Defragment Hard disk still going

Wow it's been like one day now (24 hours) since I started defragging my hd. Is this normal? I just bought this X305 installed everything and set it up since 3 weeks ago and this is my first defragmentation. On my previous laptop the x205 it would finish when I went to sleep at night and got up in the morn so anywhere from one to 8 hours. I really want to bring my notebook out with me to a coffee shop but don't want to shut down while it's still defragging. If I hibernate or cancel will the defrag pick up where it left off or would it start from the beginning, and is this normal behavior for a defragmentation?

 

What are you using to defrag the drive? Are you using the default Windows application or a 3rd party app? Do you have any processes running in the background that might slow down or cause the defrag to restart?

It is not normal to have a defrag run that long. I would stop it, turn off all unnecessary processes, and then restart. If you are using the Windows application (by the way - Vista, XP, or Linux??), you might try using something like AusLogics Disk Defrag or another freeware utility.

 

I have had defrags take 2-3 days. I agree with kegoberr. I would add on that you may want to use safe mode or a diagnostic boot up into the full os. Defraggler as well as Auslogics are great programs.

 

oh thanks for the reply. I'm using the default Vista defrag and since yesterday I only had nvidia system monitor and mcafee scan running, but since today it was still going I was surfing the web and playing Call of Duty 4 multiplayer and watching youtube vids and still letting it run even while I type this. I also noticed that my free harddisk space is getting smaller by the gigabyte. So after I post this I'm going to try and run it again. Will this damage my system in anyway?

 

No,

When you defrag, there should be minimal to no programs running. Some files wont be defragged if its being used.

How big is your HD anyway?

 

Defrag often so you dont need this much time to defrag and you can get back to your computer quick. I use JKDefrag, great tool.

 

ok I'm scared now to cancel out now. The hd is 200 gb.

Imma close my browser and just let it run a bit more, go out and hopefully by the time I get back home it'll be finished, if not then I'll cancel, download a freeware disk defragmentor and run it from there.

That's plan A, unless it doesn't sound like a good plan, someone post plan B. and I'll read this post again when I get back.

Like I mentioned I notice that my disk free space is at 48.1 gb as opposed to when I started it, it was at 68 or 69 gb, and it's still dropping as the defrag continues. This worries me or is this normal?

Thanks, be back in a few hours.

 

Plan B would be to stop everything right now, download an above freeware option and load in safe/diagnostic load (your choice) and restart. Prop up the laptop so it doesn't get too hot and turn off the screen, let it run overnight and be defragged in the morning

 

Ah. Ah.

Seems like defrag cycles >3 hours is normal? Overnight? Ah. Ah.

I am using Perfect Disk 2008, doesn't take about an hour or two at most to defrag my 320GB drive (~100gb used). Windows Defrag is on crack. Cancel the current cycle before your hard drive has a heart attack- seriously. Get yourself another program and after your HD cools down and rests, give it a go. Then promise your hard drive that you will never run Windows defrag so it doesn't stay pissed at you.

 

You don't do *anything* while your system defragments. You shut off your virus scan, disconnect from the net, and let defragment run overnight (2-3 hours or so is normal). It's like filling your tire with air while it has a leak.

 

psh, you have it easy. My virus scanner takes over two days to scan everything I have stored on my computers.

 

You can cancel the defrag. It'll just pick up where it left off next time.

And Vista's built-in defrag is made so that you can use the machine while it's defragging. It's fine. A few files may not be defragged if they're in use though... which could be what's happening in your case, I don't know.

Vista is by default set up to defrag once a week automatically. So I just let it do its thing and don't even think about it.

If you want to see how fragmented the drive is, run a command prompt as admin and enter this command: "defrag c: -a -v"

You can also use "defrag /?" to see the available options to the command-line defrag program.

 

Okay I just got home the defragment notification box is still going, a **** video playing, smoke coming out of the air vent in the back and a green face on the monitor. I hear voices and screams but I don't think it's coming from the notebook. Plan C?


PSYCHE! It's done defragmenting. thanks for the replies though gonna download some of the mentioned freeware defragmentation programs and try it on my next run. By the way the defrag gave me a lot more free harddisk space from 68 to 90. Thanks again ppl.

 

It's perfectly safe to cancel Windows defrag at any time. No harm will be done.

BTW, runnning a virus scan concurrently will slow down the defrag because the latter runs at a lower priority by default. Run the scan after the defrag; the scan will also finish faster, benefitting from the defragmented drive.

Best regards
------------------------------------
Representative
Diskeeper Corporation
--------------------------------------

 

thanks for the tips. the users on this forum are really informative and knowledgable. I'll do that next time.

 

my defrag with windows defrag took like half an hour on a 200GB hdd, and i haven't done a defrag in 2 years maybe

 

I wouldn't personally use the defragging program that comes with windows; it's not great but I suppose it's come along way since those horrendous ones 95/98 used to have. Like others have mentioned you don't really want to be using the computer while it's defragging or have too many processes running (preferably none except what's essential).

Another thing that might help would be changing the thread priority of your defragging program to 'high priority'. You can do this with Windows Task Manager (ctrl-alt-del) by right-clicking on the process and going to 'Select priority) don't go for Real time though.

 

I have mine set to run at night so I really don't interfere with the defragging. The more you run it the less time it takes. Diskeeper is a good solution too.