Can't defrag drive!

Fanny Cradock

I've been putting a lot of my music onto my HDD lately so i thought it was about time i gave the HDD an old defrag. The problem is when i use windows default defrag programme it doesn't work. i click the analyse/defragment buttons and nothing happens - the most i get is the blue bar that highlights to flash.

I've had a trials with diskeeper and O&O in the last few months, but they have long since run out and i've defraged a few times since then using windows defragmenter with no problems. I've been using RegSeeker the last few weeks to clean the system (as well as ashampoo WinOptimiser 2 for months) and i was wondering if these (especially regseeker) could be the problem.


any solutions?

thanks

wavin

Fanny Cradock wrote:

I've been putting a lot of my music onto my HDD lately so i thought it was about time i gave the HDD an old defrag. The problem is when i use windows default defrag programme it doesn't work. i click the analyse/defragment buttons and nothing happens - the most i get is the blue bar that highlights to flash.

I've had a trials with diskeeper and O&O in the last few months, but they have long since run out and i've defraged a few times since then using windows defragmenter with no problems. I've been using RegSeeker the last few weeks to clean the system (as well as ashampoo WinOptimiser 2 for months) and i was wondering if these (especially regseeker) could be the problem.


any solutions?

thanks

dont think windows defrag will run if its not necessary.

roamer

Its a while since ive done a windows defrag and I think it was on a Win 98 machine at the time. I remember specifically you had to kill all but the most necessary processes as these will disrupt the program and it will keep restarting.

Fanny Cradock

i've never had any problems like that before - infact i generally run a number of process together if i was poping out for a bit (e.g anti-virus and defrag).

bedlam, i'll try looking into your solution later. the advice is appreciated, but i'd prefer to get this problem sorted before i start instaling and paying for a programme that already comes with windows (even though it's crap).

could this be anything to do with regseeker removing files that are essential to windows opperation?

Fanny Cradock

when i run defrag via command prompt it says that windows cant connect to the disk defragmenter engine

Fanny Cradock

yeah, no problem...AMD 3000+, 1 Gig of RAM, OS = XP home etc.

like i said before, i defraged the drive (using windows defrager) about 2 weeks ago - no problems. now there is and i cant figure out why!

duridian

Ok I think I know what may be causing this. It is possible that one of the Regseeker type proggies you've been using has knocked out a vital service called 'DCOM Server Process Launcher'.
(I am working off XP Pro here but the method for XP Home should be the same) you will need to have Administrator privileges on the pc, more than likely this is already the case since something you did stooped a service from running.
Ok here goes:
Open Control Panel. If you are in 'Classic View' switch to 'Category View' instead.
Click 'Performance & Maintenance'
Click 'Administrative Tools''
Double-click 'Services'
In the right hand panel, scroll down to the service named 'DCOM Server Process Launcher'
On this service's line it should say 'Started' under the heading 'Status' if it is running. It should also say ' Automatic' under 'the heading 'startup type'. If either of those is not as I said then that is almost certainly the problem.
To fix:
Double-click on the "DCOM Server Process Launcher" line to open its properties.
All you should have to do is change its startup type to 'Automatic' (under the 'General' tab) and click 'Apply'.
Now when you reboot this missing service should (hopefully) be working, and Disc Defragmenter should as well.
I wouldn't recommend most of the regcleaner type programs out there TBH, I'd say it's one of them that caused this.
Hope this sorts you out

Capt'n Midnight

what version of windows - the defrag utils were generally written by a third party so vary a lot.

try it at the command prompt, defrag /? - the windows XP version runs but gives no feedback while running

also try contig from www.sysinternals.com

or reboot in to safe mode to try it again.

Fanny Cradock

Thanks for the help guys. everything seems to be working fine now.

I took duridian advice, but in the mean time (before i saw his post) i had already installed a trial version of diskeeper (again). whether it was duidians advice or the installation and subsequent removal of a 3rd party defrag programme that fixed the problem i 'm not sure, but either way everything is grand again.

Once again thanks for all the replies - they are all appreciated
I think i'll be a little more careful about using trial defrag programmes and registery clearners in future

Standard Toaster

I had this prob before too afther uninstalling O&O. Windows defrag just wouldn't run. Simple fix was to goto the windows\inf folder, find "dfrg.inf".
Right click this file, and select Install.

D

YOu could try restarting in safe mode.