Windows XP How to defrag a folder? 6,000+ fragments

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Pamelaj

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Hello,

I have been working on defragging the C drive, and it does well except it cannot defrag the "application data" folder, which is apparently pretty huge (1.6 GB, 5,524 files, 956 folders, 6,000 fragments)

I don't quite know how this happened, but now the regular defrag cannot handle this folder. While experimenting yesterday, I actually found something in Windows that appeared to be a "folder defrag" application. That looked like a good option, but now that I'm trying to do it, can't find that option.

Was I dreaming, or is it in there somewhere?

Any other suggestions on this?

Thanks for any help!

Pamela
 
....
I thought you said theres no difference to gain using 3rd party defraggers Muck?? So whats wrong with just using the vanilla one on windows?
 
Alf said:
....
I thought you said theres no difference to gain using 3rd party defraggers Muck?? So whats wrong with just using the vanilla one on windows?
Click to expand...
I wasn't suggesting a change, mealy pointing out that MS defrag is "s l o w" and needs room to preform.

Disk-clean-up is part of windows also.


:wave:
 
muckshifter said:
I wasn't suggesting a change, mealy pointing out that MS defrag is "s l o w" and needs room to preform.

Disk-clean-up is part of windows also.


:wave:
Click to expand...

OK, two questions about this:

1. Is 35% space not enough to perform defrag?

2. I followed your link and it seems to be a "registry cleaner" instead of a disk cleanup utility. I've checked all of the download buttons, etc. (and even downloaded the registry cleaner, which looks like a good thing), but don't find DISK CLEANER. Are these two the same thing?

ok, sorry, another question:

3. Re space issue -- this is why I was looking at defragging folders individually -- can anyone tell me how to do that?

Thanks!
 
muckshifter said:
I wasn't suggesting a change, mealy pointing out that MS defrag is "s l o w" and needs room to preform.

Disk-clean-up is part of windows also.


:wave:
Click to expand...

Ah, gotcha!

btw - wouldnt CCleaner be a better alternative than Disk-cleanup? I know that its much faster than Disk-cleanup (...isnt it Disk cleaner? :confused:)
 
Pamelaj said:
OK, two questions about this:

1. Is 35% space not enough to perform defrag?

2. I followed your link and it seems to be a "registry cleaner" instead of a disk cleanup utility. I've checked all of the download buttons, etc. (and even downloaded the registry cleaner, which looks like a good thing), but don't find DISK CLEANER. Are these two the same thing?

ok, sorry, another question:

3. Re space issue -- this is why I was looking at defragging folders individually -- can anyone tell me how to do that?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
sorry, err, my link does indeed go to a "how to" for MS cleanup utility ... one could always try a more direct approach I suppose ...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/310312

I have no idea if 35% is large enough, 35% of what? 20gig?


:user:
 
muckshifter said:
sorry, err, my link does indeed go to a "how to" for MS cleanup utility ... one could always try a more direct approach I suppose ...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/310312

I have no idea if 35% is large enough, 35% of what? 20gig?


:user:
Click to expand...

Ah. I was looking at Muckshifter's link:
"Run diskcleanup first, get rid of some junk.
wink.gif


here is a good how to ... http://www.theeldergeek.com/disk_cleanup_utility.htm"
​
and thinking THAT was a link to a cleanup utility. My bad, I guess. So, your recommendation is to use the disk cleanup that came with windows already?

RE SIZE of C drive: 37.2 gig, free space is 13 gig

bowdown.gif
 
UPDATE -- have already "diskcleaned" -- now what???

muckshifter said:
sorry, err, my link does indeed go to a "how to" for MS cleanup utility ... one could always try a more direct approach I suppose ...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/310312

I have no idea if 35% is large enough, 35% of what? 20gig?


:user:
Click to expand...

wallbash.gif
OK, Now that I've got this running I see it's the same item I've used a LOT. I used it twice yesterday before looking for this forum! I also see it every time I need to download a big file. Yesterday I also went beyond that, and got rid of old restore points, old programs, etc other things -- that's how I got the 13g free. However, with that space we still couldn't do the defrag on the applications data folder, and I think this IS why my system has been so slow.
 
