Scan and defrag in Safe Mode?

Every now and then someone gets in trouble with scans and
defragmentations that keep restarting because something
is running and modifying files. It strikes me that the
scans accompanying restarts after power cuts, cold boots
following Blue Screens and so on don't get in trouble
because nothing much is loaded yet. So would a really
simple way to scan and defrag without restarts be to
boot into Safe Mode and do them there? Any problems
anyone can see?

Anthony Buckland wrote:
Every now and then someone gets in trouble with scans and
defragmentations that keep restarting because something
is running and modifying files. It strikes me that the
scans accompanying restarts after power cuts, cold boots
following Blue Screens and so on don't get in trouble
because nothing much is loaded yet. So would a really
simple way to scan and defrag without restarts be to
boot into Safe Mode and do them there? Any problems
anyone can see?


Congratulations, sir, you've just invented The Wheel! :-)

(This is a nice way of saying, "If you hang around this group long
enough (i.e. about three days), you'll see exactly that advice being
given to desperate people complaining that scandisk/defrag won't complete).

--
Regards

Nigel Stapley

www.judgemental.plus.com

reply-to will bounce

Nigel Stapley wrote:
Anthony Buckland wrote:

Every now and then someone gets in trouble with scans and
defragmentations that keep restarting because something
is running and modifying files. It strikes me that the
scans accompanying restarts after power cuts, cold boots
following Blue Screens and so on don't get in trouble
because nothing much is loaded yet. So would a really
simple way to scan and defrag without restarts be to
boot into Safe Mode and do them there? Any problems
anyone can see?


Congratulations, sir, you've just invented The Wheel! :-)

(This is a nice way of saying, "If you hang around this group long
enough (i.e. about three days), you'll see exactly that advice being
given to desperate people complaining that scandisk/defrag won't complete).

Thanks. I visit here from time to time, usually opting
for a sampling in the face of the heavy traffic, and I guess I
haven't seen the simple solution; rather, I've seen
advice on eliminating various lists of running things.

I think one SHOULD seek to discover which of the "running things" is
constantly writing to the HDD. ELIMINATE it, if feasible, EVEN when NOT
doing a Scandisk/Defrag...!...

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q287914
Articles about Scandisk
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q286263
Articles about Defrag

I must warn that Scandisk may not do a great job when there is a
great one to do...
http://cquirke.mvps.org/9x/scandisk.htm
Therefore, perhaps UNcheck "Automatically fix errors" on it's front
screen. It will then ask whether you want each error fixed. If it sounds
truly horrible, say "No!", and post the log. The log will be
"C:\Scandisk.log". Do not let it constantly restart, either.
(When running Scandisk in DOS, there won't be such a box to uncheck. You
must do it in "C:\Windows\Command\Scandisk.ini", per cquirke's advice.)
REALLY, in light of all THAT, the BEST thing to do is to have a full
system backup to run to! Would you like my list of backup apps?

1. Turn off screen saver (R-Clk Desktop, Properties, Screen Saver--
None)
2. Turn off power management (Control Panel, Power Management-- Always
On,Never,Never,Never)
3. Disable any permanent internet cable connection, perhaps.
4. Suspend Task Scheduler
5. Turn off interfering programs. Use "StartupCop" or "EndItAll2" from
PCMag (below). Or "START, Run, MSConfig, Startup tab". Note what is
unchecked. Then, go to the General tab & disable the entire Startup
Group, by clicking "Selective.." & unchecking "Load Startup...". Reboot.
Don't forget to re-enable before the next boot.
6. Use "HDValet" from PCMag, or
(a) "Control Panel, Internet Options, Delete Files button, bolt Delete
all offline content, OK, OK"
(b) "START, Run, %TEMP%", & delete all files that will let you. This
will likely be "C:\Windows\Temp". This is best done after a fresh boot,
unless you have not seen the message "Reboot to complete this install".
7. Run Scandisk (Thorough, usually w/o write testing. Check all three
items under "Scandisk, Advanced button, 'Check files for' box". If you
want to be informed as it does a fix, UNcheck "Automatically fix errors"
on the front screen, or look inside "C:\Scandisk.log" afterwards.)
8. "START, Run, Defrag /p /details". Apparently, "/p" Defrags the
unmovables.

The purpose of steps 1-5 is only to prevent constant restarts of
Scandisk & Defrag, if you get them; but DEFINITELY turn off the Virus
Scanner. Scandisk should be done perhaps once a month, and certainly
after every serious crash. Do a Defrag after a sluggish boot or when
this says so:
http://www.pcmag.com/ 's CrackUp, by Gregory A. Wolking & Bob Flanders.
Also, take DiskAction, to determine what is constantly writing to the
HDD, which causes the restarts. Take BHOCop & StartupCop too.

"DiskAction" reports the last 12 processes that access any partition. It
discovered the MS Critical Update Notification Tool was accessing my
HDD every five minutes. It can be uninstalled in "Control Panel,
Add/Remove Programs". Then, occasionally, "START, Windows Update" on
your own.

