Started to Defrag Automatically
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From: Ken Blake, MVP on 22 Mar 2010 20:43 On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:20:02 -0000, "Tim Meddick" <timmeddick(a)gawab.com> wrote: > You are an idiot. > > I will explain. > > You are an idiot ,because you make statements without knowledge.... > > http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,1149277,00.asp No, he's a troll, which is even worse than being an idiot. Making a mistake is acceptable. None of us is perfect and we all make mistakes from time to time. But his working so hard to be anonymous while attacking so many of us is the mark of a troll, and is not acceptable. > "Unknown" <unknown(a)unknown.kom> wrote in message > news:O6BkPHgyKHA.3884(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > > It was very clear. He has never experienced the problem till recently. > > Win XP does NOT (by default) automatically defrag the boot disk. > > It must be a scheduled event. > > The OP did NOT initiate this event. > > You had best get your facts straight and read the other posts from the OP. > > Also please show where defrag is set by default. > > "Tim Meddick" <timmeddick(a)gawab.com> wrote in message > > news:O%23dqEcfyKHA.4752(a)TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > >> Was it not clear to you what Mr Leonard Grey wrote? > >> > >> "Background defragmentation has always been a feature of Windows XP" > >> > >> So then, why ask "question is why is it defragging since OP didn't initiate it." > >> ?? > >> > >> The plain fact is that Win XP will enable an internal setting (by default) to > >> AUTOMATICALLY (look it up!) defragment the boot disk when the PC is idle... > >> > >> So the OP need do nothing to initiate this effect as it is already enabled! > >> > >> Also, as Mr Grey points out, it occurs when the PC IS idle and desists when the > >> user intervenes (similar to the effect of a screensaver) and thus, cannot be > >> responsible for the slowing down of a PC! > >> > >> It is certainly NOT the effect of some malware, but a normal in-built feature of > >> WinXP! > >> > >> > >> Finally, to disable this feature (why you would want to, I don't know) reset the > >> following registry value : > >> > >> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction] > >> "Enable"="Y" > >> > >> ...and change it to : > >> > >> "Enable"="N" > >> > >> ...to disable automatic boot-disk background optimization by defrag.exe > >> > >> == > >> > >> Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-) > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> "Unknown" <unknown(a)unknown.kom> wrote in message > >> news:Oe6BrweyKHA.5948(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > >>> "Background defrag has always been a feature" doesn't really make any sense since > >>> programs and/or files in use cannot be > >>> defragged. The real question is why is it defragging since OP didn't initiate it. > >>> Does this occur immediately at startup or randomly happening. . > >>> "Leonard Grey" <l.grey(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in message > >>> news:eax%23HCeyKHA.5292(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > >>>> Background defragmentation has always been a feature of Windows XP. The defrags > >>>> occur when your PC is idle. Therefore, it's not the cause for your computer > >>>> becoming slow. > >>>> --- > >>>> Leonard Grey > >>>> Errare humanum est > >>>> > >>>> Bright Spark wrote: > >>>>> Been using this XP for the past several years, and suddenly in the > >>>>> past 2-3 weeks, it has started automatically defragging on its own. I > >>>>> will notice that response time is dragging, etc., and when I check the > >>>>> Task Master it shows dfrgntfs.exe running. I haven't told it to > >>>>> defrag and I haven't set any automatic times for it to do so. I have checked > >>>>> all the Task Schedulers and other places I can think of > >>>>> where I might have accidentally set something, but nothing shows any > >>>>> auto defrag set. I would appreciate any help anyone can give me. Many thanks. > >>>>> Bright Spark > >>> > >>> > >> > > > > -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003 Please Reply to the Newsgroup
From: Ken Blake, MVP on 22 Mar 2010 20:47 On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:10:46 -0000, "Tim Meddick" <timmeddick(a)gawab.com> wrote: > As I said in my last post to "Unknown", "defrag.exe" is only actively scanning / > defragmenting when the PC is idle. > > A process can still be in memory but use hardly any memory resources. And to add to and perhaps clarify that, if some process or program is in memory, but is not active, and other processes or programs need the memory, the memory used by the inactive process or program quickly becomes page file memory, not real RAM. RAM is used by the most active programs, and the inactive ones get paged out until they need to do something. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003 Please Reply to the Newsgroup
