Defrag problem

Every time I try and run Defrag, it starts,then stops saying reading drive info, then restarting drive contents changed

The only things I have running is systray at the time according to ctrl alt del....and my msconfig startup list

What is making this happen, and how can I enable my computer to defrag again?

 

yeah, the OS would be nice. Are you defragging in "safe mode"?

 

Did you de-activate your screensaver if you use one? This will cause that to happen.

 

The OS is either 98 or ME. Still best if you post your specs though, Giloo.

You might need to run a scandisk first. I've had filesystem problems do this to me way back when I used thoses OSes.

In regards to systray being the only thing running, that simply can't be. Explorer.exe is running too. not to mention the stuff that doesn't appear in msconfig or ctrl-alt-del.

If scandisk doesn't help, I would definately go with billH's advice and try it from Safe Mode

 

IIRC, kill everything but systray and explorer.exe and that should do it.

 

Hi Gilloo. I use a handy utility everytime that I defrag that clears all proggies running except systray and explorer. It is called EndItAll, and it really works wonders. I've used it for a long time on WinMe, and my son uses it on his 98SE. Get it here:

http://home.ptd.net/~don5408/toolbox/enditall/

 

Oh yeah, if your internet connection is "always on", like cable modem access, then safe mode is a requirement since traffic from your cable isp's routine traffic (like pings) will cause the "information has changed" notification. Sometimes a local network connection will cause them too.

 

BTW Adryn:thanks for letting me borrow your "have you tired it in safe mode"
mantra. Gotta protect the kitties don't we?

 

Yes, its Windows98SE......no cable, dial up modem......Im going to try the enditall program and see if that helps

I did realize there are background programs running but I never know which ones or how to stop them

Im assuming the enditall will enditall and my problem will be fixed so if you dont hear back from me within the day its cool

Thanks all, dont know where I would be without this site

 

close down all as though you are shutting down machine. Do a restart - as it reloads hit F8 this will give you several options, from memory its option 3 'Safe Mode' when this is loaded then do your defrag and anything else like scandisk etc when complete close down and reload as normal. I do this about every week but have been told its not really necessary that often, but I like it clean - if you know what I mean!

 

Boccemon, I use enditall on my W98SE laptop, as well. Enditall doesn't "enditall automatically" as you know. You have to massage it. I have an enditall.bat batch file that closes down all the stuff, that I run, when I logoff the net. I use the /k (for kill) option as I find it more reliacle than /c (close). Doesn't solve his defrag problem but that is another hint to help. Bazza

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I still have 98SE on a computer and had constant problems trying to defrag, finally found out about Diskeeper Lite (here of course) and it works on this particular system. I mentioned this particular system because I know of a few people that have 98SE and nothing works good for them, so give it a try if other suggestions don't help.http://www.majorgeeks.com/download1207.html

 

I've seen an issue with Windows 98 and defrag. Specifically, Windows decides to resize the swapfile while defragging. Of course, this causes disk writes... which causes defrag to restart. If your drive is big enough, you can get into an endless cycle where defrag endlessly restarts after getting XX% done.

Two workarounds: 1) Disable virtual memory, 2) Boot into Safe Mode. In theory, using a fixed swap file size should work as well.

I've also heard that the WinME defrag utility doesn't suffer this problem, and works significantly faster than the one supplied with 9x. The utility is downloadable numerous places on the 'net, but I'm not going to link to them because I'm not sure of how legal that is.

Sources of similar issues:
http://windows-help.net/windows98/troub-29.htm
http://experts.about.com/q/1061/3376919.htm
http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6255-1055978.html

And here's Microsoft's take on the issue:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;186978
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/columns/inside/techan35.mspx

MS's workaround? Boot into Safe Mode.

 

You're very right....they should not. But they all do !!!

 

I have had this same problem on several occasions
winth 98SE and a good workaround I found was this:
Open %SystemRoot%\System.ini (usualy
C:\Windows\System.ini) and replace
shell=Explorer.exe with shell=command.com
Reboot into safe mode.
When you boot, all that will load is command.com,
so you'll be at a "dos box". Type this in the
dos box: start C:\windows\defrag.exe (or whatever
the path to defrag is, I forget offhand).
Defrag runs, defrags, etc. When it's finished,
type this: notepad.exe %systemroot%\system.ini
(where %systemroot% is usually C:\Windows\),
and change shell=C:\windows\command.com back
to shell=Explorer.exe.
Reboot into normal mode.
This works for me, and since explorer doesn't load,
none of the item's in HKLM\...\RUN, start menu,etc.
run. If you still have a problem with defrag then
either: defrag.exe is infected, command.com is
infected, or your boot sector is infected.

Not a solution, but an item for the "wish list",
we need a defrag for 98/ME/9x like the old
dos defrags. Boot up with a diskett, defrag, then
restart with no problems. Multi-tasking causes
so many problems.

 

Something that I think needs to be mentioned here is that no amount of work in msconfig or using ctrl-alt-del is going to stop all apps from running.


Msconfig barely hits the tip of the iceburg. Ctrl-alt-del doesn't show everything.
9x OSes have processes just like NT Oses, but you can't view them without some sort of third party software.

Safe Mode is the only way you will have the least amount of processes (3rd part y and MS), running.

 

Couldn't Edit so..
M$ Office - Fast find ...?
Indexing .
Hard ta say whats running in tha backfground , accessing files that makes Defrag want ta re allocate files . That keep changing as they are accessed..

 

I agree. I had this problem on clean installs of Windows 98se, and the only resolution was Safe Mode, or third party defragmenter.

 

Cpl P, don't think I have used M$ defrag for a hell of a long time. Always use Norton Utilities Speed disk (various versions of NU) with no problems. I always ensure that I close as many applications as possible before starting NU SD though. Bazza

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