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HD Defrag problem 3

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dompros

Technical User
Oct 3, 2001
43
US
working in win 98. I have a hidden program writing to the HD, I can't defrag becaust the defrag utility keeps restarting, How can I locate the program that's writing and shut it down?

visit:
 
In win98,

Make sure your anti-virus and screen savers are disabled and
CTRL+ALT+DEL and close all tasks except for "explorer" then start your defrag.

Don't run any programs while defraging.

Also, remember to clean out all your temporary files, and other garbage before starting, you win98 defrag is slooow as it is, no sense having it waste time on junk. And you should run a scandisk before defraging as well.
 
I guess you didn't read the post carefuly...

I don't use screen savers nor antivirus.

All tasks are always closed.
All junk is stripped with evidence eliminator.
Scan disk is run regularly.

This defrag runs quite fast, I'm using a 10,000 rpm HD only 15 gigs... and an AMD 1.5 gig cpu.

There is a hidden program writing to the HD!

How can I find the progran and shut it down?

Regards, Robert

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Howdy:

Boot into Safe Mode and run it from there.. Also, any power management setting will cause the problem as well..

Murray
 
Good idea Murray! that'll stop everything!

Never thought of that, I'm lazy and don't want to start uninstalling programs til I find which it is...

Regards, Robert

visit:
 
Actually your post does NOT indicate that you do or do not use them, OR that you have ended all other processes.

One cannot assume that a user has done all the basics, if he/she hasn't mentioned it.

Anyways, I was reading this morning actually that win98 ships with a lowlevel process tool. I can't remember what it was called tho, if i find it again I will post it. If you still want to know what's running behind the scenes.
 
OK, thanks, Shmoes...

The lowlevel process tool is on the win98 disk?
I guess I could search the disk...
It's not in tweak UI is it?


Not long ago, I saw a freeware download for a utility to locate hidden programs on the HD, but I said to myself...naw, I don't need that, Now I'm doing a search to find it!

Regards, Robert

visit:
 
The exact paragraph i read said,

windows 95 does not ship with a low level process tool and windows 98 does.

Unfortunatley I wasn't concerned with it at the time i never clicked the link to read more. I don't know what it was called. I would assume it's on the disc tho.

but if there are freeware I'm sure google will find it. I gotta head for the day. Let me know if you find it. Or i'll try again tomorrow to see what i can find.
 
OK, the HD defragged... in safe mode no problems!
It took 20 minutes, I haven't defraged for 2 weeks. I usually defrag at end of each 10 hr. shift 6 days a week, but haven't been able to!

I'm sure that it's a program on EIDE C: drive writing to the HD, because my D: drive is a seagate SCSI drive It doesn't have all of the programs as C: drive.
It defrags with no problems.

I've upgraded and installed several programs in the last few weeks, without checking and testing each one! There's a lesson for you...

I don't want to get into unstalling programs.
If I can just find the active writing program I'll deal with it!

Thanks to all of you for the help!

Regards, Robert





visit:
 
dompros , this may be what you are looking for .

Smart uninstaller .
Smart Uninstaller is a program that you can use instead of the standard Windows Add/Remove
applet. It lists all installed applications, including hidden entries and allows you to either
uninstall the application or to remove the entry alone. In addition, it shows extended
information about each entry, including installer information and more (if available) and also
allows you to edit the information.
 
Gotit, JMatt!

Jeeez, besides, thanks, You get a handshake, a pat on the back and an attaboy cause it was free! Another job well done!

Regards, Robert. Gotta go now and figure out how to use it...



visit:
 
BTW, you really don't need to defrag that often. And I would use Diskeeper, not the built in Windows defragmenter. Its much faster, and easier to use. You're just wearing out your hard disk more rapidly, defragging that often.

Matt
 
Matt, Perhaps you are correct about the number of times I should defrag...

But on the other hand... I work on this PC 10 to 12 hrs a day 6 days a week, I build websites and upload many megabytes of data daily. incluaing a huge # of graphics and binary files. I also do a huge amount of research on the internet for information for clients and their sites. I have to scan for spyware and adware daily. I also run regclean daily. I run evidence elminator weekly, not to get rid of porno, but it cleans out all of the hidden junk and overwrites the HD.

So how often should the HD be defragged?

Regards, Robert

visit:
 
OK, I did some checking on DiskKeeper.

The best price is at the Nerds.com $41.16 + shipping

Also found this information, It's an excellent and powerful program, but warned not to use it on FAT32 HD's
Also, if one downloads the trial version and then buys and downloads the full version. The full version will not uninstall the trial, and you must go into regedit and deleate all instances of Diskeeper, being careful of shared entries.
Also Tech-support will not give much support at all, only false promises, such as they will get back to you or email a walk through, which never happens.

Otherwise it seems to be great!

Regards, Robert

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dompros , I use ME defrag .

Windows ME defrag ( free ) , very fast . no need to close
( ctrl/alt/delete , I don't use a screen saver ) anything down to run defrag , no restarts .

Get it from here .
W9X-Me-Defrag

================================

Open Windows Explorer , go down to Windows , left click on the yellow
folder , this opens the right hand panel .
Scroll down to defrag & write down the exact name . Next , right
click on defrag , scroll down to rename & click on it . Now left
click at the end of defrag & add the word old . So if you had the
word defrag , it now becomes defragold .
Now rename MEdefrag to whatever you wrote down ( usually Defrag ) , drag & drop it on
the yellow Windows folder or anywhere in the right hand side .
Both achive the same thing & Windows will after you close , put it
alphabetically . That's it .

Or if you comfortable with altering files , just Copy & Paste ME defrag ( make sure it is named
Defrag ) into the folder .

=================================

Also , to make ME Defrag even Faster for it's 1st run ( you may have a corrupt file ) from
Windows Explorer , Delete all the files ( except the read only file )
in Windows > Applog . Taskmon will rebuild the Applog file .
If you have plenty of memory , disable Taskmon .
Start > Run , type in msconfig & press Enter .
Click on Startup & untick TaskMonitor .

To view Applog , do this .
Windows Explorer > View > Folder Options > View , click on Show all files . Click OK .
 
Huh?... let's see, let me read this over a little...

These instructins are for after the utility is downloaded and installed, right? Yea, I've got 512 megs of mem.

I'm going to have to go and download it to understand everything. I get the renaming, but, I don't get why?
There is a defrag.exe, so I should rename it old to take it out of running? and name the downloaded defrag utility to the orignal name, so it takes over? and drag it into the windows folder?

The copy and paste method... rename and paste into the windows folder?

I'm lazy and only want to do this once! So the questions...

Regards, Robert




visit:
 
Print the post & choose the method that suits your skill level .

I don't do any renaming myself .

Yep , disable Taskmon .

See how you go .
 
My machine hungs-up whenever I try to run SCANDISK or DISK DEFRAGMENTER. What shall I do to correct this problem?
 
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