Scheduled Tasks - Clean Defrag in XP

[T2LE]

Hi, I have had XP on my system for over a year and love it. However, I have not been able to get a clean defrag since installation. The last defrag report is as follows:

Volume (C
Volume size = 14.91 GB
Cluster size = 8 KB
Used space = 12.39 GB
Free space = 2.52 GB
Percent free space = 16 %

Volume fragmentation
Total fragmentation = 6 %
File fragmentation = 12 %
Free space fragmentation = 1 %

File fragmentation
Total files = 58,392
Average file size = 210 KB
Total fragmented files = 5
Total excess fragments = 272
Average fragments per file = 1.00

Pagefile fragmentation
Pagefile size = 382 MB
Total fragments = 11

Folder fragmentation
Total folders = 4,758
Fragmented folders = 83
Excess folder fragments = 137

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fragments File Size Files that cannot be defragmented
60 449 MB \Program Files\RealFlight\Data\RFV2.DCK
71 219 MB \Program Files\RealFlight\Data\RFAOV4.DCK
2 419 MB \UNDO\BACKUP.CAB
73 203 MB \Documents and Settings\TULSID\Local Settings\Temp\WER19C.tmp.dir00\Mcshield.exe.hdmp
30 203 MB \Documents and Settings\TULSID\Local Settings\Temp\WER29.tmp.dir00\Mcshield.exe.hdmp
43 98 MB \Documents and Settings\TULSID\Application Data\Identities\{03FA7420-3FCC-11D3-A1EB-AF89CC02843C}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\Sent Items.dbx

I right click My Computer then Management/Defrag and run it there. I have spent many hours trying to use the scheduled task feature, however, I get error messages stating

"defrag.job" (defrag.exe) 2/17/2003 9:43:00 AM ** ERROR **
The attempt to log on to the account associated with the task failed, therefore, the task did not run.
The specific error is:
0x8007052e: Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password.
Verify that the task's Run-as name and password are valid and try again."

I am the Administrator and do not have a password set. I have tried deleting the task and adding it back, but still it doesn't work. I tried creating another administrator account, but still got the same message. I have also tried using a password, but it still does not work.

Any suggestions? I hope it's ok to put this much info in the message. If not, sorry! Thanks for your help.

Terry

 

[smah]

Defrag can't be scheduled directly. Save this script somewhere, then create a scheduled task to run the script.

http://www.dougknox.com/utility/scripts_desc/defrag_all.htm

 

[T2LE]

smah - Thanks for your reply. I tried it (D/L & ran it) - the log said Drives C & D were defragged successfully. So I went back to My Computer/Management to check the defragged status. It still had a lot of fragments so I am not so sure the .vbs file worked so well. Shouldn't it have shown the drive to be completely defragged? Or am I missing something else. This was the report after I ran the .vbs file and defragged manually.

Volume (C
Volume size = 14.91 GB
Cluster size = 8 KB
Used space = 12.36 GB
Free space = 2.55 GB
Percent free space = 17 %

Volume fragmentation
Total fragmentation = 6 %
File fragmentation = 12 %
Free space fragmentation = 1 %

File fragmentation
Total files = 58,504
Average file size = 209 KB
Total fragmented files = 6
Total excess fragments = 278
Average fragments per file = 1.00

Pagefile fragmentation
Pagefile size = 382 MB
Total fragments = 10

Folder fragmentation
Total folders = 4,822
Fragmented folders = 83
Excess folder fragments = 139

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fragments File Size Files that cannot be defragmented
60 449 MB \Program Files\RealFlight\Data\RFV2.DCK
71 219 MB \Program Files\RealFlight\Data\RFAOV4.DCK
2 419 MB \UNDO\BACKUP.CAB
73 203 MB \Documents and Settings\TULSID\Local Settings\Temp\WER19C.tmp.dir00\Mcshield.exe.hdmp
30 203 MB \Documents and Settings\TULSID\Local Settings\Temp\WER29.tmp.dir00\Mcshield.exe.hdmp
48 99 MB \Documents and Settings\TULSID\Application Data\Identities\{03FA7420-3FCC-11D3-A1EB-AF89CC02843C}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\Sent Items.dbx

The way I read this report is I gained 1% free space and some of the previous files were successfully defragged, while others were not. For example, why the last file shown above (my Sent Items.dbx) was not defragged does not make sense. Outlook was not opened when I ran this utility.

