Defrag won't run

I have a system running Win98, Second Edition, with a 19.1 GB HD. For some reason, my Scheduled Tasks won't run. I can run them manually if need be, but now my defrag won't run at all. I can bring the window up, including the detailed version, but it won't run more than a few seconds. Then it resets & starts back at the beginning. Also, my Internet Explorer isn't
showing up in the CNTRL+ALT+Delete window, the one that shows the current programs that
are running (but I can still open it). Any respone is appreciated. Thank you for your time.

 

Classic pain-in-the-arse defrag behavior in 9x

Robo's advice is right on, and another option to consider is a third-party defragger such as Diskeeper Lite (it's free), and say goodbye to that headache.

 

alanc, just went to download Diskeeper lite but it is over 12megs. A real pain in the a** for us with dialups. It may be an idea to show the size of the file to be downloaded as well as the download address so we don't bother, or get someone with broadband to download and burn it onto a CD for us.

Another aside, I don't know about other Aussies but whenever I try to use Planet mirror site it rarely works. Most times I don't bother but use "Author" instead. baz

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I do believe the size of the download is shown at the link I posted.

I'm on dialup too, so I hear ya Baz. But there are times when I just have to bite the bullet and schedule a big download for the wee hours. When the program is worth having it's worth a little inconvenience, IMO.

 

quite some time back I had the same problem, windows98 never like screen savers or any sort of HDD action with me when it was running defrag.

My advice although extreme would be to shut all programs down that you arnt using(including stuff thats in the background so long as it isnt needed to run the system), disable the screen saver...

Well, aint sure wheter that will hope, but best of luck...

 

I have a spyware removal utility & an excellent anti-virus detection/removal utility. I know about the CNTRL+ALT+Delete trick, & for some reason, Explorer doesn't show up. Up
until recently Explorer crashed every few minutes until I got a major update for my anti-
virus utility. The scan that night removed 5 viruses. I'm going to Wal-Mart tomorrow &
see if they have a error diagnostic tool. Thanks for trying.

"A life is not important except in its impact on other lives."
- Jackie Robinson (1919-1971)

 

One other thing I forgot to mention - I can't remember if it was before or after my Explorer started crashing, but I had downloaded all the major updates available. Of course, that might make a difference...

 

Hiya SC. Have you tried defragging with 98 in "safe mode?" Sometimes makes a difference.

 

DV8Cowboy. Guess I may revert to dodo.com.au. I used to be a member. I currently use AOL with no restrictions but since Primus took over AOL here in OZ and implemented a National dialup number instead of individual city/town numbers I have had nothing but trouble. Speeds have dropped from around 52000 to 31200 bps. I cannot logon to the national number (here in outer Townsville suburb) but can logon to it in Cairns city suburb. PrimusAOL give me the number to log back on to Townsville exchange number and it works at 31200. But every time I boot up the ISP it has wiped Townsville number and I have to go through the procedure again. Starting to really p*** me off. Can't get broadband on this exchange so am stuck with dialup.

alanc--I know the size is on the actual download site but I thought it might be handier in the actual post itself. Saves going to the site. I don't like leaving my PC unattended (just a phobia I have, I guess. Maybe keep taking the tablets and don't worry about it). Baz

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Thanks to all respondents for their input. I tried the safe mode method more than once, but it didn't work. But some interesting questions questions came up.
While the desktop was loading (in safe mode), I checked the active program list (CNTRL+ ALT+Delete) & THE ONLY ITEM LISTED was the Explorer shell. BUT -- when the desktop finished loading, the shell had vanished & RUNDLL32 replaced it. Also, sometimes when I try to shut down & reboot, I get an error message that Explorer caused a page fault or some other error in RUNDLL32.
But anyway, running defrag in safe mode didn't change anything, it still behaved the same way. Either a system file has been corrupted, or there's a file of some sort that my virus/ spyware utilities haven't caught yet.

 

It's been my experience with win98 that command prompt is the best way to fix errors. on bootup press F8 repeatedly till you see the options menu, select command prompt only.
from there
run scandisk and have it fix errors.
then run scanreg /fix(fixes problems you havent even found you had yet)
and once all thats done
type
deltree tempor~1 when it asks if you are sure select yes.(cleans temp files and old files)
in most cases one of these will fix almost any win 98 problem as long as it isn't a prob with other software , viruses etc.
hope this help

 

Thanks to all respondents for their input - unfortunately, nothing has worked. I've tried running scandisk both in Windows & at the command promt. Next month I plan to upgrade to WinME. Or maybe I'll go to FreeDOS instead. Windows has given me enough head- aches to make me seriously consider it.

 

Agreed with Robo. I would not consider going from 98se to ME an upgrade. You'd be better off (and be out less coin) reformatting and installing 98 clean.

 

lost it all

Thanks to all respondents for their input. Unfortunately, the defrag error was only the beginning in a long line of problems that resulted in my having to
reformat my system. The majority of my DLLs were rendered inoperative, & my Dialup Networking shut down with a message that I should reinstall it.
I bought a utility that probably could have solved the bulk of my problems, but I couldn't install it, so it wouldn't work. A friend of mine said that either someone must have hacked my system using a trojan or something else.
Whatever it was, it was a hell of a job.

 

I let everything go, because I couldn't be sure whether or it was a virus/etc.,
& when you throw in everything that was going on, I had to be absolutely sure that everything was clean. Thanks to Microsoft, Wal-Mart in Jacksboro, Tennessee, & VCOM (the so-called 'Fix-It' utility - it wouldn't work because I couldn't install it) I lost almost 2 years worth of work. I had to completely reinstall Win98, but I'm still seriously considering FreeDOS, if I can get all the necessary components.
Thanks to all respondents for their input.

'If pain is fundament, then a blade of grass can know all there is.'
- Norman Mailer, Ancient Evenings

 

I'm really sorry to hear that SC But there's a lesson here for all of us (a lesson I'm sure going to observe a lot more carefully from now on) : Backup, backup, backup ! Gonna get offline right now and transfer to cd every piece of work I need that I haven't backed up yet.
Again, sorry about your loss.
Bill

 

Defrag and W98SE

Hi There
The only good thing that ever came out of ME is the defragger which is vastly superior to the 98SE version. It was freely available on the net some time ago and I downloaded it and used it successfully where 98 Defrag would not work. If you must upgrade go up to XP. I am happily continuing with 98Se but XP will be inevitable in the future.
I now use diskeeper Lite (yes - bit the bullet) which is a whole lot faster.
It may also be that one of your w98files is crook - have you done a system file check (Start - Run -sfc -Enter) and keep your w98SE Cd available if a crook system file is found and needs to be replaced.
Cheers
Robert

 

SilverC, Good advice from Robert to run SFC. Be careful, there are 4 options, read them thoroughly and over and over. Click on ignore if you are not sure. You can always alter your choice later, next time you run SFC. You will definitely need your W98 CD Baz

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(QUOTE=Robert]Hi There
The only good thing that ever came out of ME is the defragger which is vastly superior to the 98SE version. It was freely available on the net some time ago and I downloaded it and used it successfully where 98 Defrag would not work. If you must upgrade go up to XP. I am happily continuing with 98Se but XP will be inevitable in the future.
I now use diskeeper Lite (yes - bit the bullet) which is a whole lot faster.
It may also be that one of your w98files is crook - have you done a system file check (Start - Run -sfc -Enter) and keep your w98SE Cd available if a crook system file is found and needs to be replaced.
Cheers
Robert[/QUOTE]