You can defrag in safe mode with the built-in defrag, it is somewhat better at getting the last few files done. Mind you I don't think it makes any difference in real terms.

Optimist,

Thanks for that pointer.

"Don't bother getting the trial version as you will end up buying it anyway."

There are three versions.

http://www.diskeepereurope.com/en/07_general/products_dk.htm

I am sure the top version is overkill for me. I thought I'd buy the Home version as I can always upgrade. Do you think I should get the Pro edition anyway?

TP

Before you spend money TP, have you checked that no other applications are running when you defrag and that the disk drive has a reasonable amount of space free?

Kayak

Yes on both counts.

I do use Quotetracker for my real time US stocks, but I'd turned it off.

And the drive is not much more than 50% full.

It reduces the amount of red each time, but I felt something bespoke might do a better job and the blurb about the software that Optimist found is highly persuasive - and I'm a sucker for anything like that. Which is why I need you folks to stop me making a fool of myself!!!

TP

TP

In case you havent seen it, they have a summary of features. The main thing that I spotted about the pro edition is the Efficient Defragmentation of Large Files though there are a couple of other useful ones. I'm still using and older Pro version which I find very good.

Kayak

The MS offering of Diskeeper will normally cope with open files so safe mode running would be less useful. What it can't do is defragment the NTFS directory structure or the MFT file even under safe mode. Hence the need for boot time defragmentation.

Optimist,

Yes I spotted the summary. My snag was in not being able to evaluate them.

I think it was you who commented a couple of weeks ago how much more resilient NTFS is, when I commented on how much more stable XP is compared with its earlier brothers.

I noticed last night that my XP laptop is actually using FAT32. Maybe I selected that when I installed my XP a year or more ago. Anyway I guess I am stuck with it now and, touch wood, it is not causing any problems.

TP

TP. If you're a sucker for stuff you don't really need, you could get Fix-It Utilities. It lets you defrag the register. Mmmmmm!
:-)))

Twas me :-)

You can easily convert the disk to NTFS, and should. Merely close all the applications you can, including as many as you can in your system tray, open a DOS window and type

CONVERT C:/FS:NTFS

assuming C: is your disk drive.

Only reason not to convert is if you still have anything to do with Windows 98 or before.

K.

Had a little Google during my lunchbreak and the first thread that came up was:-

http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfscvt.php

Do you think this business about moving "all the data area up to a 4K boundary" is important. If it is then I don't fancy his method as I don't have a floppy drive on my laptop.

Otherwise, as you say, it's deadly simple.

TP

By not having all the data aligned with a 4k boundary, Windows is forced to use a cluster size (i.e. the smallest size of disk that can be allocated to a file) of 512 bytes rather than the optimal 4KB. This means that files might tend to fragment more easily and there might be a slight drop in performance.

On the other side of the coin however, the NTFS file system is hugely more reliable than FAT. For instance with FAT, if Windows crashes, when you reboot it will spend a few minutes checking the file system and coming out with orphaned clusters etc. That no longer happens with NTFS.

Also I converted from FAT to NTFS before knowing of the issue and the PC worked happily for years.

K.

I'm sold.

But, I'll be a good lad and back up first.

TP

When I've stopped double posting.........

K.

I converted the laptop to NTFS last night. No apparent problems and quite a fast procedure.

Opt.

I installed the Pro version of Diskeeper. It did its stuff and now wants to defrag my C drive in what it calls its Boot mode. There is still quite a patch of red on the chart and I presume this is what the inbuilt XP defragger was failing to sort.

Diskeeper says it wants to do a chkdsk first and warns me that the whole operation could take some time. On that basis I'll set it to run when we are about to go to bed - and hope it does not ask any questions half way through.

Thanks to both of you for the pointers.

TP

Any techie types help please???
I am told that my system is slowing down and taking a long time to open and close due to windows habit of collecting a shedfull of registry errors. I scanned the web and used a couple of those free registry scanners. Each pinpointed over 600 errors, but would not correct them without me parting with lots of hard earned. I am loathe to do this with software I do not know.
So 2 questions. Are they conning me and there are no registry errors and can anyone recommend a registry repair programme that is either free or very trustworthy, or both.
TIA
Alan

alan. I see no-ones talking to you so I'll just put my twopenneth in before the (very helpful) clever buggers appear. :-)
VCom Fix -It 7 Professional is about 29. I've used it for about 4 or 5 years. It gives you anti-virus protection (with free updates for a year), anti-spyware, disc cleaner, disc checker, etc etc.
It also defrags discs and registry's and fixes registry errors.
It gives you 3 levels of registry error fixing Green - safe. Orange - Your choice and Red option - Are you really sure? You can un-fix as well. (I always tick 'em all after a back up).
It's been pretty good for me but I don't know what the guys in here think about it.
Personal recommendation only. It does what it says on the tin!
http://www.v-com.com/

hewittalan, this Microsoft download will dramatically reduce the shutdown delay. It works by itself, just install it and forget about it. It doesn't work with Vista at present I think though, so remember if you upgrade.

User Profile Hive Cleanup

Personally I think these registry scanners are a con. If there were serious errors in the registry, your system wouldn't start at all. Not sure where you got the phrase "due to windows habit of collecting a shedfull of registry errors," but if it's from a site trying to sell you something I would discount it :-)

Apart from downloading the UPH cleaner, you should look at your memory usage (Task Manager/Performance tab bar graph) and see whether most/all of your memory is in use. Also look critically in your system tray and check you actually need everything running there.

Kayak. What I find strange about supposed registry errors (XP home) is that, using my Fix-It utility, it shows missing links for, for example, a deleted jpg image. Apparently this is an XP thing.

Never come across that Bolshi, but I'm still on Windows 2000 :-)

Thanks for the help guys.
I will beaver away this weekend and try and sort it out.
alan

K. I find that utilities give me the illusion of being in control of my PC a bit.

I suppose they're like women's boobs. Not much use, but fun to play around with.

Windows 2000 indeed!

:-))