Files that cannot be defragmented - 80% space free hard drive

[oztom]

I ran the XP's defrag GUI tool on a fairly new Dell's e6410 laptop and bellow is the result.


- Is the fragmentation acceptable or too high? I feel that the laptop is sluggish lately.
- I also ran it in a safe mode with network and the results where the same.
- If the HD's fragmentation is too high, how do I defragment it, especially the CiFile with 2,424 fragments?

Thank you!

[cpp]Volume Default (C
Volume size = 149 GB
Cluster size = 4 KB
Used space = 27.72 GB
Free space = 121 GB
Percent free space = 81 %

Volume fragmentation
Total fragmentation = 21 %
File fragmentation = 42 %
Free space fragmentation = 0 %

File fragmentation
Total files = 95,440
Average file size = 430 KB
Total fragmented files = 6,554
Total excess fragments = 29,689
Average fragments per file = 1.31

Pagefile fragmentation
Pagefile size = 3.42 GB
Total fragments = 1

Folder fragmentation
Total folders = 14,359
Fragmented folders = 788
Excess folder fragments = 3,738

Master File Table (MFT) fragmentation
Total MFT size = 209 MB
MFT record count = 110,112
Percent MFT in use = 51 %
Total MFT fragments = 2
[/cpp]

[cpp]

Fragments File Size Files that cannot be defragmented
334 48 MB \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\GatherLogs\SystemIndex\SystemIndex.4.gthr
2,424 206 MB \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\Projects\SystemIndex\Indexer\CiFiles\0001000A.ci
402 54 MB \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\000009A3
706 4 MB \Documents and Settings\userxxxx\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\ezac9xk8.default\places.sqlite
626 39 MB \Documents and Settings\userxxxx\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Communicator\sip_xxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.com\GalContacts.db
172 19 MB \Documents and Settings\userxxxx\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Communicator\sip_xxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.com\GalContacts.db.idx
133 233 MB \Documents and Settings\userxxxx\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\outlook.ost
117 2 MB \Documents and Settings\userxxxx\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\index.dat
114 15 MB \Documents and Settings\userxxxx\My Documents\xxx\schemas\xxx\xx\xxx_xx_xx_xxxxx_xxx.xx.x.xx_xxxxxxxxxxxx.zip
224 112 MB \Documents and Settings\userxxxx\My Documents\xxx\schemas\xxx\xx\xxx_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.zip
159 71 MB \Documents and Settings\userxxxx\My Documents\xxx\schemas\xxx\xx\xxx_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.zip
113 11 MB \Documents and Settings\userxxxx\My Documents\xxx\schemas\xxx\xxx\xxx_xxx_x.x.x.x_xxxxx_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.zip
119 7 MB \Program Files\DGAgent\dg.log
537 43 MB \Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\rt.jar
119 7 MB \Program Files\Microsoft Office Communicator\OcApi.dll
127 8 MB \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\1033\WINWORD.HXS
156 10 MB \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\MSACCESS.EXE
158 10 MB \WINDOWS\Installer\{26A24AE4-039D-4CA4-87B4-2F83216025FF}\sp1033.MST
365 2 MB \WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\ngen_service.log
151 9 MB \WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\DataColl\CollectedData_1034.xml
125 9 MB \WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\DataColl\CollectedData_1244.xml
152 9 MB \WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\DataColl\CollectedData_1844.xml
151 9 MB \WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\DataColl\CollectedData_1964.xml
143 9 MB \WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\DataColl\CollectedData_2143.xml
109 9 MB \WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\DataColl\CollectedData_704.xml
112 9 MB \WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\DataColl\CollectedData_854.xml
117 467 KB \WINDOWS\ntbtlog.txt
156 1 KB \WINDOWS\system32\config\software.LOG
229 1 KB \WINDOWS\system32\config\system.LOG
127 57 MB \WINDOWS\system32\wbem\Repository\FS\OBJECTS.DATA

(some file names were X-ed for privacy reasons)
[/cpp]

 

[PhilFrisbie]

1. There are other reasons an old laptop will become sluggish, and not just fragmentation. NTFS is not affected by fragmentation as badly as FAT, but it is a little high and I would defrag.
2. The Windows defrag utility skips files that are in use. Some files can be defragged during boot-up by a free utility called PageDefrag.

 

[kamall]

For a thorough defrag (even alonside other programs running) download the free trial of a good automatic commercial defragger and let it run in the background. Mine defragged completely the very first time leaving no fragmentation.

 

[kamall]

For a thorough defrag (even alonside other programs running) download the free trial of a good automatic commercial defragger and let it run in the background. Mine defragged completely the very first time leaving no fragmentation.

 

[oztom]

I did use PageDefrag but it left the HD badly fragmented.

I have had many PCs and never seen such high defragmentation after defrag has been ran.

I have 4GB on the laptop running the latests XP SP and all the patches. The slowness is not due to a lack of memory or high CPU utilization.

