Win defrag vs. Norton

[brian4xp]

I see a lot of posts here recommending downloading the ME version of defrag to run on an Win98 machine.

I currently use Norton Speed Disk, because it allows me to specify files I need to stay in a specific spot on the disk. I don't believe the Win98 defrag allows this (although it may leave certain system files that it knows about alone).

Does the ME version allow specifying files to leave alone?

[citizeneman]

To my knowledge the WinME defrag has the same exact features as the Win98 defrag, but its just faster. So if its not possible in Win98 defrag its most likely not possible in the WinMe defrag.

[LLXX]

You may have noticed "unmovable files" displayed in the defrag window, those won't be moved.

Set the system and read-only attributes on files that you don't want moved.

[brian4xp]

You may have noticed "unmovable files" displayed in the defrag window, those won't be moved.

Set the system and read-only attributes on files that you don't want moved.

So the windows defrag will not move any files marked as system and read-only?

[Andromeda43]

I currently use Norton Speed Disk

I blacklisted that program back in the last millenium when it started eating Seagate HD's all over the country.

There was NO internet in those days (circa 1989), BUT, there was a very good network of Bulletin Boards among the dealers and techs of this country. (USA)

The word went out accross the country that Norton's SpeedDisk was not compatible with the new Seagate HD's and data was being erased from those drives by speeddisk. On other brands of drives, Speeddisk seemed to be working OK.

I stopped using speeddisk, just to be on the safe side and haven't touched it since!

Central Point Software had a great package called "PC Tools" that had the "Compress" program in it.

A really great defragmenter! I used that, till it showed up in MS under the name of "Defrag".

The windows ME defrag has all the same characteristics as the standard 98 Defrag, but it runs about 10x faster and it's about 50 bytes smaller. Just like the 98 version, it will let you select to order the files to put the ones used most at the beginning of the hard drive, closest to the Directory.

I've never seen the need to go any further than that.

If for some perverted reason ( ) you wanted the hard drive ordered just the way the Windows Explorer displays the files (in alphabetical order, by folder) then do a Ghost backup followed by a Ghost Restore.

Then your HD will be in perfect order. I do that all the time with my Windows XP hard drive (in FAT-32 mode, of course).

Cheers!

Edited May 7, 2006 by Andromeda43

[RJARRRPCGP]

I blacklisted that program back in the last millenium when it started eating Seagate HD's all over the country.

What problem occurred when using Norton SpeedDisk on a Seagate HDD?

Did the BIOS suddenly fail to detect the HDD or did the HDD's SMART error out on you?

It's starting to look like the boy who cryed "Wolf!". I never heard of that literally occuring!

I don't like to say this, but this actually sounds like a rumor spread by a computer illiterate person. You know, usually the ones that call the case the CPU and have a tendency to blame everything on the HDD. LOL. (not you)

The HDD probably was bad. If the HDD's bad, defragging it can make it unusable.

Edited May 3, 2006 by RJARRRPCGP

[brian4xp]

You may have noticed "unmovable files" displayed in the defrag window, those won't be moved.

Set the system and read-only attributes on files that you don't want moved.

So the windows defrag will not move any files marked as system and read-only?

Again I ask, just for confirmation, does windows defrag (either w98 or me version) assume any file marked system and read-only is an unmoveable?

[LLXX]

Yes.

[charles__]

What I do some times if you have enough ram is turn off virtual memory,reboot,defrag the drive then set virtual memory back the way it was. I use the me defrag with no problem.

[Andromeda43]

That would, of course, eliminate the ol' "Swapfile" from the mix.

That's good!

Cleaning up the entire HD and eliminating all temp, bak, bac, gid, ~mp, tmp, and CHK files helps to make Defrag operate a lot smoother and faster.

I think I remember that ME had the "Disk Cleanup" program in its System Tools folder.

That's a great program to run right before a Defrag.

I wrote my own batch file to do that plus dump several other cache folders.

(about a dozen other folders actually)

The biggest dead horse in Windows ME is that 'C:\_Restore' folder.

Things will build up there till the HD crashes, or scans and defrags just take so long you can't stand it anymore.

If you want to permanently remove this dead horse from your computer, you can download

"MERestoreRomover.exe"

from my Download Site.

It can shut off the Restore function for you and delete all those old Restore files.

You can even use it to turn Restore back on, later, if you please.

The worse case I've seen (lately) was a PC with over 100,000 temp files in that restore folder.

Deleting them in DOS took many hours.

That wasn't quite as bad as the ol' '98 machine that had 106,105,xxx temporary internet files still on board.

Defrag wouldn't run,,,,, Scandisk wouldn't run and everything else just labored along.

Installing my cleanup routine in the Autoexec.bat file on that computer, took care of that problem permanently. It deleted all those junk files on every re-boot.

I put that little cleanup batch file Here

for easy access and I called it "Hoover.bat" after the vacc. cleaner.

In Windows ME, I just put it, or a shortcut to it, in the Startup folder for a FREE cleanup on every boot-up.

On my own PC I recently found out that my "Call Wave" program was keeping every message that I receive, in a cache folder as a .wav file. Heck, there where hundreds of them little buggers in there.

I added the path to those files to my daily cleanup routine and now I never have to worry about those things building up on me again. Most 'IM' programs do that too.

Keeping a Windows ME hard drive clean and defragged isn't hard, it just takes a little planning and dedication on the part of the key operator.

Beyond that, its a piece of cake.

Andromeda43

[charles__]

I would turn system restore off for good in windows me,just a system hog. Have you ever tried IE Privacy Keeper.

http://www.browsertools.net/IE-Privacy-Keeper/index.html

Good program that can be set up to do all this with one click. Just remember not to set it up to clean out the temp fill on reboot because some program install put fill in the temp folder to install on reboot.

[Andromeda43]

I would turn system restore off for good in windows me, (it's) just a system hog

It sure is and that's exactly what "MERestore Remover" is for.

It not only turns off that hog but quickly removes all those redundant Restore files.

It's easily downloaded from my Download Site.

It has a few other interesting functions too, but you'll have to take a look at it yourself to see those.

Anyone who is still using Windows ME, should also download "wnMEboot.exe" while you're at my site.

It will build for you a really great Win-ME boot disk. You'll have to see it to believe it. A really great Tech Tool.

I've been at this stuff for many years and I've learned how to tame that "ME" beastie.

Cheers,

Andromeda43

[dar_vr]

O&O Defrag is a lot better, Windows defrag is just a waste of time