrote in message
...
On 1/6/2010 05:47, Aster wrote:


Also, according to microsoft, the volume must have at least 15 percent
free space for Defrag to completely and adequately defragment it. Defrag
uses this space as a sorting area for file fragments. If a volume has
less than 15 percent free space, Defrag only partially defragments it.
So, if my 20Gb hard drive has only 1.53Gb free space and I have
performed defrag, my volume has been just partially defragmented?

If you only have 1.5GB free it's either time to move some data off, or buy
another drive. If you're thinking that defrag is going to speed up your
system considerably, it won't. Far better to look at what processes are
running in the background.

It was mentioned that Scandisk reported bad clusters. In that case stay
away from any defrag utility. Defrag is for healthy disks.

---------------

still not clear, has been my volume fully defragged, or just some partially?
Canno check this, since there is no 'Analyze' disk option, like win XP has.