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
Disk Defragmenter problems
Moderator: MOD_nyhetsgrupper
-
Lesley Robertson
Re: Disk Defragmenter problems
"Lawrence Blake" <[email protected]> schreef in bericht
news:[email protected]...
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
news:[email protected]...
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
Re: Disk Defragmenter problems
I had this problem when using Win98 and found the only thing to reliably to
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" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
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" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
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
-
Greg Surratt
Re: Disk Defragmenter problems
On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:50:40 -0400, "Lawrence Blake"
<[email protected]> wrote:
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
<[email protected]> 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
-
Allen
Re: Disk Defragmenter problems
Greg Surratt wrote:
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
On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:50:40 -0400, "Lawrence Blake"
[email protected]> 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
-
Dennis Lee Bieber
Re: Disk Defragmenter problems
On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:50:40 -0400, "Lawrence Blake"
<[email protected]> declaimed the following in
soc.genealogy.computing:
2) How large a partition (used/empty)
a) is it the partition being used for swap file?
3) Do you have more than one partition available?
Defrag has to build a table of files and locations. If that
table gets large enough to result in memory being swapped out to disk,
you have changed the drive, and defrag restarts.
Having multiple partitions, and putting the swap file on a small
partition by itself (I have a 1Gb partition just for swap, TEMP/TMP, and
web browser cache) means that swapping out memory doesn't affect the
partition being defragmented.
The OTHER thing to consider... Do you have a DSL/Cable
connection (or a WiFi router). Traffic on the NIC could be triggering a
log file write, again causing a restart (I have to unplug my WiFi router
to defrag my C: partition). You may have to disconnect you LAN/NIC card.
--
<[email protected]> declaimed the following in
soc.genealogy.computing:
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.
1) How much RAM do you have?
2) How large a partition (used/empty)
a) is it the partition being used for swap file?
3) Do you have more than one partition available?
Defrag has to build a table of files and locations. If that
table gets large enough to result in memory being swapped out to disk,
you have changed the drive, and defrag restarts.
Having multiple partitions, and putting the swap file on a small
partition by itself (I have a 1Gb partition just for swap, TEMP/TMP, and
web browser cache) means that swapping out memory doesn't affect the
partition being defragmented.
The OTHER thing to consider... Do you have a DSL/Cable
connection (or a WiFi router). Traffic on the NIC could be triggering a
log file write, again causing a restart (I have to unplug my WiFi router
to defrag my C: partition). You may have to disconnect you LAN/NIC card.
--
==============================================================
[email protected] | Wulfraed Dennis Lee Bieber KD6MOG
[email protected] | Bestiaria Support Staff
==============================================================
Home Page: <http://www.dm.net/~wulfraed/
Overflow Page: <http://wlfraed.home.netcom.com/
-
Steve Hayes
Re: Disk Defragmenter problems
On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:50:40 -0400, "Lawrence Blake"
<[email protected]> wrote:
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
<[email protected]> 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
Re: Disk Defragmenter problems
G'day Larry,
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" <[email protected]> wrote (in part):
--
Mike Mackenzie (AVCOM Services)
Brisbane, AUSTRALIA
Remove "XYZ" from the "Reply to" address
when responding by email.
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" <[email protected]> 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.
-
Greg Surratt
Re: Disk Defragmenter problems
On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 01:16:44 GMT, Allen <[email protected]> wrote:
Allen, it does work in XP. I have a batch file that formats all my
drives with a few keystrokes.
Defragger.bat is:
defrag c: /v
defrag d: /v
defrag e: /v
defrag f: /v
defrag g: /v
defrag h: /v
defrag i: /v
defrag j: /v
defrag k: /v
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
Allen, it does work in XP. I have a batch file that formats all my
drives with a few keystrokes.
Defragger.bat is:
defrag c: /v
defrag d: /v
defrag e: /v
defrag f: /v
defrag g: /v
defrag h: /v
defrag i: /v
defrag j: /v
defrag k: /v
Greg
-
Robert Heiling
Re: Disk Defragmenter problems
Lawrence Blake wrote:
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
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
-
Larry Thompson
Re: Disk Defragmenter problems
Lawrence Blake wrote:
safe mode. Defrag then restart in normal mode.
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.