Defrag problem (W98)

[Lori72]

This is the last problem left from the Windows Media download. Took Tom's advice, ran scandisk in safemode successfully and again in regular mode successfully. Defrag, however, still won't finish even after using safemode and deleting everything on both sides of taskbar. After scrolling down screen in defrag, the units from the center on down look very different from the usual setup. Fixed units are not in clusters-they float in single units in a huge blank space which usually appears at the end of the drive and there is no blank space at the bottom of the drive. There is a section of fixed units that occupies at least four full screens. This configuration has never appeared before. Other than defrag, my computer seems to work okay. But this problem worries me. Any suggestions?? Thanks everyone.
Lori

[report_2]

TRy running it from the registry's Runonce key. This will allow it to run prior to anything else starting and running in the background.

----Copy below this line----
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\RunOnceEx]
"Flags"=dword:00000003
"Title"="Defrag at Startup"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\RunOnceEx\Defrag]
"Cmd"="||DEFRAG.EXE /ALL"

----Copy above this line----
Paste it into Notepad.
Save it as "defrag.reg" using the quotation marks to retain the .reg extension. Save it to your desktop for now.

Double click on defrag.reg and click Yes to allow it to merge with your registry.

Restart the PC.

It will delete itself from the Runonce key.
Save defrag.reg for future use if needed.

HTH
Bryan

[Lori72]

Thanks Brian,
I got as far as copying the text to Notepad, putting it on Desktop. But when I double click on the file, there's no merge choice. How do I merge the defrag file to make it work in my registry? I guess I should know this already but I can't figure it out.
BTW, would getting Registry Mechanic solve some of these problems for the future? Thanks for the advice.
Lori

[report_2]

Right click on the file on your desktop and select Rename.
Rename the whole name to defrag.reg and then try double clicking on it again. I suspect you originally named it defrag.reg.txt

Re: Registry Mechanic - I have not used it and can not provide an opinion good or bad about it.

[Pennydan50]

Try MEdefrag. Many 98 users run this version. It's one of the few good things in that O/S. It's on my webspace if you want.

http://www.cyberus.ca/~danpenny/MEdefrag.zip

<font color=blue>It's a good day when you learn something</font color=blue>

[Lori72]

Hi - it's me again,
I renamed the file and received confirmation that it was entered into my registry. But after rebooting, all the usual programs loaded right away and didn't see any evidence of defrag. Then I ran defrag through System Tools and it still wouldn't finish. Scandisk doesn't run any more either. When defrag stops, my computer freezes and I have to turn it off manually. Is there really a solution to this? I'm grateful for any additional help you can offer.
Lori

[tom_keefer]

Lori, Download and run <a target="_blank" href=http://www.webattack.com/get/dkeeperlite.shtml>Diskeeper Lite</a>. This is a free, third party defrag. program.

Let us know if it works for you.

<font color=purple>Tom</font color=purple>

ya'aa'tey

[Lori72]

Hi Tom,
Diskeeper Lite is no longer available at that address. I went to the site they recommend. Execsoft, and they do have a trial version of Diskeeper 9. I'll try to download that and see what it does. If you don't think this is a good idea, let me know. Thanks.
Lori

[tom_keefer]

Hi, Lori ...
That's a good idea. I didn't know Diskeeper had released v.9

<font color=purple>Tom</font color=purple>

ya'aa'tey

[report_2]

I saw a pretty good bumper sticker the other day:
"All dumbs aren't blond"

I too agree that the WinME defrag tool is excellent when used on a Win98 machine.

I can only guess that you are missing something in the process of copying and pasting the script.

Right click on the following link and select "Save target as" and save it to your desktop for now and for ease of use. You can store it somewhere else later.
scandisk.reg (http://home.comcast.net/~bryconow/Tools/defrag.reg>defrag.reg</a>

also)

If you use them both then doubleclick on scandisk first so it will run before defrag.