The reason I would like to have a clean defrag is to see if that solves some of the little problems that crop up from time to time. Should I really worry about it?

Terry

 

[smah]

You may never get everything 100% completely defragged. This largely depends on your specific file structure. For example, if your swap file (virtual memory) is fragmented, defrag won't help this - you would have to delete it an recreate it. Other files that are in use can affect defrag as well as the hibernation file. The script merely allows you to run defrag as a scheduled task, it does not do anything that windows defrag does not. What exactly are you trying to accomplish - 0% fragmentation? There are other defrag utilites that some say are better than MS's, but how good is good enough?

 

[T2LE]

Yes, 100% defragged would be great! (I think I'm OCD in this regard!) I just think the pc would work better if it was completely defragged. I don't understand why the backup cabs files are not defragged.

Every once in a while my system will not work as it should - i.e., I connect to the internet, but not really. I get the icon but cannot connect to anything until I reboot the pc.

At other times, I can cook a 3 course dinner in the time it takes to download a song - I have a dialup (slow dial-up) and no possibility of any other except for the costly satelite dish.

To my way of thinking, I felt that if I had a good (100%) defrag I wouldn't have the problems I do. Perhaps this isn't realistic or even remotely connected to my problems.

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. I haven't heard of any other defrag utilites, so if you could pass those on, I'd appreciate it.

Terry

 

[slick12]

Here is a link to an article that appeared in Fred Langa's newsletter. From what you describe, this might be what your looking for.

http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-02-03.htm#5

Good Luck!

slick12

 

[XPisfree]

Prev. bugs that prevented a clean defrag for my PC:

1. Uncleared, invalid registry references from changes in folder locations/ incomplete uninstalls/machine name change, etc. Free and great prog below:

http://www.vtoy.fi/jv16/programs/RegCleaner.exe

2. Real Media product installations. (The "membership" safeguards keep many cross referenced folders active permanently between folders [\system32], [Program files\common files\...] and ["default user"\App. Data\...]
)
3.Keeping a live connection to the web while defragging (disable NIC). Active files don't defrag.

4.Permission setting restrictions blocking full system access.

I noticed RPlayer/Games generally leaves 1-2 thin red bars near the 2/3 point on diskspace used. It's not so vital but bugging. Winmx and other files like those have the same effect. Many files are held in a "transition" state.

 

[bullhlms]

T2LE,
I think you are probably trying to solve a non-problem. My understanding is that the immediate trouble with a fragmented file is that it is slow to access, so having fragmented backup or cabinet files is not a real problem. Files which are frequently accessed such as the page file will slow down operations. To defragment the page file temporarily move it to another drive if possible (or set it to none), reboot and defrag your C: drive, then move it back to C:. To prevent fragmentation set the min and max size equal.

 

[T2LE]

WOW, you guys have some great ideas! I will check them out and post back. Thank you - thank you - thank you!

 

[denzilla]

I finally got a 100% defragged HD last night. I feel like I won the lottery or something! I find that diskeeper lite is better than the stock defrag proggy in XP but it to me, isn't worth the asking price for the full version. I too would like to know why XP can't seen to defrag 100% all the time. Didn't seem to be much of an issue in 98,ME, or other windows versions. I just switched to NTFS a few days ago. I switched because I heard it was more stable and less prone to errors. It takes about 5min to defrag my 40 gig NTFS HD versus all freakin day for the same volume in Fat32. The downside is that I have to defrag about 4 or 5 times a day as NTFS fragments like hell!

 

[bullhlms]

At least you can use the PC while defragging.

 

[denzilla]

Yea, I guess that is 1 plus to the program.