Paging ScuderiaConchiglia : Your defrag boot files question!

hi there can I use your file for windows xp or is it just for vista.

thanks

 

I suggest you private message him or post on his defrag thread.

As far as i know it works for Vista.

 

flipfire,

Actually it did start off as a PM, but I specifically requested that we move it to a public message. I did want to answer the question so others could participate in the answer and I didn't want to "pollute" the Vista defrag thread.

 

Ok, so that sets the original background discussion. For the image of the C: drive there are lots of options. Some folks use Acronis. I use an old copy of Ghost 2003 I think. If you google for freeware, open source, disk imaging software you can find others. Or search here there are lots of threads on the subject.

One note: Personally when imaging the C: drive I do not trust the imaging apps that purport to run while Windows is running. The inter-relationship among possibly open files while the image is underway scares the livin' bejeezus out of me. So I ALWAYS use one that can boot from some external media, CD, DVD, Thumb Drive etc.

It is important to image before a defrag, even if you have never had a defrag blow up. It only takes one time...

Gary

 

I think I once tried your defrag boot files bat file on XP on my old Medion.
It does run, I'm not sure if the window closes by itself though...
I also don't know whether it had an effect, but I believe it did show HDD activity.

 

I just ran across this list.

http://www.winvistaclub.com/d75.html

Gary

 

thanks Scuderia. So I can run the image software from my usb drive no problem.

also like I said in the PM. I'm currently running the Jk defrag software and I know it does the optimization to bring all the files at the beggining of the drive. I imagine it does the same with the boot files?

Is it really necessary to use your defrag files in this case. On my vista laptop I do use it no problem , but on my desktop I have Xp professional.

 

The specialized Defrag executed by the batch file is also done by SOME defrag apps but not all of them. It is an additional step over and above a regular defrag, in that it moves the boot files all into a common spot and in sequence in which they are used in the process of booting the machine.

Gary

 

cool. thanks alot for the useful info Gary. I will download the image software and do that since I never done it. at least if something messes up I won't have to redo everything on my C: drive.

my next question: if something does happen (big if) to my c:drive, how do I procede with the image to restore the previous state?

should I keep the image in my usb drive or on my other partitions?

Isn't what system restore there for when that happens? I can create a restore point before the defrag and it will be the same thing no?

thanks Gary

 

1. It varies by imaging app, but basically you boot the machine from a cd, dvd, floppy, usb etc. From that same media you run the image app and tell it to restore from the previously made image.

2. I do both. I have the most recent image on a third partition on my hard drive. (part1=system and programs, part2=ALL data, part3=recent ghost.)

Bear in mind this third partition should be FAT32 not NTFS. When booting the machine to run the image app, most times you are booting into a DOS variant. Most of which can't see an NTFS partition. This may mean that the image app can't find the images if they were stored on an NTFS partition. (That does NOT mean that the image app can't image from or restore to an NTFS partition, only that it may have trouble STORING images or READING images there.) Again, this warning varies by image apps, some have this trouble others don't.

But back to your point, I have the most recent on the third partition to allow me to restore an image at the drop of a hat. If I am away on business, no problem, I have an image I can revert too if needed. I also have that image tucked away on DVD. That allows me a restore should the hard drive itself fail.

3. Nope, Vistas system restore will not protect you in this situation. If something goes wrong, loss of power, system crash etc. while you are doing a defrag, it can hose the system to the point of not being able to boot. Requiring a restore of the partition image. A defrag mucks about at a very low level of the hard drive. Much lower than any OS repair is likely to recover from.

Gary

 

thank you very much for all this info Gary. Appreciate your time and made things much clearer.

It surely opened my eyes.

cheers

Steve