Ask Me Help Desk - Cannot Defragment MY DOCUMENTS

Cannot Defragment MY DOCUMENTS

Hello,
I am trying to speed up my computer by doing all the suggested things that I have read here. I have a DELL laptop, purchased July 2003, running Windows XP. I have deleted all programs that I don't need, like Microsoft Office 2003, I have Webroot Spysweeper, RegCure, NOD32 Virus Protector and I recently had DELL install a brand new motherboard on it. Still, even after running all the above, I cannot defragment 7.22 GB on Documents and Settings - the defragmenter just runs, cleans up C and then gives me the message it can't defrag My Documents. Can you tell me how to do this? The C drive says I have used 21.1
With 6.79 GB left. Thanks for any help you can offer. :) Pam

Hi Pam

Use Defraggler - Defragment your files!

Cheers

Try defragging from Safe mode

Look at the fragmentation report, what file(s) is it telling you that it can't defrag?
Have you checked the drive for bad sectors recently?

Well sometimes dbig single files cannot be defragmented like .iso or big .rar etc
Till you have enough space

With 7.22 in My Doc and 6.79 still available, I don't think that all or most of My Doc is one large file or a large .zip or .rar so under normal circumstances, it should defrag.

Have you tried to move say half of the files to a different drive and tried to defrag My Doc and the new drive files on the 'moved to' drive??

Because of issues like this and other known problems in the past, I have made it my own policy not to put anything important on C drive other than new Programs (software), all my personal stuff goes on four other partitions, E, F, G and H drive. C is about 80GB and the other 4 are about 50GB each, 300GB HD.

If C craps out and the computer won't gain access or won't even boot, I can pull the HD out, turn it into an external HD with an adaptor, get my stuff from E ~ H and throw this one in the trash. Don't forget about backing your stuff up after cleaning up the HD and defragging, then backup, once a quarter or once a year depending on how much stuff you save on a daily basis. Smart guys back up daily or weekly, there is software to do this for you too.

Let us know what you figure out please.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane in Japan

With 7.22 in My Doc and 6.79 still available, I dont think that all or most of My Doc is one large file or a large .zip or .rar so under normal circumstances, it should defrag.

Have you tried to move say half of the files to a different drive and tried to defrag My Doc and the new drive files on the 'moved to' drive???

Because of issues like this and other known problems in the past, I have made it my own policy not to put anything important on C drive other than new Programs (software), all my personal stuff goes on four other partitions, E, F, G and H drive. C is about 80GB and the other 4 are about 50GB each, 300GB HD.

If C craps out and the computer wont gain access or wont even boot, I can pull the HD out, turn it into an external HD with an adaptor, get my stuff from E ~ H and throw this one in the trash. Dont forget about backing your stuff up after cleaning up the HD and defragging, then backup, once a quarter or once a year depending on how much stuff you save on a daily basis. Smart guys back up daily or weekly, there is software to do this for you too.

Let us know what you figure out please.

Hey There. Thanks for your responses. I had already tried to defrag several times in Safe Mode and I tried the new Defraggler suggested above - no results. I am now going to try to move the files to my external hard drive - My Book - and see how that works.
Will let you know. Thanks again.:)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jstrike

Look at the fragmentation report, what file(s) is it telling you that it can't defrag?
Have you checked the drive for bad sectors recently?

Not sure how to check the drive for bad sectors. Can you elaborate please? Thanks:)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottGem

Try defragging from Safe mode

Yes I tried this about 4 times before posting here. No luck.:(

Quote:

Originally Posted by domino815

Not sure how to check the drive for bad sectors. Can you elaborate please? Thanks:)

In My Computer right click on your C drive and select Properties.
Click the Tools tab.
Click the check now button.
Click both check boxes and click the Start button.
It should tell you that it can't obtain an exclusive lock and would you like to check the next time you boot up. Select Yes and reboot your computer.