Re: defragmentation issues in XP

Gerry wrote:
Robert

An interesting Disk Defragmenter Report.

The problem could be the fragmented pagefile. This is probably scattered across the drive causing the free space to be equally fragmented. The pagefile is of course an immovable file. You also only have 20% free space. You need something approaching 60% free space to achieve a single contiguous pagefile. It should, however, be possible to achieve a considerable improvement.

You need to maximise the free disk space before running disk defragmenter again.

You can generate more space in the system partition by relocation of
folders. They can be relocated back after the exercise has been completed.

For Temporary Internet Files select Start, Control Panel, Internet
Options, Temporary Internet Files. Settings, Move Folder.

To move the Outlook Express Store Folder select in Outlook Express
Tools, Options, Maintenance, Store Folder, Change.
http://www.tomsterdam.com/insideoe/files/store.htm

My Documents is one of a number of system created Special Folders
including My Pictures and My Music. These can more easily be relocated
using Tweak Ui. Download TweakUI, one of the MS powertoys, from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

In TweakUi select My Computer, Special Folders. You can scroll down to
see the full list of Special Folders to the left of the Change
Location button.

Next I am not clear how you are cleaning out redundant files. The most effective way is cCleaner.

An alternative to Disk CleanUp is cCleaner (freeware) which does a more
thorough job than Disk CleanUp. Disk CleanUp has to be run for each user
profile, whereas cCleaner only needs to be run once.
http://www.ccleaner.com/ccdownload.asp
http://www.ccleaner.com/

With any cleaner you need to proceed with caution. To be safe you
should create a restore point before using cCleaner. cCleaner also
offers backup before removal.

When using cCleaner think twice before checking Autocomplete Form
History under Internet Explorer. You do get a warning but this one has
irritating consequences. You may need to restore your system's
recollection of passwords after use so keep a record off computer so
that they can easily be re-entered.

Leave the Scan for Issues option alone.

Now the two big savings to temporarily win free disk space. Turn off monitoring by System Restore. The second is to set the pagefile to no pagefile and reboot the computer. You should have doubled your free disk space to 40% perhaps more. Another idea might be to temporarily increase your C partition to 16 gb which would take your free disk space to 50% to 60%. If you do this do it before you eliminate the pagefile. You should then run Disk Defragmenter and as soon as it has finished set your pagefile to a minimum and maximum of 1.4 gb and restart the computer. You do not want Windows to manage the pagefile as using that setting causes the pagefile file to fragment. The next step is to reset System Restore to monitor your C partition (it should not be monitoring other partitions). The folders you moved earlier can be moved back to C.

If you do not change the pagefile setting it will either stay as a single contiguous file if you have been totally successful or with the number of fragments you have achieved. As a consequence the free space on C will less fragmented and it will be much easier to defragment files in future.


Thanks so much. that gives me plenty to work on.
I already use CCleaner regularly
I have several key folders "off" C:\ partition and on a Data partition already so not a lot of manouevre there
I have System Restore trimmed down, and Temp Internet files also very low already.
I may be able to get rid of the Symantec Live Update as I don't really need that anymore with no more Symantec programs left

I may just bite the bullet and do a bit more sliding of free space with BootIt and then try your page file trick. I was trying to avoid it because it is so time consuming!

Once again - thanks.

--
Rev Robert M Jones, Wimborne Baptist Church, UK
http://www.wimborne-baptist.org.uk
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