Re: Disk Defragmenter problems
Lesley Robertson
"Lawrence Blake" <lawrenc...@sympatico.ca> schreef in bericht
news:WqWad.27072$3C6.9...@news20.bellglobal.com...
>I have Windows 98 and the disk defragmenter has recently stopped working
> properly.
>
> It starts off OK and then returns to the beginning with a message
> something
> like "drive information has changed. restarting"
>
> It will then repeat this process for hours and never complete the
> defragmenting.
>
Do you have a screen saver? If it activates, that will cause this problem.
Essentially ANY activity in the computer's little brain other than the
actual defrag will cause a reset. Take the machine off line, turn off the
screen saver, turn off your virus checker and anyting else that normally
runs in the background, and all should be well.
Lesley Robertsn
Steve Dawson
work was to shut the system down and then boot back up in safe mode and run
the defrag program. As you suspect there are other programs and processed
running in the background that cause Windows to think the disk information
has changed and to restart defrag. I played around with killing processes
and then decided to just go to safe mode. Usually you can get to safe mode
by hitting F8 while windows is just starting to boot, or if that doesn't
work, then dig out the old manuals and look up how to get to safe mode with
your particual computer since some don't use the F8 key to do it.
Hope this helps.
Steve Dawson
swdonezerofiveoneatsbcglobandotnet
"Lawrence Blake" <lawrenc...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:WqWad.27072$3C6.9...@news20.bellglobal.com...
> I have Windows 98 and the disk defragmenter has recently stopped working
> properly.
>
> It starts off OK and then returns to the beginning with a message
something
> like "drive information has changed. restarting"
>
> It will then repeat this process for hours and never complete the
> defragmenting.
>
> I thought (and still think) that it might be Norton Antivirus interfering,
> and I tried to unload Norton. However, that did not improve metters at
all.
> But I don't think Norton ever completely unloaded. I think it leaves
little
> bits around but maybe the little bits are not enough to cause problems.
>
> Maybe there are other background programs that could be the culprit. If
> anyone has experience of this problem or can help me in any way I would
very
> much appreciate it.
>
> Larry
> Toronto
>
>
Allen
Greg Surratt wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:50:40 -0400, "Lawrence Blake"
> <lawrenc...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
>
>>I have Windows 98 and the disk defragmenter has recently stopped working
>>properly.
>>
>>It starts off OK and then returns to the beginning with a message something
>>like "drive information has changed. restarting"
>>
>>It will then repeat this process for hours and never complete the
>>defragmenting.
>>
>>I thought (and still think) that it might be Norton Antivirus interfering,
>>and I tried to unload Norton. However, that did not improve metters at all.
>>But I don't think Norton ever completely unloaded. I think it leaves little
>>bits around but maybe the little bits are not enough to cause problems.
>>
>>Maybe there are other background programs that could be the culprit. If
>>anyone has experience of this problem or can help me in any way I would very
>>much appreciate it.
>>
>>Larry
>>Toronto
>>
>
>
> Larry, you can try running the DOS defragger too. It won't care so
> much about the contents changing.
>
> Click "Start/Run". Type "Defrag X:" without the quote markes where X
> is the letter of the drive in question.
>
> There won't be a graphical display of what is going on, but I use this
> all the time so I can keep working without the constant restarts of
> the process under windows.
>
> It's been a while since I've used Win98, but i believe this to hold
> true for 98 as well as ME and XP.
>
> Greg
Also, hit CTRL-ALT-DELETE _once!_ and see how many programs are running.
The number will amaze you and you can close them out from the list it
brings up. I would point out that the constant restarts, though a
nuisance, don't slow it down that much, as the parts already reformatted
go through very quickly. The DOS approach sounds like a great idea to
me, though; I will try it next time and hope that it works in XP.
Allen
Steve Hayes
<lawrenc...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>I have Windows 98 and the disk defragmenter has recently stopped working
>properly.
>
>It starts off OK and then returns to the beginning with a message something
>like "drive information has changed. restarting"
>
>It will then repeat this process for hours and never complete the
>defragmenting.
>
>I thought (and still think) that it might be Norton Antivirus interfering,
>and I tried to unload Norton. However, that did not improve metters at all.
>But I don't think Norton ever completely unloaded. I think it leaves little
>bits around but maybe the little bits are not enough to cause problems.
>
>Maybe there are other background programs that could be the culprit. If
>anyone has experience of this problem or can help me in any way I would very
>much appreciate it.
Go to Control Panel and look at Find Fast.
I thought I had a virus, and all sorts of people advised me to reformat my
hard disk until someone suggested that that might be the culprit -- and it
was.
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
Mike Mackenzie
I have been using a freeware program called DiskKeeper Lite for years
on my W98 comps. It is much faster than the M/S one and doesn't seem
to be bothered with programs running in the background. Do a Google
search, but avoid the full versions because they cost.
Mike
"Lawrence Blake" <lawrenc...@sympatico.ca> wrote (in part):
>I have Windows 98 and the disk defragmenter has recently stopped working
>properly.
>
>It starts off OK and then returns to the beginning with a message something
>like "drive information has changed. restarting"
>
>It will then repeat this process for hours and never complete the
>defragmenting.
>
>I thought (and still think) that it might be Norton Antivirus interfering,
>and I tried to unload Norton. However, that did not improve metters at all.
>But I don't think Norton ever completely unloaded. I think it leaves little
>bits around but maybe the little bits are not enough to cause problems.
>
>Maybe there are other background programs that could be the culprit. If
>anyone has experience of this problem or can help me in any way I would very
>much appreciate it.
>
>Larry
>Toronto
>
--
Mike Mackenzie (AVCOM Services)
Brisbane, AUSTRALIA
Remove "XYZ" from the "Reply to" address
when responding by email.
Robert Heiling
> I have Windows 98 and the disk defragmenter has recently stopped working
> properly.
>
> It starts off OK and then returns to the beginning with a message something
> like "drive information has changed. restarting"
>
> It will then repeat this process for hours and never complete the
> defragmenting.
>
> I thought (and still think) that it might be Norton Antivirus interfering,
> and I tried to unload Norton. However, that did not improve metters at all.
> But I don't think Norton ever completely unloaded. I think it leaves little
> bits around but maybe the little bits are not enough to cause problems.
>
> Maybe there are other background programs that could be the culprit. If
> anyone has experience of this problem or can help me in any way I would very
> much appreciate it.
>
> Larry
> Toronto
If the suggestions given so far don't resolve the problem, then try the
following also.
Do you usually run a ScanDisk before running Defrag? If not, then do so as that
may indicate problems that Defrag is having trouble with. Also click
Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter-Settings and make sure
that there is no checkmark in the box labeled "Check the drive for errors". I
also leave the box for rearranging progaram files unchecked.
HTH
Bob
Steve B
Larry Thompson
Lawrence Blake wrote:
> I have Windows 98 and the disk defragmenter has recently stopped working
> properly.
>
> It starts off OK and then returns to the beginning with a message something
> like "drive information has changed. restarting"
>
> It will then repeat this process for hours and never complete the
> defragmenting.
>
> I thought (and still think) that it might be Norton Antivirus interfering,
> and I tried to unload Norton. However, that did not improve metters at all.
> But I don't think Norton ever completely unloaded. I think it leaves little
> bits around but maybe the little bits are not enough to cause problems.
>
> Maybe there are other background programs that could be the culprit. If
> anyone has experience of this problem or can help me in any way I would very
> much appreciate it.
>
> Larry
> Toronto
>
>
When starting up your machine hit F8 to get the startup menu. Select
safe mode. Defrag then restart in normal mode.