# Getting a Defragmenter to work
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 29, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818 "2005-03-29T19:40:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/1 "2005-03-29T19:40:18Z")
What would cause this feature to not function? Someone brought this up on another message board and I’d like to give him some ideas.
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### Author:  [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/2 "2005-03-29T19:46:17Z")
I have the same problem with my ancient computer runnign Windows Millenium so I’d be interested in hearing solutions too…
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### Author:  [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/3 "2005-03-29T19:46:42Z")
What didn’t happen, e.g. error messages? What OS?
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/4 "2005-03-29T20:17:05Z")
If you mean it keeps restarting from the beginning, it’s because of background processes accessing the hard drive. You need to shut down any nonessential running programs (including virus scanners – make sure you’re not connected to the Internet first) before running the scan.
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### Author:  [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/5 "2005-03-29T20:20:10Z")
On my computer, it just hangs up and gets stuck. The same thing happens when I try to run “CheckDisk” (or maybe it’s Scan Disk. I’ve got to admit that I’ve never been very good about running those very often. Also, recently, “Shut Down” doesn’t complete power off the computer and I’ve been forced to manually turn off the power. (yeah, I know, I probalby hopelessly mistreat my computer)
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### Author:  [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/6 "2005-03-29T22:03:09Z")
**tremorviolet**
Do a ctrl/alt/del and end task on eveything but systray and Explorer. (You’ll have to keep doing a ctrl/alt/del until each process but systray and explorer are left)
Or alternately, try from safemode.
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### Author:  [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/7 "2005-03-29T22:20:18Z")
You may also want to make sure that the disk defragment service is running. Go to _Control Panel -\> Administrative Tools -\> Services_, locate any disk-related services (technical term) and make sure they are started up. Might help. This is the solution if the program opens, but nothing happens when you hit the _defragment_ button.
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### Author:  [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/8 "2005-03-29T22:28:40Z")
> [@Daizy](#):
>
> **tremorviolet**
> Do a ctrl/alt/del and end task on eveything but systray and Explorer. (You’ll have to keep doing a ctrl/alt/del until each process but systray and explorer are left)
>
> Or alternately, try from safemode.
Cool, I’ll try that tonight when I get home. I hadn’t tried very hard to fix this yet but I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon when **dougie\_monty** mentioned it.
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### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2005, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/9 "2005-03-29T23:27:59Z")
Also, disable the screen saver.
IIRC, Norton antivirus will cause defrag to stop at 10% and restart, quit at 10%, restart and cycle this way until you give up.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/10 "2005-03-30T00:48:04Z")
The first thing to do is not use the POS defragmenter that comes with Windows 98 & ME. [Download a free copy of Diskeeper Lite](http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=1207); it’s faster, more efficient, and it won’t lock up or restart.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/11 "2005-03-30T01:24:53Z")
I like to defrag from the command prompt. Reboot in Safe Mode with Command Prompt, type defrag c: and wait. Never had a problem.
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### Author:  [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/12 "2005-03-31T00:17:31Z")
Thanks to all; I’ll pass it on. 🙂
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### Author:  [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/13 "2005-03-31T01:14:41Z")
> [@Flander](#):
>
> You may also want to make sure that the disk defragment service is running. Go to _Control Panel -\> Administrative Tools -\> Services_, locate any disk-related services (technical term) and make sure they are started up. Might help. This is the solution if the program opens, but nothing happens when you hit the _defragment_ button.
…keeping in mind that there are no services on 98/ME.
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### Author:  [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/14 "2005-03-31T01:22:13Z")
if the hard drive is exceptionally full you will have to force a defrag(-f), and it will take a lot longer since it doesn’t have much in the way of a temporary place to put things while it rearranges your data.
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### Author:  [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2005, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/15 "2005-03-31T08:12:57Z")
Essentially, what **RealityChuck** said.
Although it’s easier to just use a 3rd party defragmenter software. I’ve found Power Defrag to be effective:
[http://www.powerdefrag.com/pd.htm](http://www.powerdefrag.com/pd.htm)
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### Author:  [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/16 "2005-03-31T16:56:33Z")
Ok, last night, I tried running “DiskKeeperLite” like **Fear Itself** suggested. Wow, there was an awful lot of red. Seemed to defrag OK but then when it finished, my entire computer froze up. It was late so I just manually turned it off and I’ll see what happens tomorrow. (fingers crossed) Thanks for all the advice.
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### Author:  [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2005, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-defragmenter-to-work/296818/17 "2005-03-31T17:59:00Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#):
>
> …keeping in mind that there are no services on 98/ME.
Yeah, but since the OP didn’t tell us which OS he is using, I figured I’d through that out in case he (or anyone else) is running XP.