Vista's defrag UI, don't trust the implication it makes

[mikeymikec]

On a new Vista install (not my machine, started with Vista SP1 from disc, standalone-installed SP2 then installed the rest of the updates via Windows Update), I set the defrag to daily temporarily to try and trigger the defrag overnight so it would be done when I came to the computer in the morning.

The defrag UI says that a defrag was done this morning at 7:50 AM. I thought this was odd considering I was using the computer at the time, so I checked via command line.

11% fragmented and "you should defrag this volume".

So, Vista, when you said you did a defrag this morning you actually meant that you did an analysis and tried to pass it off as the job done successfully.

Grr.

And no, before anyone thinks along the lines that I believe a volume should be 0% fragmented at all times, I don't believe that. On my own setup I've always left Win7 to auto-defrag on default settings and it has worked fine (I have just done an analysis on mine for possibly the first time, C drive is 0% and D drive is 1%).

 

[lxskllr]

It might have still been defragging. If you use the computer during a scheduled defrag, it reduces the priority of the task, and does it during breaks.

 

[mikeymikec]

I can't verify that because there aren't any entries in the app log for defrag, which is odd (though I don't know whether I would expect Vista to do it or not, but considering there is a defrag category for the app log on Vista, I guess I would expect it 🙂).

 

[daveybrat]

Or, you could just skip using the crappy defrag built-in to all Windows operating systems and use a great third-party app like this one:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Auslogics_Disk_Defrag_d5266.html


I've been using Auslogics Disk Defrag for several years now and it's head and shoulders better than the built-in Windows defrag on XP, Vista, and 7. It's much faster and extremely reliable.

 

[Nothinman]

On a new Vista install (not my machine, started with Vista SP1 from disc, standalone-installed SP2 then installed the rest of the updates via Windows Update), I set the defrag to daily temporarily to try and trigger the defrag overnight so it would be done when I came to the computer in the morning.

The defrag UI says that a defrag was done this morning at 7:50 AM. I thought this was odd considering I was using the computer at the time, so I checked via command line.

11% fragmented and "you should defrag this volume".

So, Vista, when you said you did a defrag this morning you actually meant that you did an analysis and tried to pass it off as the job done successfully.

Grr.

And no, before anyone thinks along the lines that I believe a volume should be 0% fragmented at all times, I don't believe that. On my own setup I've always left Win7 to auto-defrag on default settings and it has worked fine (I have just done an analysis on mine for possibly the first time, C drive is 0% and D drive is 1%).

Or you can just ignore it completely and use your PC for something useful. Defragging has been overrated for years and only really affects the most severe of corner cases.

 

[blankslate]

I use Auslogics Disk Defrag's defrag folder option to defrag the games on my computer. Then I maybe defrag the entire HD about once (or maybe twice) a month.

 

[nerp]

People still worry about defrag? It's like putting a spoiler on a Honda Civic. Does nothing.

 

[imagoon]

The part the tends to confuse people about the Windows defrag is that it doesn't defrag file chunks larger than 64MB which makes sense since at that point the losses are minimal.

 

[blankslate]

The part the tends to confuse people about the Windows defrag is that it doesn't defrag file chunks larger than 64MB which makes sense since at that point the losses are minimal.

In Auslogics Defrag you can set the progam to ignore file pieces that are larger than 50 mb.

IMO a reasonable setting given the 64mb limit in the windows defragmenter.