Re: Some files won't defragment

The files are not actually files they are folders, each being System Restore point. They are all within your System Volume Information folder. The contents remain hidden even when " Show Hidden Files" is enabled to discourage users from deleting them. You can see the contents if you follow the instructions in the Knowledge Base Article, which follows:
How to Gain Access to the System Volume Information Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;309531

There are two preferred ways to delete the contents of these folders ( or most of the contents as some files need to be retained ).

In certain specific circumstances one would delete all restore points by turning System Restore off and then back on. This is desirable if there has been a viral infection and restore points contain the virus. This is achieved by right clicking your My Computer icon on the Desktop, selecting Properties, System Restore, and checking the box before "Turn off System Restore on all drives" and click on OK. To turn System Restore back on you simply uncheck the box before "Turn off System Restore on all drives" and click on OK. In normal situations System Restore should only be monitoring the drive or partition containing your Windows operating system files.

As part of routine maintenance you should use Disk CleanUp to remove all but the latest restore points, except when the system is unable and you might need older restore points to back to an earlier system set up. Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk CleanUp, More Options, System Restore, OK, and OK. This is what you should do now.

Another aspect of System Restore to be mentioned is the default space allocation of 12%. This is allocation is over generous given the size of new hard drives today's. Reset it to 4% by dragging the slider to the left. Right click your My Computer icon on the Desktop, selecting Properties, System Restore, select Drive C and click on Settings.

You can read more about System Restore here:
http://bertk.mvps.org/

When you have used Disk CleanUp and changed the System Restore Allocation run Disk CleanUp to remove all Temporary Internet Files and to empty the Recycle Bin. If you have more than one user logging on you need to do it in each User Profile. You should then be in a position to see Disk Defragmenter fully defragment your drive. I say fully defragment but in reality the Defragmenter provided with Windows XP leaves the Master File, Table, the Pagefile, some lesser files and free space fragmented. You may need to run Disk Defragmenter twice or three times to fully defragment your drive.

I do not agree with the comments by others that defragmenting system restore point is unnecessary. It is true that a user will only ever need to access a system restore point once, if ever ,but a fragmented system restore point will increase fragmentation of other files because free space will be more fragmented.

I notice that your pagefile is 768 mb. How much RAM memory do you have?

Your System Restore Points are large. Have you been making a lot of system changes?

--


Hope this helps.

Gerry
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"DrcAnjel" <DrcAnjel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:04D61848-AD1C-4793-B802-DF630A706AAB@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I should have been a bit clearer in my first post. When I attempt to
defragment my hardrive, it gets to around 15-16% completed before giving me
the message that some files cannot be defragmented and then stopping. Now
from the previous posts I'm assuming I can delete them, but I cannot find
them. I have the option set to show hidden files and folders. When I use the
search function, it is also set to search in hidden files and folders. Any
idea on how I can find and get rid of these files so I can defrag the rest of
my hardrive? 

.

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