Pamelaj said:
RE SIZE of C drive: 37.2 gig, free space is 13 gig

bowdown.gif
Click to expand...
ah right, now that is small ... freeing up some space may indeed help.

I've never come across a 50gig HD, so I suspect this is actually a 60gig, with possible problems.

I see why you really do need a replacement drive.


:thumb:
 
muckshifter said:
ah right, now that is small ... freeing up some space may indeed help.

I've never come across a 50gig HD, so I suspect this is actually a 60gig, with possible problems.

I see why you really do need a replacement drive.


:thumb:
Click to expand...
Actually, I see, in looking under "Disk Management" that there is a partition:
Partition: Basic: FAT: Status, Healthy (EISA Configuration); Capacity 31MB, Free Space 24MB

So add 31MB to 37GB, if that makes ANY difference (looking for cheat sheet definining Ks and Gs, etc):o

So, I agree I need a replacement drive, and that will be next on my big list of things to get. I would like to get this one in somewhat better order for now, if possible . . .

The Disk Management screen shows all of these volumes as "healthy", BTW, if that makes any difference.
 
I'm confused with your numbers

1GB = 1 (Gigabytes) or 1000MB (Megabytes)

so where have you got
Capacity 31MB, Free Space 24MB <= would suggest your HDD only being 31MB and your using only 7MB of storage so far. 31MB???? 24MB???? you mean GB surely?
 
Honest, this isn't an error . . .

TriplexDread said:
I'm confused with your numbers

1GB = 1 (Gigabytes) or 1000MB (Megabytes)

so where have you got
Capacity 31MB, Free Space 24MB <= would suggest your HDD only being 31MB and your using only 7MB of storage so far. 31MB???? 24MB???? you mean GB surely?
Click to expand...

nod.gif
well, not kidding, really. This is what I see in the "Computer Management" window. Volume C (partition) shows 37.24 GB Capacity, 14.02 GB (or 37%) free.

It also shows an unnamed volume/partition, which I believe is part of the C drive, with a file system FAT (we've all heard of that), and a capacity of 31MB (yes, MB) and free space of 24MB, and 77% free.

I really can't do the math, I'm an English major. I'm just reporting what I see here . . .:confused:
 
I've done some more digging and found this:

Volume (C:)
Volume size = 37.24 GB
Cluster size = 4 KB
Used space = 23.21 GB
Free space = 14.02 GB
Percent free space = 37 %

Volume fragmentation
Total fragmentation = 14 %
File fragmentation = 28 %
Free space fragmentation = 0 %

File fragmentation
Total files = 103,781
Average file size = 331 KB
Total fragmented files = 6
Total excess fragments = 8,267
Average fragments per file = 1.07

Pagefile fragmentation
Pagefile size = 768 MB
Total fragments = 1

Folder fragmentation
Total folders = 8,220
Fragmented folders = 1
Excess folder fragments = 0

Master File Table (MFT) fragmentation
Total MFT size = 143 MB
MFT record count = 112,702
Percent MFT in use = 77 %
Total MFT fragments = 3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fragments File Size Files that cannot be defragmented
6,042 701 MB \RECYCLER\S-1-5-21-1203359739-1370267026-2297802955-1007\Dc13\Profiles\tul4qxn6.default\Mail\Local Folders\Personal Folders.sbd\Sent

It looks like the troublesome folder is ONE folder which may be old sent mail from outlook. Yes, I've saved it for "legal" reasons. I don't want it to keep messing up my C drive, it can go somewhere else, I just don't want to lose it.

