XP defrag freezes computer?

[ginfest]

Hi,
I have just run into a strange problem. Once a week I go into Computer Management and anaylyze/defrag my drives. I have 2 Seagate SATA in a WinXP/SP2 machine using C2D/Asus P5B . Drives are running off the Intel SATA ICH8R with AHCI drivers installed. The machine has been running for months with no problems and indeed still does. But evey time I try and either analyze or defrag either physical drive it hard locks.
I'm using the "built-in" defrag-whether it's the "best" choice is debateable but it has worked perfectly for me, again since the latest install which has been months.
I checked the obvious, ran the Seagate Seatools drive utilities and even HD tach. There are no SMART warnings. All show normal operation. The machine doesn't exhibit any other signs of trouble, all voltages and temps are normal.
Also Event log doesn't show any problems either before or after the lock-ups.
Anything that I've missed?
TIA

 

[Bozo Galora]

stop all processes except kernal related or run in safe mode

 

[ginfest]

Ok, no go in safe mode
Just reran Seatoools, all tests show normal. I also have DTools running, both drives temps and SMART attributes show no problems either!
More clues-when I did boot Safe mode I actually got the first drive to Analyse without hanging and started defrag only to get a freeze at 5%-and by freeze it's a complete lockup-so I would immediately suspect physical problem with the drive but as a I said above there are no problems that are evident and it's both drives. Seems unlikely both would "die" at the same time?
Another strange-while I was originally replying to this I opened Computer Management and highlighted the "Disk Defragmenter" in the LHS pane but didn't select a drive-well as I was typing it the machine froze solid again!
Yet I can run any of my programs/games/whatever, the machine goes all day with no problems!
Makes no sense unless it's just that module in XP but how would it suddenly get corrupted and how to fix w/o a complete reinstall?

 

[loup garou]

What does a chkdsk report?

 

[ginfest]

I ran a complete CHKDSK, all 5 phases show no problems, no file system errors, no bad sectors.
Correction to my 2nd post above, I'm running the utility "DTemp" not "DTools"
I am really stumped with this one, I can get this machine to crash no matter what I do, except accessing the defragger!
NB; have also ran SFC it does find altered system files but as expected since there have been many updates since Win XP/SP2 was released.
The only known changes in this machine "before and after" were the MS downloads on the last "patch Tuesday" -it may be one of those but I haven't seen any other reports of those updates "breaking" defrag. In fact I can't really find any similar problems seaching the web except some which date back to the Win 98 OS and then again again even those reports are dissimilar.

 

[Bozo Galora]

The first thing to do is do a system restore to before the MS update

Then (I am assuming defrag worked while AHCI was installed)
a. turn off smart in bios if on, and HDD index service in admin/local services
b. You may actually have a virus of some sort - like a rootkit
run kaspersky or NOD 32, the two best - both avail on trial I believe, you cant be sure unless you run one of these
c. You could try an XP repair install, you will lose settings but no data or apps
d. You could run O&O defrag - if that doesnt work, you know somethings wrong
http://www.oo-software.com/en/download/
e. Many things take up hidden space - like 10% recycler default, restore 10%, pagefile etc. - you may have run out of room, and not know it.

 

[ginfest]

ty for the tips
I'll work my way thru your list and see what I can come up with.