HTH
Bryan

[Lori72]

Hi Tom,
Downloading the trial Diskeeper was supposed to take 5 hrs. on my computer. I was willing .. but after 3 hrs. there were still 4 more hrs. to go. And, if I didn't stay with the machine, I would get disconnected for non-use. So, my hard drive still freezes on defrag even in safe mode. I'll try Bryan's suggestion one more time but the future looks bleak. Any other ideas? Thanks again for all your help.
Lori

[tom_keefer]

You may need to re-install Win98. Do you have the Microsoft Win98 CD?

<font color=purple>Tom</font color=purple>

ya'aa'tey

[Lori72]

Hi Tom,
Yes, if I can find it, I have the CD. Another thought, about a month ago, before this happened, I backed everything up on a cd. I've never restored a backup before but would this be a better bet than reinstalling?
Lori

[Lori72]

Hi Brian,
Followed your instructions and scandisk ran perfectly but defrag only went 33% - just like before. My drive looks like a scrambled egg from about half way down to the end! Any other ideas? Looks like the only thing left is a reinstall or recovery from my last complete backup. Thanks for all your help. You and Tom are the cat's pajamas.
Lori

[report_2]

Tell me a little about this 33%.
Are you looking at the detailed screen?
How long did you let it stay at 33%? More than a couple of hours?

What makes it stop at 33%? Does the program quit on it's own or are you then stopping it?

Sometimes it can appear to be holding at 33% but if you drag the scroll bar down the screen you can see where it is reading the drive even though it hasn't moved anything yet.

[Lori72]

Hi,
I do check the detail screen and last night it stopped at 33% for about an hour and half. It was 2am, I couldnt wait any longer so I stopped it. The screen showed no further reading or writing past that point. I don't know why. Since this started, the computer freezes sometimes when it stops at this point and other times I have to stop it. It sounds as though it's working (that clicking noise) but there's no movement on screen. After scrolling down to about halfway, the drive looks scrambled and blank space looks like it moved to middle of drive with a ton more fixed units at the bottom with no blank space. Could this happen if a prior defrag was interrupted? I'm searching for any possible cause and I know this is a bad thing but I don't always stay with the computer when it's defragging - and I do have children who love computers around all the time.

[report_2]

Lori, Have you installed the WinME defrag tool yet as suggested by Dan Penny (above)? It is good and fast on a Win98 machine.

[Lori72]

Not yet. I tried once before but entered the whole address and got wordpad with gibberish. This time I just entered part address and was able to reach his website and download it to my desktop. I'll try it now but will close all running programs before running ME. Thanks for reminding me.
Lori

[Lori72]

Hi,
I feel so dumb! Obviously don't know what I'm doing. Downloaded ME to desktop, tried Open, got Wordpad again, tried Run using Windows\Desktop\MEdefrag.zip and got the same result. What am I doing wrong?
Lori

[tom_keefer]

<font color=blue>"Another thought, about a month ago, before this happened, I backed everything up on a cd. I've never restored a backup before but would this be a better bet than reinstalling?"</font color=blue>

What did you use to create the backup ... Ghost, Acronis, etc? If so, that would be better than a re-install. But, this is a last resort move. Follow report_2's suggestion of using ME's defrag app. first.

<font color=purple>Tom</font color=purple>

ya'aa'tey

[Lori72]

I used the backup feature in Windows System Tools, backing up to a cd in my D drive.
I saved the MEdefrag from Dan Penny's website to my desktop, but using both Open and Run, all I get is Notepad with that gibberish text. I'll ask Dan what I'm doing wrong. Thanks Tom
Lori

[Pennydan50]

That's a .zip file. Do you not have Winzip or similar on your machine? All you should have to do is click on the file to open it in Winzip.

http://www.cyberus.ca/~danpenny/winzip80.exe



<font color=blue>It's a good day when you learn something</font color=blue>

[report_2]

Try the following page:
http://www.winguides.com/forums/faq_english.php?Cat= (http://www.mesich.com/defrag.html>http://www.mesich.com/defrag.html</a>
Perhaps) /images/forums/icons/wink.gif
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by report_2 on 04/10/05 06:36.</FONT></P>

[Lori72]

