Disk Defragmenter

[Da Rolling Eye]

Okay, so we don't own the latest. We have an older HP puter. The disk defragmenter freezes at 10% when I try to defragment the second line, file system NTFS. Works fine when I defrag the top line, file system FAT32. H'cum?
Did I download something that sent in on a fritz? I've been downloading updates for HP and MS. Help?

[Peshkwe]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

Try defragging in safe mode, maybe one of the updates has something running in the background that the defragger chokes on.

What's your operating system?

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

Running Windows XP. Went back 2 months on a restore and it still chokes, and I know it was working fine at least a month ago. I'll try the safe mode.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

Neah mine. Didn't work in safe mode either. Guess I'll just have to do a total system restoration tomorrow.

[Vanguard]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

If you're still open to trying alternatives -- have you ever downloaded DeFrag Pro? I find it to be much better than whatever free stuff you get with windows. The trial version should give you at least 1 free defragmentation (or maybe it's 30 days of unlimited use, I can't remember), so it's worth a try.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

As Peshkwe mentioned I think something's running in the background. Passing that pesky 10% mark is the key to completing the Windows defrag it seems. I always breathe a sigh of relief when it passes that point.

If you're on a DSL or Cable modem try removing the ethernet cable or disabling the router by unplugging it when doing the defrag. Turn off your system restore and also turn off your screen saver when doing a defrag.

[helen]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

When doing the disk defragmenter are you running other applications like an Internet browser or an email client at the same time?

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

When I defrag, I always close down anything I had going on. Don't know if unplugging the ethernet cable is going to do it. After we signed up for DSL, it was still defragging just fine....unless it's a delayed reaction, BUT I'll give it all a try. Nothing to lose, ah? I'll try that Defrag Pro after all else fails. Mahalo.......

[helen]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

One more question, when you say it freezes do you mean that if you move the mouse the mouse pointer does not move and does the clock on the system tray not get updated?

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

There's sliding bar at the bottom that reads what percent has been defragged. It freezes at 10% during the "analyze" function. Dang. I restored back 4 months and it still doesn't work. Something done broke it.

[ItsGoTime!]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

I used to have that problem too. I now shut everything off. Screen saver, internet (either unplug or turn off wireless), MSN Messenger, etc... If that doesn't work, you may have a virus or some sort of spyware that is constantly running in the background.

[helen]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

So when it freezes, what do you do to unfreeze it? And how long do you wait to do something about it when it freezes?

You have to keep in mind that different people may have different ways to define the word "freeze" when talking about computers.

And just to let you know the way I define the word "freeze" (for Windows based computers) occurs when:

1) you move the mouse and the mouse pointer does not move at all
2) the clock on the system tray does not update (this is assuming you don't hide the task bar)
3) Nothing happens when you press the CTRL-ALT-DEL keys together

And it seems the only way to get the computer working again is either press the RESET button (if your computer has one) or turn the power off and then on again.

I have come across cases where people come to me and say "my computer is frozen" and when I ask them "if you move your mouse does the mouse pointer move too"?

If the answer is yes then the computer is not frozen. One common cause is that it's waiting for input. Most likey another small window gets generated and it is hidden behind a much larger window such that you can't see it.

You can try to minimize the larger window to allow the smaller window to be shown.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

Something you might try is shutting down all the background processes. Bring up Task Manager, go to the processes tab and kill everything but System Idle Process, explorer, (anyone know of any others you have to leave?)

Once defrag is complete, you should reboot the system to restore it to normal.


The other possibility is the hard drive is going south. What is the hard drive doing when it hangs? Repeated clicks in a slow regular rhythm? That's probably the hard drive trying to do repeated reads to get a bad sector.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

Sorry Helen. The defrag function "stops" working when it reaches 10%. Anyway, I downloaded some freeware and everything is now working better. Going to do some searching for a virus or spyware like IGT suggested. Mahalo for all the help.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Disk Defragmenter

Here's another possibility because I just ran into it last night while trying to defrag a 35-gig hard drive: The drive unit is slowly going bad.

Or as Helen indicated you could have some virus running around that's preventing the defrag from passing that magical 10% mark.

The way around that is to remove the hard drive and run it as a slave in another computer then defragging it that way. But first do a virus scan on that drive in a host computer.