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More info?)
Scandisk and Defrag with Windows tools:
cquirke
Your exposé is far behond my level, but by simple trial and error
I've always got by:
FOR SCANDISK:
- disconected from Internet
- set my screen saver to NONE and the settings to NEVER
- disabled the PC Health scheduler
- used the "Quit all Running Programs" as per KB 222469
FOR DEFRAG:
Use the "Clean Boot the Computer" method as per KB 186978
- In the System Configuration Utility, disable:
. Process System.ini File
. Process Win.ini File
. Load Startup Group Items
This way I dont have to use extra "help" especially Norton's. And as Shane
said: But all else being equal... Also "Someone" said if you do it weekly
it takes less time. Your post is very interesting and it will be part of my
ongoing learning process.
Good luck kbsmith9
Paul
--
cogito ergo sum
"Shane" wrote:
> But all else being equal.............
>
>
> <vbg>
>
> Shane
>
>
> "cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)" <cquirkenews@nospam.mvps.org> wrote in
> message news:asqga1t475d00g2ohcjt4nbcsm67ad2l9b@4ax.com...
> > On Wed, 8 Jun 2005 09:00:05 +0100, "Shane" <shanebeatson@gmail.com>
> >
> > >the length of time any defragger takes, depends largely on the
> > >size of the disk.
> >
> > Things that can affect defrag time:
> >
> > 1) Conflicting defrag logic
> >
> > The objective of defrag is to speed access, which until Win98 was
> > taken to mean ensuring the contents of all files lay in a contiguous
> > chain of clusters. This changed in Win98, when Intel's new defrag
> > logic moved often-used parts of code files closer to the "front" of
> > the volume, even if this meant fragmenting the files.
> >
> > Which parts of which files are "frequently used" is typically
> > determined by running a "watcher" underfoot, that builds a list of
> > such files and parts thereof. In Win98 and WinME, that's held in the
> > AppLog folder within the OS subtree; in XP it's held as a collection
> > of .PF files (not to be confused with .PIF shortcuts to DOS code).
> >
> > If a defragger of one logic is used, then another of a differing logic
> > is used, then the second defrag will take ages, because it's
> > "correcting" the work of the earlier defragger. This applies also if
> > the Applog, .PF or similar info store is lost, or has been rebuilt
> > after being lost, or if a different defragger is using the same new
> > logic, but is referencing a different info store for this purpose
> >
> > 2) Sick HD
> >
> > A failing HD should never be defragged! Sectors that are failing may
> > take multiple retries to access, and/or invoke the HD's firmware
> > defect management that tries to copy the contents of the sick sector
> > to a spare one. If XP and NTFS, then there will be NTFS driver code
> > that's trying to do the same thing.
> >
> > 3) Slow HD data throughput mode
> >
> > If in Safe Mode, any special Win32 driver code is bypassed, and with
> > that will generally go the faster UDMA transfer modes, If Win9x,
> > you'd likely fall back to PIO Mode 1 or something slow like that.
> >
> > You may also fall back to this slower mode if Win9x is in DOS
> > Compatability Mode for some reason, as per...
> >
> >
http://cquirke.mvps.org/9x/doscompat.htm
> >
> > ...or you may fall to a less drastically slow mode if you are using a
> > 40-pin rather than 80-pin UIDE cable, or a removable HD bracket. Both
> > of these have limits on how fast they can go; around UDMA33 or so.
> >
> > 4) Underfootware interference
> >
> > This would usually cause Defrag to keep restarting, at least in Win9x
> > (XP seems to just keep on defraggin'). If you can't account for this
> > effect, having killed all visible tasks, disconnected all external
> > devices and networking, etc. then suspect malware activity.
> >
> > 5) Low volume free space
> >
> > It's really painful to defrag when free space is really low, as this
> > limits how much data defrag can swing around at a time. Typically
> > Defrag will warn you about this
> >
> > 6) Substantial changes since last defrag
> >
> > Usually, such circumstances are a good indication to defrag, but as
> > defrag has more work to do, you can expect it to take longer.
> > Examples include clearing out bloated TIF full of tiny files,
> > uninstalling a large app or few, and converting the file system or
> > volume size in ways that alter slack space and so on.
> >
> > 7) Disk compression
> >
> > Everything on a compressed disk is slow and risky, and that certainly
> > does include defrag!
> >
> > 8) NTFS with 512-byte clusters
> >
> > This is the result of converting an "improperly-aligned" volume from
> > FATxx to NTFS. If using BING (www.bootitng.com) to manage partitions,
> > it may ask you "do you intend converting to NTFS?" and if you say Yes,
> > the volume will be aligned so as not to give 512-byte clusters should
> > the volume ever be converted to NTFS in the future. Just say Yes
> >
> >
> >
> > >------------------------ ---- --- -- - - - -
> > Forget
http://cquirke.blogspot.com and check out a
> > better one at
http://topicdrift.blogspot.com instead!
> > >------------------------ ---- --- -- - - - -
>
>
>