Defragging doesn't defrag

Windows 98
AMD-K6-400 Mhz -8 GB(5.71 free) -192 MB Ram -

I have searched various forums and cannot find a problem like mine. I have spent all day trying to defrag this machine using Win Me defrag. I started in Safe mode, after doing a thorough scandisc, and had a lot of problems completing it. The first 10% took 37 min the first time I tried, then restarted at 85%. I went into Ctrl-Alt-Del to see what was running and all it showed was Explorer. Subsequent (5) attempts took less time for the first 10% but still restarted somewhere between 86 and 92%. My 7th try was successful. I then rebooted into Normal mode and ran it again. This time it took 40 min to get through that 10% but whistled right through the rest (10 min.) But:

I have been observing the details as the scan runs and every time it shows the first 10% very generously sprinkled with dark blocks (which should be at the end of the drive)and large white areas. Why isn't the scan tidying these up?

The reason for my determination to clean this drive up is because the computer is a lot slower than I think it should be.

 

Have you done the preliminary cleanups with Disk Cleanup? You may want to try Crap Cleaner, it does an even better job.

Also, scan for spyware, using Ad-Aware, and Spybot Search and Destroy.

When you defrag, make sure all screen savers are turned off.

And, make sure you have plenty of free disc space to run defrag. If the disc is too full, it won't be very efficient and may very well cause some of the problems you are experiencing. Hope this helps.

 

The whole computer has been cleaned within an inch of its life. No spyware, no trojans, no viruses. Everything disabled while scanning. When I brought up the task-manager while in Safe Mode, the only thing shown was Explorer.
Why isn't it (the first 10%) appearing cleaned when I rerun Defrag?

 

Doesn't anybody have any ideas? Have I really stumped the panel?

 

I Can't answer your question but when I had 98SE I had similar problems and downloaded and installed Diskeeper Lite (FREE) and it worked beautifully. So if you don't get and answer this Forum I would get the freebie and use it instead,
Cheers
Robert

 

I had defrag problems,my computer would freeze after 5%,eventually found hot fix download DskOpt.js it runs at bootup ,it got my comp to finally defrag ran for 16 hours+.defrags normally now.not sure if it would help your problem

 

Sounds like you did the right stuff. Safe mode, Scan Disk, etc. Crap Cleaner was a good idea because it deletes temp and recycle bin files. You wrote Windows 98 at the top but you use the Windows ME defrag? I've heard stories like needasmoke where it took ridiculously long, sometimes defrag gets stuck at a percentage for many hours, then suddenly completes. What's the longest you let it run in safe mode? Could Virtual Memory be the problem? Can you view a report when you cancel it?

 

Try this.

http://aroundcny.com/technofile/texts/tec060902.html

 

Sounds like he tried. He wrote he had Win98 on the computer but used WinME's defrag tool. (I was confused at first when I read that, now I know)

 

Why the hell would you use ME's defrag tool on a Win98 system?
W98 has a defrag tool, use it, or use a third party software defrag, like Norton Speeddisk (part of Norton's system Works) that is compatible with W98/W98SE.
I use Speeddisk every day on my W98SE laptop.

I would never consider using another Operating system's (eg WinME) defrag, on a W98 machine. That's only asking for potential trouble. IMHO. Bazza

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i like Diskeeper and hear O&O defragger is good too ... reading that article yukon put up, it mentions that XP doesn't have that problem ... lol ... that's why I got Diskeeper in the first place