SOS: Win7 Disk Defragmenter Ignores Schedule

[George Tyndall]

I've clicked Configure Schedule to activate recurrent automatic defragmentation, however, the instruction is ignored.

Any suggestions?

[Bob]

That's odd. So, the Disk Defragmenter says scheduled defragmentation is turned off and you can't turn it on with the Configure Schedule button, right?

You can try the Task Scheduler to look at the actual defrag task and see if that gives you a clue. Click on the Start button and type task scheduler in the search box and press enter. That should bring up the Task Scheduler. In the left panel expand the Task Scheduler Library, Microsoft, and Windows folders. That should expose a list of task folders and "Defrag" should be near the top. Click on that to display the ScheduledDefrag task in the middle panel. You'll probably need to maximize the program window. The display should display the status of the task and tell you when it is next scheduled and when it last ran. Are there any problems noted? Is it disabled? In the Actions panel on the right side, there is a Selected Item category. If it is not expanded, expand it and look at the list of acions under it. If "Enable" is present, click that to enable the action. "Enable" is present only if the task is disabled. If it is enabled, "Disable" will show instead.

Good luck.

[George Tyndall]

That's odd. So, the Disk Defragmenter says scheduled defragmentation is turned off and you can't turn it on with the Configure Schedule button, right?

Bob, the scheduler says it is ready to start but it does not actually do so--or, if it does start, it will merely tell me what % of a drive is defragmented but not then proceed to defragment it.

You can try the Task Scheduler to look at the actual defrag task and see if that gives you a clue. Click on the Start button and type task scheduler in the search box and press enter. That should bring up the Task Scheduler. In the left panel expand the Task Scheduler Library, Microsoft, and Windows folders. That should expose a list of task folders and "Defrag" should be near the top.

It's #8 from the top.


Click on that to display the ScheduledDefrag task in the middle panel. You'll probably need to maximize the program window. The display should display the status of the task and tell you when it is next scheduled and when it last ran. Are there any problems noted? Is it disabled? In the Actions panel on the right side, there is a Selected Item category. If it is not expanded, expand it and look at the list of acions under it. If "Enable" is present, click that to enable the action. "Enable" is present only if the task is disabled. If it is enabled, "Disable" will show instead.

Disable is what is showing

Good luck.

Thank you

[Bob]

What values of fragmentation is it reporting? It could be that the defragger runs but doesn't need to defragment. The Windows 7 defragger does not try to eliminate all fragmentation. Here's a MS article about the design goals and operation of the Windows 7 defragger: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/e7/archive/2009/01/25/disk-defragmentation-background-and-engineering-the-windows-7-improvements.aspx

[George Tyndall]

What values of fragmentation is it reporting? It could be that the defragger runs but doesn't need to defragment. The Windows 7 defragger does not try to eliminate all fragmentation.

DD reported automatically (at 1am as configured) that Drive C was only 6% defragmented, so I was not surprised that no defragmentation was performed (the documentation says defrag needed only when greater thsan 10%).

But it also reported that Drive Q, my primary external drive for data, was 21% defragmented and did nothing about it.

And, it ignored Drives H, S and T, which is where I keep the mirror images and their backups of my C Drive, stating merely "never run."

Here's a MS article about the design goals and operation of the Windows 7 defragger: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/e7/archive/2009/01/25/disk-defragmentation-background-and-engineering-the-windows-7-improvements.aspx

Very informative.

Here's a snip of the dialog (Drives S and T can't be seen). None of those defrags on Aug 1 was done automatically, despite leaving the machine on all night. The only activity that occurred automatically at 1am as configured was the analysis of the C drive.

No analysis was performed on 8/2 because I shut the machine down before 1am.

Disk Defrag.JPG

[Bob]

I'm wondering if all the volumes are selected for defrag. Check the configuration by launching the defragger and click the configure schedule button. When the modify schedule window comes up, click the select disks button. Normally, you would have all the check boxes checked including the "select all disks" check box and the "automatically defragment new disks" check box. Is that the case?

If so, you may want to check the drive that didn't defrag for errors. If the disk is marked as having an error, the defragger will skip it. The defragger will also skip the volume if the volume is locked by something.

[George Tyndall]

I'm wondering if all the volumes are selected for defrag. Check the configuration by launching the defragger and click the configure schedule button. When the modify schedule window comes up, click the select disks button. Normally, you would have all the check boxes checked including the "select all disks" check box and the "automatically defragment new disks" check box. Is that the case?

All are checked, but "automatically defragment new disks" is NOT checked. I'll check that box, leave the machine again tonight, see what happens, and report back in the morning.

P.S. If that works, as I suspect it will, I will be ecstatic but that brings up a question: Is running the program on a daily basis overkill? If yes, what time interval would you suggest?

[George Tyndall]

P.S. If that works, as I suspect it will, I will be ecstatic but that brings up a question: Is running the program on a daily basis overkill? If yes, what time interval would you suggest?

That worked!



I'll await your reply re how often to run the program.

[Bob]

That worked!

Great!

I'll await your reply re how often to run the program.

It's not critical. It certainly won't hurt to run it on a daily basis, but you could probably get along with a less frequent schedule. I use a weekly schedule and that works out well for my configuration and useage. I could probably defrag even less frequently, but I prefer to not go longer than a week -- that's just my OCD comfort level at work. Your usage (and OCD) may vary. If you want to try a longer interval, check the fragmentation levels for a while to ensure they are being adequately handled. Once you're comfortable with the interval, relax and forget about it.

[George Tyndall]

If you want to try a longer interval, check the fragmentation levels for a while to ensure they are being adequately handled. Once you're comfortable with the interval, relax and forget about it.

The documentation states no need to defrag unless 10 percent of more fragmented.

Do you agree with that?

[George Tyndall]

I use a weekly schedule and that works out well for my configuration and useage.

I configured for every Sunday at 2am, and what I just noted is that the disks were analyzed but none was defragmented.

Is that because none is 10% or more defragmented?

[Bob]

Probably.