The laptop is protected by a corporate license of Symantec Endpoint Protection suite. Does it catch all the threats? I do not know.

The HD is highly fragmented by looking at the visual map of the HD from the defrag GUI. It got to be one of the reasons why the laptop is sluggish IMO.

I can't install any SW that is not approved/purchased by the company I work for. So I can't install the recommended SW.

Any idea how to remove the highly fragmented file?

2,424 206 MB \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\Projects\SystemIndex\Indexer\CiFiles\0001000A.ci

If I call our help desk with the issue, I am sure their reaction would be: "Huh?"

 

[PhilFrisbie]

Any idea how to remove the highly fragmented file?

2,424 206 MB \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\Projects\SystemIndex\Indexer\CiFiles\0001000A.ci

I cannot tell you how to defragment it, but I can maybe tell you how to stop accessing it and speed up your system a little. I think that file is related to the Indexing Service which monitors all file writes to maintain an index of all file contents. It makes searching files faster while slightly slowing down hard drive access always. You can effectively deactivate it by right clicking on your C: drive, unchecking the box "Allow Indexing Service....", hit apply, then on the next window make sure to apply to all subfolders and click OK. It will take several minutes to apply the change.

 

[oztom]

Indexing service of the hard drive is already turned off. I have also uninstalled Windows Search. Both of these have no effect on the fragmentation.

 

[PhilFrisbie]

Indexing service of the hard drive is already turned off. I have also uninstalled Windows Search. Both of these have no effect on the fragmentation.

OK, that means you are no longer accessing that file, so it does not matter how fragmented it is.

 

[oztom]

I think if the file is scatter across the HD, it causes that the HD has limited continual space to work with. There are bits and pieces of free HD space here and there with others files filling up the spaces. When the HD reads it needs to skip a lot.

The defrag GUI screen shows mostly red color. That got to kill the PC's performance.

 

[oztom]

The issue was caused by a software that encrypts the content of the hard drive for security reasons.

Once this SW was removed, the defrag started to move all the fragmented files. Once it is over, the encryptor would have to be turn back on.

Thank you all for your help!

 

[NicRic]

Yes you fragmentation percentage is high.My PC after using Windows built in defrag utility leaves me at aprx 10%-11% fragmentation. Thats on a 250G.B. Hard Drive. I always recieve a prompt that some files could not be defragmented "see report".Then when I view the report it does no list any files that where not defragmented ,go figure? Some will disagree with me however I feel now that degrfragmenting to often can do more harm then good. I believee by using a freeware application I downladed to defrag my PC caused my boot.ini file to become corrupt and unable to boot into Windows,causing me to perform a fresh re-install of the O/S. I now have a 320G.B. externial H.D. and a complete backup of my system. I have read that fragmentation is non issuse in WindowsXP and NTFS filing system,however many will argue this point with you !
Good Luck ,NicRic

 

[bobc4012]

Yes you fragmentation percentage is high.My PC after using Windows built in defrag utility leaves me at aprx 10%-11% fragmentation. Thats on a 250G.B. Hard Drive. I always receive a prompt that some files could not be defragmented "see report".Then when I view the report it does no list any files that where not defragmented, go figure? Some will disagree with me however I feel now that defragmenting to often can do more harm then good. I believe by using a freeware application I downladed to defrag my PC caused my boot.ini file to become corrupt and unable to boot into Windows,causing me to perform a fresh re-install of the O/S. I now have a 320G.B. externial H.D. and a complete backup of my system. I have read that fragmentation is non issuse in WindowsXP and NTFS filing system,however many will argue this point with you !
Good Luck ,NicRic

A suggestion. Burn yourself a CD Recovery Disk or USB (many are free and typically Linux based - I use an Ubuntu "Live CD"). You will be able to copy and save the boot.ini and any other "root" files to a USB, other HD, CD, etc. You can then use the recovery disk to restore your "root" files.

As far as fragmentation, I am still searching for a utility or copy function that will copy a large file (virtual disk) that takes up over half the available free space. I have used Ultradefrag ( http://ultradefrag.sourceforge.net/ ) to consolidate all "smaller files" to the "start" of the HD, leaving a free space area larger than the "large file" to be copied. The large file always ends up being fragmented and with gaps between the fragments. This causes performance problems when the virtual disk is "used". I have also used "Defraggler" (www.piriform.com or free from http://www.filehippo.com/download_defraggler ), which will defrag individual files (assuming you have sufficient free space for the file). I have also used "MyDefrag"( http://www.mydefrag.com/ (does have hokey graphics) or http://download.cnet.com/MyDefrag/3000-18512_4-10701976.html ), which can consolidate free space, although it will fragment files in doing so, requiring defragging them (Defraggler helps).

BTW, the site http://www.ntfs.com/ has good information on the MS filesystem ( http://www.ntfs.com/ntfs_optimization.htm ).

 

[oztom]

Best answer selected by oztom.