"BHOCop" found a Browser Helper Object called Wavehelper Class, created
by "Wavetop", that was building a monstrosity of an error log called
"Logit.txt" in here. "START, Find, F/F, Logit.txt"-- see one?

Now, my hard drive is quieter than my mouse. (Of course, I now also have
384 MB RAM, up from an initial 64, eliminating Swap File activity.)


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

"Anthony Buckland" wrote in message
...
| Nigel Stapley wrote:
| Anthony Buckland wrote:
|
| Every now and then someone gets in trouble with scans and
| defragmentations that keep restarting because something
| is running and modifying files. It strikes me that the
| scans accompanying restarts after power cuts, cold boots
| following Blue Screens and so on don't get in trouble
| because nothing much is loaded yet. So would a really
| simple way to scan and defrag without restarts be to
| boot into Safe Mode and do them there? Any problems
| anyone can see?
|
|
| Congratulations, sir, you've just invented The Wheel! :-)
|
| (This is a nice way of saying, "If you hang around this group long
| enough (i.e. about three days), you'll see exactly that advice being
| given to desperate people complaining that scandisk/defrag won't
complete).
|
| Thanks. I visit here from time to time, usually opting
| for a sampling in the face of the heavy traffic, and I guess I
| haven't seen the simple solution; rather, I've seen
| advice on eliminating various lists of running things.
|

"Anthony Buckland" wrote in message
...
haven't seen the simple solution; rather, I've seen
advice on eliminating various lists of running things.


Like PCR's response.


--

Brian A.

Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

I have found this little app - GEODisk2 -- to be a sure fire way of doing
both scan disk and defrag with few if any re starts:

http://www.mvps.org/PracticallyNerded/SoftMain.htm

I never use safe mode but if I had a problem, I would do as PCR recommends.
--
mae
..
"Anthony Buckland" wrote in message
...
| Nigel Stapley wrote:
| Anthony Buckland wrote:
|
| Every now and then someone gets in trouble with scans and
| defragmentations that keep restarting because something
| is running and modifying files. It strikes me that the
| scans accompanying restarts after power cuts, cold boots
| following Blue Screens and so on don't get in trouble
| because nothing much is loaded yet. So would a really
| simple way to scan and defrag without restarts be to
| boot into Safe Mode and do them there? Any problems
| anyone can see?
|
|
| Congratulations, sir, you've just invented The Wheel! :-)
|
| (This is a nice way of saying, "If you hang around this group long
| enough (i.e. about three days), you'll see exactly that advice being
| given to desperate people complaining that scandisk/defrag won't
complete).
|
| Thanks. I visit here from time to time, usually opting
| for a sampling in the face of the heavy traffic, and I guess I
| haven't seen the simple solution; rather, I've seen
| advice on eliminating various lists of running things.
|

Thanks for all the responses. I was fairly sure it was
my virus scanner (Symantec AV 2003) interfering, but
having visited Safe Mode recently to deal with a piece
of software I had the bad judgement to install, I wanted
to ask if there was anything preventing using it to scan
and defrag. (For an idea of _how_ bad my judgement was,
visit my thread on DVD writing software.)

If you mean using Safe Mode to run the utilities, no, there is nothing
preventing you from running them there. In fact it is frequently recommended
because it loads the minimal drivers/software need to run Windows. You may
still want to check the Program Manager (ctrl+alt+del) and shut down
anything running other than Explorer and Systray. As well make sure the
screensaver is disabled, I'm not sure if it runs in Safe Mode or not.

--

Brian A.

Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Anthony Buckland" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all the responses. I was fairly sure it was
my virus scanner (Symantec AV 2003) interfering, but
having visited Safe Mode recently to deal with a piece
of software I had the bad judgement to install, I wanted
to ask if there was anything preventing using it to scan
and defrag. (For an idea of _how_ bad my judgement was,
visit my thread on DVD writing software.)

I read that thread. I really don't know why it was recommended that you do not
reinstall Nero, as it is one of the best burning softwares available. Obviously,
your system had some sort of problem with it, but it may well be the result of
incompatibility with files on your system from another installed or previously
installed CD mastering or packet-writing software. Do you or did you ever have any
other CD burning software installed, including the Adaptec burning plug-in for
Windows Media Player? Any leftover drivers from such could cause grievous errors
such as you experienced. Nero has various cleanup tools on their site, including
ones that will detect and offer to eliminate any old drivers from other burning
software. I would try cleaning up with those, then install Nero again. You may
also have better luck installing the latest version of Nero by downloading it from
the web site rather than installing it from the CD.
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Anthony Buckland" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all the responses. I was fairly sure it was
my virus scanner (Symantec AV 2003) interfering, but
having visited Safe Mode recently to deal with a piece
of software I had the bad judgement to install, I wanted
to ask if there was anything preventing using it to scan
and defrag. (For an idea of _how_ bad my judgement was,
visit my thread on DVD writing software.)