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disk clean-up and defragmentand rams

 
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Sugar Gatch
Frequent Advisor

disk clean-up and defragmentand rams

How long does it take for the defragment process. My computer has two types of defrag., one sayd to open files quickly the other for acess to hard drive quickly. Can I run them both at the same time. How do I know when they are done? There is a % indicator bar at bottom of screen. But does not go past 1%. How do I determine if there is ram damage and correct it? Sometimes the mouse freezes-up, sometime's when just login.
11 REPLIES 11
Roger Faucher
Honored Contributor

Re: disk clean-up and defragmentand rams

Sugar:

You should always run Scandisk (Chkdsk) before running Defrag. It's also not a bad idea to make sure nothing else is running while you run Defrag. As to how long it takes, it depends on many variables, such as:
- degree of fragmentation
- performance characteristics of the system
- size of hard disk drive (HDD)
- amount of free space on HDD

HTH

Roger
Make a great day!

Roger
Roger Faucher
Honored Contributor

Re: disk clean-up and defragmentand rams

Sugar:

I will paste the message that you inadvertently created a new message thread with:

Thank you Roger;I'm just getting to know a computer. My book "PCs for dummies has not come in yet. Sorry for the seemingly dumm questions. But where do I find the (Chkdsk) on the computer?Defragmenter programs gives 2 types of useage(refer to first message), can I run them both at the same time? Also says I can use the computer while defrag. is running but service might be slower. Are you saying do not do anything else on the computer while defrag. is running? What are "performance" characteristics? And since I've got your attention. Maybe you could answer this- If I let the computer sit for just a minute or two, the screen saver comes on. Sometimes I'm studing a page and because I'm not typing away on it, it will go to sleep. That make's me angry! Please reply. Sugar

Roger
Make a great day!

Roger
Roger Faucher
Honored Contributor

Re: disk clean-up and defragmentand rams

Sugar:

You're overwhelming me with questions (and underwhelming me with data). ;^) I still don't know what Operating System (OS) (Windows version) you are running. That would help.

1. Depending on the OS, you would run Scandisk or Chkdsk. For the moment, I'll assume you have WIN9x/Me. Try Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Scandisk.

2. I'm not familiar with the two Defrag options you're referring to. Just leave the default settings (record them for reference) and run the program (after Scandisk has been run successfully).

3. I never try to do production while Defrag is running. I suggest you start it and let it run overnight.

4. "Performance characteristics" are any characteristics of a computer that determine/affect performance, such as: processor type/speed, chipset, memory, etc.

5. The screen saver activation/timing can be set in Display Properties on (of all things) the Screen Saver tab. Right mouse click on an unused portion of the desktop and choose Properties from the list that appears. That should open the Display Properties window.

6. The sleep/hibernate options can be set in Control Panel/Power Options. Until we know the model of your computer and the OS, it's kind of pointless to elaborate.

I've got a 7AM job to do so I'll say good night.

Hope this has helped.

Roger
Make a great day!

Roger
Sugar Gatch
Frequent Advisor

Re: disk clean-up and defragmentand rams

Roger; Sorry, but I did'nt realize (of all thing's) that I was keeping you up. I do wish you a peaceful sleep and a rested awakening.I will try the thing's you so kindly explained to me. And will try to reply with the model # and OS (what ever that is?). Thank you again. Should I thank you also for hurting my feelings. Sugar
Roger Faucher
Honored Contributor

Re: disk clean-up and defragmentand rams

Hi:

I'm on my way out the door but wanted you to know I didn't intend to hurt your feelings (that's why I put the little funny face in my message, so you'd know I was kidding around).

OS means the version of Windows you have on your system: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, wooo, XP, etc.

Make a great day!

Roger
Make a great day!

Roger
Roger Faucher
Honored Contributor

Re: disk clean-up and defragmentand rams

I guess it's pretty apparent that I failed to proofread that last message. 'wooo' should have been WIN2000. But I just got a chuckle out of it...hope others did as well.

wooo


Roger
Make a great day!

Roger
Michael Schulte zur Sur
Honored Contributor

Re: disk clean-up and defragmentand rams

Roger,
Sugar has win98.

Sugar,
you can only run one defragment at a time. This win98 defrag has something nasty. When something writes to the disk, that is defragged, it starts from beginning. I have seen it, that the defrag got nowhere because of all the restarts. The first time is usually the longest because the data are scrambled the most. It also depends a lot, how much data you have on the disks and whether you have many small files of few big ones. There are tools for testing the memory. I don't however remember right now one. Will look for it.

Michael
Roger Faucher
Honored Contributor

Re: disk clean-up and defragmentand rams

Here's the link to a memory diagnostic which you can download and burn to a CD to create a bootable CD:
http://www.memtest86.com/

Roger
Make a great day!

Roger
Sugar Gatch
Frequent Advisor

Re: disk clean-up and defragmentand rams

Hi Roger; Hope you had a nice day. I'm a big girl and already over it! I guess it would have made a difference if a funny face had appeared. But there is not one on the message I recieved. It's just so hard for me to ask for help when I feel like all you guy's are so much smarter than me. All I can say is that I'm trying to learn. My PC book for dummies will be in by the 11th.. Maybe then I can keep from bugging you all. Sorry. Sug.