Hi Dan,
Thanks so much for the Zip program. It unzipped my MEdefrag file and I was able to run it. But, unfortunately, the defrag still doesn't complete. Stopped at 10% with drive contents changed, restarted and computer froze at 10% next go-around. I really appreciate your help.
Lori

[Lori72]

Hi,
Thanks for the website suggestion. I printed the instructions for unzipping files and used it successfully to unzip the MEdefrag file. However, when I ran ME, it couldn't go past 10%. On the second try, it stopped at 10% again and computer froze. Had to shut down manually. Am I at the end of the road for a fix to this problem? I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the help you guys have offered. You're so generous with your time.
Lori

[report_2]

Try going to Windows Explorer and open the C:\Windows\Applog folder

Delete it's contents by going to Edit, Select All, Edit Delete.

The Applog folder contains all of the programs you run and defrag uses this information during it's Optimization process to (alledgedly) make them run faster.
It's list will rebuild itself as you use programs.

HTH
Bryan

[PastaBoy4]

in a previus post you had sead that you ran defrag and it was 2 am and your computer was still stuck at 33% but it was still making noises it sounds to me like it was still going sometimes it will lokk like it stuck but it really is still reading a writing in the backround but mabie just not making any progress on the percentile bar I would try the sujestion above of deleting the applog followd by running the MEdefrag late at night before you go to bed and let it run overnight turn the monitor off and put a do not touch sign on it for the kids try that and see how it does

[Lori72]

Hi Bryan,
I deleted the Applog file, closed all programs on task bar and ran Scandisk and Defrag but neither program would finish. Scandisk froze the computer and Defrag did the 10 time restart thing up to 33%. I left it on for 2 hrs. and by then the computer froze again. Thanks for the suggestion. At this point I'll try anything. I think I may have clicked on one of the Microsoft email security alerts because this started when I downloaded an updated version of Windows Media9 which I've since deleted. Would this problem be a result of going to a fake Microsoft Alert?
Lori

[report_2]

"Would this problem be a result of going to a fake Microsoft Alert?" Could be. If it is it is probably a virus of some type. But, I don't see how it could be effecting defrag only at 33%.

Try physically disconnecting the PC from the network and/or the internet. Then run scandisk and defrag (you did succeed at installing the WinME defrag tool right?) from within Safe Mode.

If this does not work then I am thinking spyware or virus. You can try the first four antispyware tools listed at <a target="_blank" href=http://computing.net/security/wwwboard/tools.html>http://computing.net/security/wwwboard/tools.html</a> and if still no joy then it will be time to investigate for virus'.
On a side note: Double click on My Computer and report back how many partitions and how much space (used and free) is shown for each.
Also let us know some of your PC specifications:
Processor speed
How much RAM
You can hit WinKey and Pause/Break keys or right click on My Computer and select Properties to find this info.

[Lori72]

From My Computer, Properties: Processor speed not shown that I could see; Ram 188mb; System Resources 47%, no partitions noted.
From Belarc Advisor: No partition or processor speed info. Drive info - 250mg Cyrix MII, 64kb primary memory cache, 512mb secondary mem cache. Hard Drive - 4.30gb usable capacity, 167mg free space.
I checked all the tabs under Properties but still couldn't find partition or processor speed.
Yes I did get the defrag and scandisk tool installed and will try again. You say "physically disconnect" from internet - how else but physically can you do it? I'm not being a smart alec but I know so little about computers, you may mean something I don't know about. As always, gratefully, Lori

[Lori72]

I ran MEscandisk in Safe Mode. It ran for 485,000 out of 1,100,000 approx. It restarted 10 x's and said it couldn't go further because another program was writing at the same time. I couldn't identify anything else running. Ran Spybot, found MyWayMyBar and immunized. Ran AdAware, found 111 low level possibles, quarantined all. Windows had a critical update and downloaded that. Computer running extremely slow so everything is taking twice as long as usual. I have dial-up so it's slow anyway, but I'm used to how fast the slowness should be. This is much slower than usual.
I'll try running ME programs in Safe Mode again and see if the 2 spy programs helped at all.
Lori