Yet, when I do a search on the drive for "recyclers" (I don't know where that came from)so I can move it, nothing shows up. Any ideas?
wallbash.gif
 
Pamelaj said:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fragments File Size Files that cannot be defragmented
6,042 701 MB \RECYCLER\S-1-5-21-1203359739-1370267026-2297802955-1007\Dc13\Profiles\tul4qxn6.default\Mail\Local Folders\Personal Folders.sbd\Sent

It looks like the troublesome folder is ONE folder which may be old sent mail from outlook. Yes, I've saved it for "legal" reasons. I don't want it to keep messing up my C drive, it can go somewhere else, I just don't want to lose it.

Yet, when I do a search on the drive for "recyclers" (I don't know where that came from)so I can move it, nothing shows up. Any ideas?
wallbash.gif
Click to expand...


How to access "Recycler" folder
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/229041

Hope that helps...:thumb:
 
Madxgraphics said:
How to access "Recycler" folder
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/229041

Hope that helps...:thumb:
Click to expand...

Yes, this does help, except, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD CLEAN OUT THIS FOLDER! Is this just left over stuff from the recycle bin? Is this stuff I deleted from outlook that is still hanging around?

I NEED to keep my outlook "personal folders" for future reference, but they don't need to say here (if they're somewhere else). I'd be happy to keep them stored/archived o the external hard drive, so long as I could get back to them if necessary.

So, now that I know WHAT the "recycle folder" is, and how to get rid of it, I just need to know if it's OK to get rid of it????
 
TriplexDread said:
I'm confused with your numbers

1GB = 1 (Gigabytes) or 1000MB (Megabytes)

so where have you got
Capacity 31MB, Free Space 24MB <= would suggest your HDD only being 31MB and your using only 7MB of storage so far. 31MB???? 24MB???? you mean GB surely?
Click to expand...
It's a numbers game TD, always has been ... the manufacturers say is one thing, but the OS reports another.

Although most manufacturers of hard disk drives and flash-memory disk devices define 1 gigabyte as 1000000000bytes, the computer operating systems used by most users usually calculate size in gigabytes by dividing the total capacity in bytes (whether it is disk capacity, file size, or system RAM) by 1073741824.

Then we can get to the nitty-gritty and start talking "slack space" if you like.


So, now that I know WHAT the "recycle folder" is, and how to get rid of it, I just need to know if it's OK to get rid of it????
Click to expand...
Yes, you can ...

One easy thing to do is reduce the size needed by the RB ...

http://grok.lsu.edu/Article.aspx?articleId=9985

and, if you like, a video ... ;)

http://www.screencastcentral.com/public/599.cfm


Bottom line here is ... you need a bigger HD. :p


:user:
 
Yes mate, i was just simplifying things ;)

I don't deal with minúte bit's and bytes. lol the mind would go mad trying to work them out aswell
 
TriplexDread said:
Yes mate, i was just simplifying things ;)

I don't deal with minúte bit's and bytes. lol the mind would go mad trying to work them out aswell
Click to expand...

Work them out? I think my head just exploded!!
wallbash.gif
 
I see there were a number of question here with regards to defragmenting and the following information should clear this up.

You will not be able to defragment your hard drive if it is in a "dirty" condition. I would recommend that you run the chkdsk /f command to make sure that the dirty bit on the drive is not set and that there are not any errors on the drive. If the drive is healthy, you can defragment.

The built-in Windows defragmenter is a very old version of Diskeeper and will need from 15-20% of free space to perform a defragmentation. The latest version of Diskeeper will defragment a drive with as little as 1% free space, however, it will perform better if there is 15-20% free space available. The latest version of Diskeeper also supports faster defragmentations, paging file and MFT defragmentation and automatic mode.

A full 30 day trial of Diskeeper can be downloaded at www.diskeeper.com

Edit: I'll let this blatant plug for Diskeeper stand and not treat it as Spam as Diskeeper is a good product and most regular members of this Forum are familiar with it.

However, it's worth pointing out the price for the home edition is currently $29.95 which at current exchange rates works out to £18.25.

As I said, Diskeeper is a good product but there are several free disk fragmenters available which also do a good job.

The choice, dear reader, is yours :) - fbs
 
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