From: John John - MVP on 22 Mar 2010 21:02 This is a bit misleading, the background defragmentation is part of the boot optimization process and it involves only startup files. John Tim Meddick wrote: > Was it not clear to you what Mr Leonard Grey wrote? > > "Background defragmentation has always been a feature of Windows XP" > > So then, why ask "question is why is it defragging since OP didn't > initiate it." ?? > > The plain fact is that Win XP will enable an internal setting (by > default) to AUTOMATICALLY (look it up!) defragment the boot disk when > the PC is idle... > > So the OP need do nothing to initiate this effect as it is already enabled! > > Also, as Mr Grey points out, it occurs when the PC IS idle and desists > when the user intervenes (similar to the effect of a screensaver) and > thus, cannot be responsible for the slowing down of a PC! > > It is certainly NOT the effect of some malware, but a normal in-built > feature of WinXP! > > > Finally, to disable this feature (why you would want to, I don't know) > reset the following registry value : > > [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction] > "Enable"="Y" > > ...and change it to : > > "Enable"="N" > > ...to disable automatic boot-disk background optimization by defrag.exe > > == > > Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-) > > > > > "Unknown" <unknown(a)unknown.kom> wrote in message > news:Oe6BrweyKHA.5948(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... >> "Background defrag has always been a feature" doesn't really make any >> sense since programs and/or files in use cannot be >> defragged. The real question is why is it defragging since OP didn't >> initiate it. >> Does this occur immediately at startup or randomly happening. . >> "Leonard Grey" <l.grey(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in message >> news:eax%23HCeyKHA.5292(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... >>> Background defragmentation has always been a feature of Windows XP. >>> The defrags occur when your PC is idle. Therefore, it's not the cause >>> for your computer becoming slow. >>> --- >>> Leonard Grey >>> Errare humanum est >>> >>> Bright Spark wrote: >>>> Been using this XP for the past several years, and suddenly in the >>>> past 2-3 weeks, it has started automatically defragging on its own. I >>>> will notice that response time is dragging, etc., and when I check the >>>> Task Master it shows dfrgntfs.exe running. I haven't told it to >>>> defrag and I haven't set any automatic times for it to do so. I >>>> have checked all the Task Schedulers and other places I can think of >>>> where I might have accidentally set something, but nothing shows any >>>> auto defrag set. I would appreciate any help anyone can give me. >>>> Many thanks. Bright Spark >> >> >
From: John John - MVP on 23 Mar 2010 08:33 What the others are talking about it the Prefetch mechanism, there are no other types of system initiated background defragmentation. The prefetch defragmentation is launched by the Task Scheduler, it only occurs when the system is idle and it is only performed every three days. There are no entries for this task in the Task Scheduler and there are no user settings for this task in the TS GUI tool. The System Idle Task Scheduler service monitors for the system to be idle before it launches the task. The system is considered to be idle if for the last 10 minutes: * There is no user input. * The CPU and disk usage is less than 10 percent. * The system is not running on battery power. * Presentation programs (such as a slide show or movie playback) are not running. Finally, it should be noted that usually the Prefetch defragmentation would be relatively fast, it doesn't take a very long time to optimize the prefetch files, after all, the files are optimized every three days and they don't change all that often so there is usually not all that much moving around to do with the files. If you want to acquaint yourself with the Prefetch mechanism read the relevant section here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc302206.aspx Windows XP: Kernel Improvements Create a More Robust, Powerful, and Scalable OS Please be advised that there are all kinds of misconceptions about Prefetch and that 'false' tweaks abound all over the internet, don't believe any of these tweaks, the author here: http://members.rushmore.com/~jsky/id14.html sums it up accurately: [Quote] Windows XP Prefetching by default is already optimized. There are no tweaks that do anything but hurt performance. Anyone making any claims otherwise does not understand how Windows Prefetching works. They also do not provide documented and accurate reproducible testing to prove that some "tweak" does work. This nonsense has been copied off one site to another. [end quote] I don't know why dfrgntfs.exe is running and bogging down your system. This much I can tell you, I don't remember ever having seen this running in my Task Manager (yes, Prefetch is enabled on my machine and yes the Task Scheduler service is set to start automatically). I am not saying that the task doesn't show as part of the boot optimization, I don't know if it does or not, I'm only saying that if it does I can't remember ever seeing it showing in the Task Manager... but then if the task only occurs when the computer is idle