DISK DEFRAGMENTER-WIN 98

[mhund]

I am trying to run disk defragmenter in OS-Win 98. I tried it in both normal and safe mode(I turned the screen saver off) and still no luck defragging the drive. I have MS-DOS 7.0 and so I can't defrag from the DOS prompt. There is more than half of the disk drive available so it should have the resources needed to reallocate drive locations. Any suggestions?

 

[cdogg]

Try this in normal mode:

1) Start -> Run, type msconfig and hit OK. On the startup tab, disable everything (you can come back and re-check them later).

2) Reboot back into Normal mode.

3) CTRL-ALT-DEL and "end task" on every process except Explorer?

4) Run scandisk then defragmenter.


[tab]Note: Don't forget to undo Step 1 afterwards


~cdogg
[tab]"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources"
[tab][tab]- A. Einstein

 

[SESaskDFC]

Howdy:

Actually, you don't need to go into Startup..

Many people have problems running ScanDisk and/or Defrag, with the program running 10% or 30% and then stalling. Often with a message that Windows is trying to write to the drive. To run ScanDisk/Defrag successfully:

Go to Start > Run and type msconfig in the Open: box

On the General tab, uncheck all items listed under Selective startup (make sure that Selective startup is selected)

Hit apply and OK and restart Windows

This starts Windows with only the basics running; Insures nothing will interfere with ScanDisk and Defrag

Run ScanDisk and Defrag, when ready go into msconfig and select Normal startup and restart Windows

Murray

 

[vop]

Try Diskeeper lite (free) if you need another option:

http://www.webattack.com/get/dkeeperlite.shtml

The full Diskeeper product is widely known to be the best solution for automated and reliable disk defragmentation.

 

[deltarho]

There will be a % of us where cdogg's approach will work and a % of us where SESaskDFC's approach will work with a probable overlap. On some occasions reversing the prodedure may not reproduce the original configuration. In my case I have 28 items in the Startup tab but only 16 are selected in my normal m.o. so after restoring the config we need to deselect those that are normally deselected; if any.

However, both methods are subsets of Safe Mode and mhund has tried Safe Mode.

I think we need to know what is meant by "still no luck defragging the drive". Is it hanging @ 2% or 10% or another %? What abnormal behaviour is being experienced?

Over to you mhund.

 

[pmasley]

A little helpful hint for any Win98 Defrag is to use <ctrl> <alt><del> and stop all running progs except for explorer. Also, if possible, find a buddy with a ME machine and copy the scandisk and defrag files and use them on the 98 box. The ME defrag is much faster.

 

[vop]

The Defrag utility that comes with Windows may often struggle with a drive that is heavily fragmented.

In some cases, particularly on Windows 98, several important system files may become fragmented so that the standard Defrag utility cannot defragment them. In that case you will either need to live with the problem, reformat your drive, or purchase a third-party defrag utility such as Diskeeper.

 

[Jontmke]

You said Defrag will not finish in safe mode? Does it halt? Does it give an error? In safe mode nothing else should be running so it should finish. How big is your drive? Reeaally big?
Have you run scandisk before defrag?

Jon

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)

 

[csdb1]

If windows 98: come up in command prompt mode (F8 at start up). Run scandisk /autofix from command prompt. Then start windows in safe mode: win /d:m
In safe mode delete temporary files, remove files and directories from c:\windows\temp, c:\windows\tempor~1, and c:\windows\tempor~1\content.ie5
(delete directories from command prompt with deltree *.*)
Also, delete files from c:\windows\applog (hidden folder).

Then run scandisk on the C: drive from the properities windows with the full scan option. This will mark any bad spots on the drive.

Then try to run the defrag - click on show details tab to see if the error is at the same spot everytime it fails.

good luck

 

[deltarho]

Just a note in passing.

scandisk /autofix will do a fine job most of the time but there have been occasions when it has caused more damage and to avoid this, admittedly rare, situation the better route is be prompted. On some prompts the answer will clearly be 'go ahead and fix' whilst on others it may be better to disallow and give serious thought to how you are going to handle it.

See

http://users.iafrica.com/c/cq/cquirke/scandisk.htm

 

[itdsk]

I had the same problem, after I used Ctrl, Alt Delete to get rid of everything but explorer, then I had to &quot;Pause&quot;

Task Scheduler, they it worked fine

 

[Najoba]

If you have a firewall, be sure you disable it. I cannot run Disk Defrag successfully unless I do that.

 

[deltarho]

Good tip from Najoba as it may be a source for a problem but it isn't implied. There are two variables here: The firewall in use and the defragmenter to be employed. As luck would have it I can defrag with the firewall running.