BleepingComputer.com: Defragmenting/Disk Check freezes computer

I'm running service pack three with 25% of my hard drive free.

When I run the built in defragmenter or Defraggler my computer freezes up after about five minutes, leaving only my cursor to move around and I have to hard restart.

When I run disk check and only tick "automatically fix file system errors" and restart, it performs the operation without a problem. But if I tick "scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors" it freezes at the beginning of stage 4.

I was also having trouble running any other scanning programs such as antivirus, system file checker, disk check, and the defragmenter. I found two corrupt files in the dllcache which froze my computer if I so much as right clicked on them. I assumed this was the problem causing the freezes whenever any of the previous programs tried to access those files. I finally replaced them with system file checker, and I can now click on and virus-scan those files. However the problem with defragmenting and the disk check persists. W

This post has been edited by elise025: 23 April 2011 - 01:36 AM

It is important that you or whoever take care that there is enough free space on hard disk.
Also is it important that you clear the temp folder and temp Internet folder from time to time.
When the drive is full or the cache from the hd is full than get you this sort things.
You told that you have 25 percent free, well 25 percent is not so much for Windows Xp.
My advice in this: Delete files what you don't use anymore and clean the Windows Temp folder and Internet temp folder, you will see that your problem is solved.
When you have done, than have you also more cache memory.
When you use your Computer than is it not only the Ram what Windows uses, but also the hard disk cache.
The files what the processor can not place in the Ram, set the processor first in the processor, what the processor can not store in his l2 cache, set it in the cache on the hard disk.
It is also smart that you maintenance you hard disk from time to time.

I agree with RadioNorthSea on the basics stated in the reply - Delete, or store on CD or Flash drives, any unneeded programs for now -

You do not say if you have run any Antivirus or Antimalware programs on a regular basis -
Free versions of Malwarebytes and SUPERAntiSpyware should be run on a regular basis along with your Active Antivirus
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam-download.php
http://www.superantispyware.com/downloadfile.html?productid=SUPERANTISPYWAREFREE
Download links are provided above - Ask if you want links to Free Antivirus programs -

->> I'm running service pack three with 25% of my hard drive free. <<-
You also did not add the total of RAM you have installed -

Thanks for the replies.

I always clear my temp file before defragmenting

Also I have Avast and I consistently run both malwarebytes and Superantispyware

I will try moving more files off of my computer, but are you sure 25 percent isn't enough? From looking around in other forums it sounded like 15% was the minimum. I'll also try defragmenting in safe mode to see if that helps.

25% free space on the Windows partition...is fine.

I think I would run the appropriate hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic on that hard drive/partition...inability to scan for and recover from bad sectors is a bad sign, IMO.

Free Hard Drive Testing Tools - Hard Drive Diagnostics - http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/tophddiag.htm

Louis

This post has been edited by hamluis: 23 April 2011 - 04:14 PM

I used Defraggler to defragment a handful of files at a time instead of running a full defrag. eventually I reached a file that caused the crash. I deleted the corrupt files form one of my old games and then I was able to run a full defrag from start to finish and run check disk.

I think microsoft defragmenter probably crashed my computer when I ran it the first time because I hadn't run a defrag in so long. Maybe this is what corrupted the game data files and the other files I found in the dllcache earlier.

Thanks for all your help. Even though I was able to finish the disk check I will probably go download one of those hardrive diagnostics anyway.

How do I close this topic or do the mods take care of it?

Topics as a general guideline do not get closed. This is so that in the event the issue recurs members can continue. Also so that you may add additional findings at a later date. If you peruse the forums you will see very few closed topics. The exception to the guideline is malware topics that include logs.