"Files that cannot be defragmented"

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I have Windows XP Professional (2002), after "Analyze" am told to "Defragment", do so and the end result is that there is exactly the same amount of free space as there was before defragmenting, apparently I have quote:

Fragments File Size Files that cannot be defragmented
611 400 MB \pagefile.sys

Does this "cannot be" mean it is not possible to do it by any means, or

it is not possible because I (the user) have done something wrong in pagefile.sys

I cannot find any file with \pagefile.sys (using Search), so how do I defragment something that isn't there but is taking up all that space?

Would appreciate any help offered.
 
Visit http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_d.htm and scroll down to
the topic titled "Defrag on boot - Enable/Disable".

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]

You might wish to consider purchasing a more powerful
and thorough defragmenter program, such as PerfectDisk,
which has the capability to defrag both the MFT and pagefile
offline.

Perfeck Disk
http://www.raxco.com/products/perfectdisk2k/more_info.cfm

Try out PerfectDisk® free, for 30-days
http://www.raxco.com/products/downloadit/perfectdisk2000_download.cfm

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


|I have Windows XP Professional (2002), after "Analyze" am told to "Defragment", do so and the end result is
that there is exactly the same amount of free space as there was before defragmenting, apparently I have
quote:
|
| Fragments File Size Files that cannot be defragmented
| 611 400 MB \pagefile.sys
|
| Does this "cannot be" mean it is not possible to do it by any means, or
|
| it is not possible because I (the user) have done something wrong in pagefile.sys
|
| I cannot find any file with \pagefile.sys (using Search), so how do I defragment something that isn't there
but is taking up all that space?
|
| Would appreciate any help offered.
|
 
Hi Sheila,

The pagefile.sys is a hidden system file, and it is the system's virtual
memory. You cannot defrag it since it is in use. Besides, this file is
dynamic and is constantly changing during use, so defragging it is
pointless.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Windows
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone



Sheila said:
I have Windows XP Professional (2002), after "Analyze" am told to
Click to expand...
"Defragment", do so and the end result is that there is exactly the same
amount of free space as there was before defragmenting, apparently I have
quote:
Fragments File Size Files that cannot be defragmented
611 400 MB \pagefile.sys

Does this "cannot be" mean it is not possible to do it by any means, or

it is not possible because I (the user) have done something wrong in pagefile.sys

I cannot find any file with \pagefile.sys (using Search), so how do I
Click to expand...
defragment something that isn't there but is taking up all that space?
 
Sheila

Running Disk Defragmenter is not intended to increase the amount of free space. It will reorganise file fragments so that are placed together in contiguous free space. However, the space the fragments occupied is given up for reuse so the overall amount of free space is unchanged. The size of your pagefile.sys is normal. Mine is similar. Adding RAM memory can reduce it's size but it is not guaranteed to do so.

The reason you cannot see your pagefile.sys file is that it is a system file. To see what is on your hard drive you need to change a number of settings. Select Start, Control Panel, Folder Options, View, Advanced Settings, and check "Show hidden files and folders". Whilst there uncheck "Hide File Extensions". Also check "Display the contents of system folders".

Do you have a single or two hard drives? Have you considered partitioning?

You have highlighted the number of fragments, which make up your pagefile. Is your question prompted only by wish to defragment the file or are you really looking to create more free space? If the latter tell us more.


~~~~~~


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FCA

Stourport, Worcs, England
Enquire, plan and execute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please tell the newsgroup how any
suggested solution worked for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Sheila,

As the built-in defragmenter has no boot time defrag ability, it will never
be able to defragment this file.

- Greg/Raxco Software
Microsoft MVP - Windows File System

Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a
commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

Want to email me? Delete ntloader.


Sheila said:
I have Windows XP Professional (2002), after "Analyze" am told to
Click to expand...
"Defragment", do so and the end result is that there is exactly the same
amount of free space as there was before defragmenting, apparently I have
quote:
Fragments File Size Files that cannot be defragmented
611 400 MB \pagefile.sys

Does this "cannot be" mean it is not possible to do it by any means, or

it is not possible because I (the user) have done something wrong in pagefile.sys

I cannot find any file with \pagefile.sys (using Search), so how do I
Click to expand...
defragment something that isn't there but is taking up all that space?
 
Thank you all for taking the time and trouble to reply. What has happened is (1) that my response to the sentence "such and such has not been defragmented" is that I am being told that it should have been, and (2) I made the assumption that if the contents of the hard drive were defragmented they would form a "solid" block without little bits of space around them and hence there would be more space available. (This comes from the old Windows 98 defragmenting window which from being a mosaic of colours gradually became solid blocks of colours) and I really don't need more space, I have plenty. So again thanks to you all, such a relief to know there's nothing basically wrong with the machine.
 
Thank you for that remarkable address! I have copied it and kept it in my useful knowledge folder.
 
Thanks Rick, however I think it should have hidden itself better instead of being found out and used in evidence in the defrag window!
 
Thanks for replying - it sounds like the blues! Why can't the poor thing have a boot time defrag ability!!! No, seriously when I stopped and read it more carefully it made perfect sense.
 
Thank you for replying - sorry I forgot to click on Post when I wrote earlier - I am keeping all these as notes in a folder for when I have another senior moment!
 
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