for 10 minutes or more, well I wasn't at the computer to see it or I was asleep at the keyboard... I think this is probably being launched by one of your maintenance application. Under which user name is the process running? John Bright Spark wrote: > To tell you the truth, John, I have found a whole lot of this thread > misleading since I first posted my request for assistance. I was > hoping for some help in this group, but instead find it seems more > like a contest of who knows what and calling people names, etc. Can't > imagine what good all that does other than perhaps some ego-stoking. > Certainly doesn't actually help anyone looking for solutions, > unfortunately. > > As far as help, I guess I have been informed now that my computer has > always been doing this whether I knew it or not, and I can change the > registry if I want (but why would I want to), take it or leave it. > > I was in here asking for help because my computer has not, in fact, > been doing this. I am no computer expert, but I'm not a neophyte > either and I do at least know some of the more common places to check > and see what might be slowing things down when they do slow down. In > other words, hoping perhaps for some suggestions as to why it would > suddenly start doing this and thinking I might get some ideas here. > That's what I get for thinking. > > Bright Spark > > > On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:02:26 -0300, John John - MVP > <audetweld(a)nbnot.nb.ca> wrote: > >> This is a bit misleading, the background defragmentation is part of the >> boot optimization process and it involves only startup files. >> >> John >> >> Tim Meddick wrote: >>> Was it not clear to you what Mr Leonard Grey wrote? >>> >>> "Background defragmentation has always been a feature of Windows XP" >>> >>> So then, why ask "question is why is it defragging since OP didn't >>> initiate it." ?? >>> >>> The plain fact is that Win XP will enable an internal setting (by >>> default) to AUTOMATICALLY (look it up!) defragment the boot disk when >>> the PC is idle... >>> >>> So the OP need do nothing to initiate this effect as it is already enabled! >>> >>> Also, as Mr Grey points out, it occurs when the PC IS idle and desists >>> when the user intervenes (similar to the effect of a screensaver) and >>> thus, cannot be responsible for the slowing down of a PC! >>> >>> It is certainly NOT the effect of some malware, but a normal in-built >>> feature of WinXP! >>> >>> >>> Finally, to disable this feature (why you would want to, I don't know) >>> reset the following registry value : >>> >>> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction] >>> "Enable"="Y" >>> >>> ...and change it to : >>> >>> "Enable"="N" >>> >>> ...to disable automatic boot-disk background optimization by defrag.exe >>> >>> == >>> >>> Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-) >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> "Unknown" <unknown(a)unknown.kom> wrote in message >>> news:Oe6BrweyKHA.5948(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... >>>> "Background defrag has always been a feature" doesn't really make any >>>> sense since programs and/or files in use cannot be >>>> defragged. The real question is why is it defragging since OP didn't >>>> initiate it. >>>> Does this occur immediately at startup or randomly happening. . >>>> "Leonard Grey" <l.grey(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in message >>>> news:eax%23HCeyKHA.5292(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... >>>>> Background defragmentation has always been a feature of Windows XP. >>>>> The defrags occur when your PC is idle. Therefore, it's not the cause >>>>> for your computer becoming slow. >>>>> --- >>>>> Leonard Grey >>>>> Errare humanum est >>>>> >>>>> Bright Spark wrote: >>>>>> Been using this XP for the past several years, and suddenly in the >>>>>> past 2-3 weeks, it has started automatically defragging on its own. I >>>>>> will notice that response time is dragging, etc., and when I check the >>>>>> Task Master it shows dfrgntfs.exe running. I haven't told it to >>>>>> defrag and I haven't set any automatic times for it to do so. I >>>>>> have checked all the Task Schedulers and other places I can think of >>>>>> where I might have accidentally set something, but nothing shows any >>>>>> auto defrag set. I would appreciate any help anyone can give me. >>>>>> Many thanks. Bright Spark >>>>
From: Unknown on 23 Mar 2010 10:52
