I have a Compaq 5204 with a 4.3GB.When i try to Defrag the C drive it takes 4ever.Can somebody help me? I/ve tried Compaq tech support.They suggested I use safe mode but that doesn/t help much.
Don't understand the question. Defrag takes over so it can shuffle stuff around on your hard drive. And depending on how long you've been using the system it could keep it for several hours. And if you have a screen saver kicking in then you might never get it back normally.
Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.
Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.
Dont't do anything on your system while defrag is running.
And according to what edfair said about the screen saver:
When I use defrag on my machine with a screen saver switch on then I get somthing like an 'endless loop' with defrag.
If the screen saver switches on while defragging, defrag will start from the begining.
Just start defrag in the morning, go to work and when you come back it should be done.
I turn the screen saver off and when the defrag is running it starts over repeatedly til U eventually get a msg saying
(disk defrag has started more than 10 times a program is writing to yur disk preventing disk defrag from running.Close all programs before continuing)
N.B. When I defrag my D drive it works without a hitch
Hi
When I want to defrag my disks on the side, I go to 'start menu/run' and run sysedit. than I replace Shell =Explorer.exe, with shell=defrag.exe (in system.ini).
than I reboot and windows starts defragmentaion only.
when I want to load windows back, I load it through command prompt only, I change system.ini back to explorer.exe and reboot.
Slippers
There is something running that writes to the disk. When the write is attempted defrag upchucks and starts over.
That is why Compaq said do it in safe mode.
You could also try shift F8 on bootup to control anything that might be loading unseen. You should be able to get it down to explorer only, might need systray, I've never tried to remove it, so I don't know.
And before starting defrag, do a 3 finger salute and see whats there.
Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.
Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.
I too was having problems with defrag, but being a newbie at the time had lotsa troubles. I was advised to get Start Up Cop, a freeware program from PC Mag. The url is
With this proggie you can control your startup. The only thing you need actually running, as has already been pointed out, is SYSTRAY & EXPLORER. Turn off the screensaver as suggested also.
Have fun.
PhiloVance
Other hobbies, interests: Travel, Model RR (HO Gauge), Genealogy.
Start Windows in Safe Mode and run scandisk and/or defrag.
It will still take some time, but it should go faster than in Normal mode. In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates?
I got ahold of the defrag program for WinMe and substituted it for the Win98 version - it seems hugely faster, it's available for download at several sites, it think i got it at
or somewhere on that site
There might be a M$ caution about using it on 98, but it's worked well for me (and lotsa people)
JMikl K
bigpygme@earthlink.net
Thank you, thank you. I've been trying to get past that 1% complete cycle, during Defrag, for the past 2 weeks. Been unsuccessful until I read what y'all suggested. "Put the pooter in 'Safe Mode' and then defrag. It finally kicked in and completely defraged my ME Windows. Thanks for the great advice and sharing your knowledge. Signed THE Pooter Dummy.
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