The latest version of Defraggler shows a button titled Benchmark Drive in the screen at the end of a "Quick Defrag". I would like to know how to most effectively use this new feature. I'm not sure what it's for and how it's used.

I assume this is for testing the abilities of your drive, as in data access, read and write speeds..

Got an email saying Curlyben has answered my question but when I click on the link it says, "Sorry, no answers yet". How do I get to his answer?

To be honest, I have no idea what it's for. It showed up in the latest update of Defraggler with no explanation as to what it does and why. I was hoping for some input from knowledgeable people who know a lot more about it than I do. I want to figure out why and how to use this new feature. When I Googled it I got a lot of blogs by folks who seem to think it's a wonderful thing but the explanations were typically over my head.

At then end of the day it's only really of use if you are interested in the speeds of your drives, but if like the vast majority of people, as long as you can access your data, that's all that matter.

I must admit I have tried defraggler, and swear by ccleaner, but I have found a better, free, defragger.
Disk Defrag - Fast and Safe Defragmenter for Your Disks

Thanks for the response, Curlyben. I downloaded the free version from the link you supplied, ran it once, and then dumped it. Let me paraphrase what I said to them in the email form that opened when I uninstalled it. With every click of the mouse I see that your goal is to sell me something and the free version is just a come on. I should have expected this when I clicked on your link and immediately saw a side by side comparison highlighting what the free version doesn't do. Then came the obligatory offers to download toolbars and change my default browser, in fine print of course. What did it for me was clicking on System Health and for every category I clicked on there was a pitch for Speed Boost. No thanks. I'll stick with Defraggler and go on wondering what would happen if I clicked on Benchmark Drive.

I have downloaded CCleaner, Reccuva, Speccy, and my daily used and bestest friend Defraggler. I am no where near and intelligent person when it comes to computers but I can tell you this... I have used the button, still lost as to it's purpose and benchmarking means :) but if I were to give you anything helpful in this message it's this, go into settings, options, advance, checkmark the stop VSS option and you will be doing your unit a favor. It's your volume shadow copy service. For more info look into your systems services under VSS and you will find what you need to know. Sorry that's all the help I can give. In the end using that feature seems to help so forge ahead! GL & Ciao

wdrbbq, I'm sorry to hear of your experience with Auslogics.
I did see the adverts for their other products, but as all I was interested in was the defragger I ignored them..

It is a good product once you can see passed their ads..

Thanks for the advice guys. I was pretty much just curious because I've used Defraggler for a while and then an update installed a button with no explanation. I was wondering how best to use it and exactly what I should hope to learn from it. I haven't had any complaints about the performance of this laptop, especially since I boosted the RAM from 3 gigs to 4 gigs. So, it's just for the purpose of general knowledge that I would like to know more about what Benchmark Drive does. Thanks again.

wdrbbq,

I too noticed this new button arriving on my Defraggler after an update. I backed up my computer just out of habit, and then tried the Benchmark Drive Button. As predicted by Curlyben this simply tests your computers writing reading etc, more specifically it tests the SPEED of those processes. Unfortunately for us, Defraggler still has a ways to go with this new 'feature.' This new 'feature' right now is completely pointless. I believe it may be updated eventually with another option, post benchmarking the drive. An option for 'Performance Optimization' or something along those lines, then this benchmarking tool would be of use to us all. For now, as I said, it's pointless... Lastly thank you jwindspry for alerting me of the new Stop VSS option, to be able to kill the VSS while defragging is an awesome option and speeds the defrag process along.

Thanks, Uhnonimus. I was thinking along those lines myself. It seems there should be a comprehensive explanation of how we are to use the button without having to be a tech to get useful info from it. Now, I'm curious about the VSS option in Defraggler. Due to your response I have checked the appropriate box in advanced options but I found "for more info look into your systems services under VSS and you will find what you need to know." a little vague due to my ignorance. Could either you or Jwindspry explain exactly what I would have to do to access this under System Services? I'd like to learn more about it. Thanks again for your responses.

The Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is a set of COM interfaces that implements a framework to allow volume backups to be performed while applications on a system continue to write to the volumes. Within Defraggler, you can go to Options > Advanced > and can Check Stop VSS when defragmenting NTFS volume; making the defrag process run more smoothly (and the VSS starts up again the second defrag ends)

If you're curious as to how to configure your VSS settings, it's dependent on what computer system you're running. Basically you must get to 'Computer Management' which is typically easy to access by going Start > Control Panel > Computer Management -- within this window look for 'Services and Applications' -- click Services, and scroll down to Volume Shadow Copy Services...

Hope this helps.

Thanks once again for your response, Uhnonimus. However, when I click on Start > Control Panel I don't see an icon for Computer Management. I should mention that I have Windows 7.

Win7 is easy, just do a search for it ;)

It's in admin tools.

Win7 is great because search actually works, unlike previous editions.
No need for the convoluted routes anymore, if you can't find it, search for it..

Thanks, Curlyben. When I click on Control Panel> Administrative Tools> Computer Management, I get a list of options along the left border such as System Tools, Storage, and Applications with a few sub-menus. Can you direct me further? I apologize for the ignorance.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by UhnonimuS

If you're curious as to how to configure your VSS settings, it's dependent on what computer system you're running.
Basically you must get to 'Computer Management' which is typically easy to access by going Start > Control Panel > Computer Management --
Left hand pane

• within this window look for 'Services and Applications' --
• click Services, and
• scroll down to Volume Shadow Copy Services...

Hope this helps.

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Highlighted

I don't know much about Windows 7 either, but you might be able to simply click Start > Search > Volume Shadow Copy Service (or just part of that to get the search going)

I'm out of this race too. If that doesn't work, hopefully Curlyben knows what to do, sounds like he's got Windows 7, too.

Been using Win7 since it was in Beta.
Currently running 64 Bit enterprise edition and playing with Win 8 as well..

If you simply search for "services" then you can look for VSS in the list that appears.

Uhnonimus, I tried Start>Search Vss and didn't come up with any matches. Thanks anyway.
Curlyben, I managed to get to Services where the only option is "Help". Clicking on that opens another menu which still gives me no clue where to find VSS. I can't find the sub-menu that will allow me to "scroll down to Shadow Copy Services". Am I correct in assuming that it's contained somewhere within that Help menu?