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    Why can't some files be defragmented?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Freelancer332, Jun 11, 2008.

  1. Freelancer332

    Freelancer332 Notebook Evangelist

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    I have about 30gb of stuff that apparently can't be defragmented.
    When I use Auslogics disk defrag, it just skips them and in the end I get a 4.47% fragmented result.
    When I use Piriform Defraggler, it just plainly states that the defrag has failed.

    I've noticed that these files that can't be defragmented are Huge (ranging from 2gb to 9gb) system volume information files.

    What are these system volume info files?
     
    Freelancer332, Jun 11, 2008
    #1
  2. orev

    orev Notebook Virtuoso

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    They are part of the Previous Versions feature as well as System Restore. They are only used for backup purposes so don't worry about defragging them. They cannot be defragged because they are protected by the system, and some may be in use.
     
    orev, Jun 11, 2008
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  3. Softix

    Softix Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thats right. Its possible that they lie on a bad sector of the disk ..they do for me!
     
    Softix, Jun 11, 2008
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  4. MaXimus

    MaXimus Notebook Deity

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    Same thing with the pagefile.sys file which cannot be defragmented
     
    MaXimus, Jun 11, 2008
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  5. shave100

    shave100 Notebook Geek

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    some disk defrags dont defrag larger fragments because there is minimal performance reduction.... so ive heard
     
    shave100, Jun 12, 2008
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  6. KimoT

    KimoT Are we not men?

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    Many system files are locked by Windows. They can be defragmented at boot time (before Windows loads and locks them) with some utilities. I know Diskkeeper does this. You can check out the programs listed in the Windows software stickies to see if any of the free versions can do this.

    Some of these files are pretty static, and you will not get much boost from moving them. However, if your pagefile is fragmented (not the stuff in it, but the actual pagefile is split into multiple parts), you will get a boost from defragging.
     
    KimoT, Jun 12, 2008
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  7. atbnet

    atbnet Notebook Prophet

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    If you use a defragment tool such as PerfectDisk is will defrag files offline before the OS boots up. That is the only way to defragment them.
     
    atbnet, Jun 12, 2008
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