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    Will Smart Defrag run when your laptop is off?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Infinius, Jun 21, 2011.

  1. Infinius

    Infinius Notebook Guru

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    Title says it all.
     
    Infinius, Jun 21, 2011
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  2. atbnet

    atbnet Notebook Prophet

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    No it will not. You can opt for boot time defragging for system files.
     
    atbnet, Jun 21, 2011
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  3. Infinius

    Infinius Notebook Guru

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    That's unfortunate. I was always under the impression that the defragger that came with Windows did that.
     
    Infinius, Jun 22, 2011
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  4. dannyp32

    dannyp32 Notebook Enthusiast

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    When the computer is powered down, none of the software is running.
     
    dannyp32, Jun 26, 2011
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  5. Infinius

    Infinius Notebook Guru

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    If I put the computer to sleep, would the software still run?
     
    Infinius, Jun 28, 2011
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  6. R3d

    R3d Notebook Virtuoso

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    No. It will not run in hibernate either.
     
    R3d, Jun 29, 2011
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  7. Infinius

    Infinius Notebook Guru

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    So basically I'd have to leave my computer on to do a scheduled defrag? Is there anyway I could make that process more energy efficient?
     
    Infinius, Jun 29, 2011
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  8. ViciousXUSMC

    ViciousXUSMC Master Viking NBR Reviewer

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    It will run in the background when your using the computer, thats why its smart :D

    So just use the computer is all you have to do.

    Unless you only on for very short periods of time so that it never gets a chance to run you should be fine. If that is the case once in a blue moon just manually run a defragmenting program.

    You should not have to worry about much fragmentation unless your doing a lot of adding/deleting of files on a regular basis.
     
    ViciousXUSMC, Jun 29, 2011
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  9. Infinius

    Infinius Notebook Guru

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    I always thought that you shouldn't be doing anything while a computer was defraging.
     
    Infinius, Jun 29, 2011
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  10. JOSEA

    JOSEA NONE

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    Me too, that is why the Viking is a legend here!


    Defragment Windows 7 - How to defragment a Windows 7 computer
    If you already know this info glance at page 5 in the above link, PDF (pretty darn funny)
     
    JOSEA, Jul 1, 2011
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  11. anseio

    anseio All ways are my ways.

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    Those were the days of XP's defragmenter. Windows 7 defrag and the various "smart" defrag programs now run in the background and do more than just defrag. SmartDefrag will also move files to different parts on the platter depending on their usage.
     
    anseio, Jul 3, 2011
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  12. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    You can set your PC to turn on for scheduled events if in sleep mode, so if you set your computer to sleep at night, it can wake to defrag.

    But really, you shouldn't need to do anything. Defragmentation takes place when Windows sees fit, and it's not really a problem.
     
    HTWingNut, Jul 3, 2011
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  13. KLF

    KLF NBR Super Modernator Super Moderator

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    That works on a desktop but a laptop may well overheat if it's closed in a bag and then it turns on and starts to defrag itself.
     
    KLF, Jul 3, 2011
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  14. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    Good point. Possible damage too if it's bouncing around. I guess I usually turn my laptop off when I'm traveling with it, or manually hibernate so it will never happen.
     
    HTWingNut, Jul 3, 2011
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  15. Feral1

    Feral1 Notebook Consultant

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    The simple solution is to upgrade to a SSD and never defrag again. It is all done in the background.
     
    Feral1, Jul 4, 2011
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  16. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

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    You wanna be a tad more specific about that?
     
    newsposter, Jul 4, 2011
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  17. KLF

    KLF NBR Super Modernator Super Moderator

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    Specific: Disk Defragmentation ? Background and Engineering the Windows 7 Improvements - Engineering Windows 7 - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

    Little less specific:
    How Windows 7 handles disk defragmenting

     
    KLF, Jul 5, 2011
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  18. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

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    noooo, specific about how an SSD does it in the background......
     
    newsposter, Jul 5, 2011
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  19. davidfor

    davidfor Notebook Consultant

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    The scheduler has an option to not run the task if the laptop is running on battery. It can also stop the task if the AC is unplugged.
     
    davidfor, Jul 5, 2011
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  20. anseio

    anseio All ways are my ways.

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    SSD's do not need defragmentation. What they do in the background is TRIM and Garbage Collection.
     
    anseio, Jul 5, 2011
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  21. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

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    Which is a point that needs to be made over and over again.

    A lot of people think that trim/garbage collection on SSDs are the same thing as defragmentation.

    Not. Seriously Not.
     
    newsposter, Jul 5, 2011
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  22. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    On SOME machines it is possible for a scheduled task, like a defrag, to cause the machine to come out of hibernation. These machines have a BIOS/Real Time Clock option that Task Scheduler can utilize for this purpose.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Jul 6, 2011
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  23. raxco

    raxco Newbie

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    No defrag will run when your laptop is off but some do offer boot-time defrag, to defrag files that would otherwise never be defragged, reducing your start up time by 30%.

    You also have defrag utilities that prevent file fragmentation AND use an intelligent filing strategy to reduce the time spent on subsequent defrags, also reducing energy consumption.

    To respond to your question about SSDs, you cannot "defrag" an SSD but you can optimize SSD performance by consolidating free space on an SSD.

    Our PerfectDisk defrag product does all of the above.

    -Lauren

    @RaxcoSoftware
     
    raxco, Jul 12, 2011
    #23