Defragmenting computer

I have tried several times to defragment my computer. It will feeze up on me. What am I doing wrong? I go to start then accessories and system tools. I click on defragment and c drive but then it just will not go. If anyone can give me the answer I will greatly appreciate it. Thanks

 

What is your computer specs? what OS are you using? When you say feeze is it thew whole computer or just the defrag?

 

The first 2 questions I have no idea of what you are talking about. I am really dumb when it comes to computers. The last question, It only freezes on the defragment. Thank

 

Check and see how much free space you have on your C: drive. They say that the defragmenter works best with at least 15% free space on each drive letter.
. To find free space, Find "My Computer" icon > double-click it > right-click on Drive C: > click on Properties - that should tell you the drive size and free space remaining right there. Now click on the Tools tab > do the Error Checking with both options checked (Automatically fix and Test for and attempt recover bad sectors) - that can take a good while depending on your drives size. If you have both 15% free space and it passes the Error Checking, then continue below. If you don't have 15% free space, then empty the Recycle bin (do that anyway - it probably needs it) and delete other unnecessary stuff and empty the recycle bin again (remember, stuff you deleted isn't really gone until you empty the Recycle Bin) until you have at least 15% free space.
. You should now be able to get Defrag to run. You can either do it from the Tools tab as above, or the way you've already tried to do it. If it still won't run, you may have a corrupt defrag program file and you'll need to copy it back from your Windows CD.

System specs means how much memory (RAM) do you have, what processor (Celeron; Pentium 1,2,3 or 4; Athlon, Duron, etc.), how large of a hard drive etc.
What OS means what version of Windwoes are you running? Win 95, 98, 98SE, 2000, XP, etc.

. I guess people aren't used to having noobs showing up around here.

.bh.

 

Thanks to both of you for your help. I went to My Computer and di what you suggested. I have more than 15% free space but did the error checking. No errors. Then I tried to defragment and the computer froze ( not just the defrag). I do not have a windows cd that I can use because I had a computer update in December of 2003. Again Thanks

 

Could also be bad memory - download Memtest86, Memtest86+ and the free M$ memory testing utility and test your memory with them. See what happens. There is also a utility built into some versions of Win that can verify your Windows system files for integrity. I've forgotten the name of the file and what versions have it. Might be worth a shot.

.bh.

 

Typical disk defragmenters require as much as 20% free space to defragment.

Download and run CCleaner to clean the temp files from your computer.

Now try to defrag your computer.

 

To find the OS version, simply, click on START, then RUN, then type in (within the Run box) winver (press enter)

This will tell you what OS you are running.

What SPD says is pretty much true. I've had success with 10% free space computers. But, if the fragmented files are rather large, you will always be this way.

I'd recommend getting a larger drive.

Another thing to do, try going into safe mode and running defrag there.

 

Yes, running defrag from Safe Mode is a short-term solution, but you won't want to be doing that forever. I still suggest running the memory testing programs I suggested as lockups of Windwoes are generally memory or power problems.

.bh.

 

Windows locks up for so many different reasons, one can not automatically say it is one particular thing causing it. Memory rarely causes a lock up more often then not it is a corrupt file or a corrupted driver that is at fault.

Faulty memory OTH does cause unexplained, unexpected system reboots, with different faulting modules showing in the Event Viewer or the BSOD error meassages.