You are confusing boot optimization with defrag. May I suggest you Google 'defrag' and read whhat it is. "Tim Meddick" <timmeddick(a)gawab.com> wrote in message news:uHjSYChyKHA.244(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > And to answer that and your other question ... > > The AUTOMATIC BOOT-DISK OPTIMIZATION EXECUTED BY DEFRAG.EXE EVERY THREE > DAYS CALLING EITHER DFRGNTFS.EXE OR DFRGFAT.EXE CONTROLLED BY DFRGRES.DLL > AND UTLIIZING LAYOUT.INF, IS SET BY DEFAULT BY THE REGISTRY SETTING : > > [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction] > "Enable"="Y" > > PLEASE NOTICE THE "Enable"="Y" THAT IS "Y" FOR YES ENABLE > > THAT IS THE DEFAULT SETTING! > > == > > Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-) > > > P.S. I WILL admit that the URL that I quoted was a bit of a loss, I > thought it explained further. > > I have so far only got the odd references from here and there - nothing > that confirms and explains the whole thing. Nut be assured I am right > about XP automatically optimizing the boot disk using background disk > defragmentation and it being enabled by default AND not scheduled through > the Task Scheduler (although, Task Scheduler must be enabled for it to > work). > > > "Unknown" <unknown(a)unknown.kom> wrote in message > news:OQFQAhgyKHA.404(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... >> You are the idiot because you ASSUME defrag is executed. Where on the URL >> you posted does it say defrag >> is started by default? I have had XP since day one and never had defrag >> run without my starting it. >> Talk about making statements without knowledge-----read the info at the >> URL you posted. >> You being British, do you know what defrag is? >> "Tim Meddick" <timmeddick(a)gawab.com> wrote in message >> news:Oy5E1VgyKHA.928(a)TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... >>> You are an idiot. >>> >>> I will explain. >>> >>> You are an idiot ,because you make statements without knowledge.... >>> >>> http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,1149277,00.asp >>> >>> == >>> >>> Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-) >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> "Unknown" <unknown(a)unknown.kom> wrote in message >>> news:O6BkPHgyKHA.3884(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... >>>> It was very clear. He has never experienced the problem till recently. >>>> Win XP does NOT (by default) automatically defrag the boot disk. >>>> It must be a scheduled event. >>>> The OP did NOT initiate this event. >>>> You had best get your facts straight and read the other posts from the >>>> OP. >>>> Also please show where defrag is set by default. >>>> "Tim Meddick" <timmeddick(a)gawab.com> wrote in message >>>> news:O%23dqEcfyKHA.4752(a)TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >>>>> Was it not clear to you what Mr Leonard Grey wrote? >>>>> >>>>> "Background defragmentation has always been a feature of Windows XP" >>>>> >>>>> So then, why ask "question is why is it defragging since OP didn't >>>>> initiate it." ?? >>>>> >>>>> The plain fact is that Win XP will enable an internal setting (by >>>>> default) to AUTOMATICALLY (look it up!) defragment the boot disk when >>>>> the PC is idle... >>>>> >>>>> So the OP need do nothing to initiate this effect as it is already >>>>> enabled! >>>>> >>>>> Also, as Mr Grey points out, it occurs when the PC IS idle and desists >>>>> when the user intervenes (similar to the effect of a screensaver) and >>>>> thus, cannot be responsible for the slowing down of a PC! >>>>> >>>>> It is certainly NOT the effect of some malware, but a normal in-built >>>>> feature of WinXP! >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Finally, to disable this feature (why you would want to, I don't know) >>>>> reset the following registry value : >>>>> >>>>> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction] >>>>> "Enable"="Y" >>>>> >>>>> ...and change it to : >>>>> >>>>> "Enable"="N" >>>>> >>>>> ...to disable automatic boot-disk background optimization by >>>>> defrag.exe >>>>> >>>>> == >>>>> >>>>> Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-) >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> "Unknown" <unknown(a)unknown.kom> wrote in message >>>>> news:Oe6BrweyKHA.5948(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... >>>>>> "Background defrag has always been a feature" doesn't really make any >>>>>> sense since programs and/or files in use cannot be >>>>>> defragged. The real question is why is it defragging since OP didn't >>>>>> initiate it. >>>>>> Does this occur immediately at startup or randomly happening. . >>>>>> "Leonard Grey" <l.grey(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in message >>>>>> news:eax%23HCeyKHA.5292(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... >>>>>>> Background defragmentation has always been a feature of Windows XP. >>>>>>> The defrags occur when your PC is idle. Therefore, it's not the >>>>>>> cause for your computer becoming slow. >>>>>>> --- >>>>>>> Leonard Grey >>>>>>> Errare humanum est >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Bright Spark wrote: >>>>>>>> Been using this XP for the past several years, and suddenly in the >>>>>>>> past 2-3 weeks, it has started automatically defragging on its own. >>>>>>>> I >>>>>>>> will notice that response time is dragging, etc., and when I check >>>>>>>> the >>>>>>>> Task Master it shows dfrgntfs.exe running. I haven't told it to >>>>>>>> defrag and I haven't set any automatic times for it to do so. I >>>>>>>> have checked all the Task Schedulers and other places I can think >>>>>>>> of >>>>>>>> where I might have accidentally set something, but nothing shows >>>>>>>> any >>>>>>>> auto defrag set. I would appreciate any help anyone can give me. >>>>>>>> Many thanks. Bright Spark >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >> >> > |