Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did?

Author
The Maillard Reaction
Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 31918
  • Joined: 2004/07/09 20:02:20
  • Status: offline
2013/11/01 09:42:03 (permalink)

Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did?

I'm getting confused. I have a new Win7 laptop and I want to shrink the C: drive so I can add a D: partition and I have an immovable file out at 500GB which makes my 1TB drive seem sort of useless. I wanted to end up with a 200GB C: and a 800GB D: but it looks like I'll end up with 2 500GB partitions and a lot of wasted space on C:
 
I went to look at the defrag tool and see that the graphics that show the file blocking are gone. Did Win7 ever have a tool like XP does?
 
Stuff changes so much I always seem to feel like a beginner. :-(
 
 
Thanks.
 
best regards,
mike
 


#1

14 Replies Related Threads

    ohgrant
    Max Output Level: -35.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 3966
    • Joined: 2007/03/27 22:53:01
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/01 13:16:00 (permalink)
     Just upgraded to Win 7 64 bit here, but I don't think so. By blocks, you sure you're not thinking of Win 95/98? 
     500 GB unmovable file is pretty huge, not sure win 7 has the option, only defragged a few times, but XP had the option to save a text file that would tell you what files couldn't defrag and give you the size and location. If you are more comfortable working with XP tools, you may be able to find a copy of Bart PE live disk. Boot from the disk and it will give you a virtual XP. I think the Acronis demo might have all you need to get it sorted.
    Planning a duel boot?  

    Me
     
    #2
    The Maillard Reaction
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 31918
    • Joined: 2004/07/09 20:02:20
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/01 14:11:37 (permalink)
    It's not 500GB it is just out their at that halfway point.

    I found a recommendations to try mini tool bootable cd partition manager.

    From my android...
    post edited by mike_mccue - 2013/11/01 15:01:32


    #3
    gswitz
    Max Output Level: -18.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 5694
    • Joined: 2007/06/16 07:17:14
    • Location: Richmond Virginia USA
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/01 23:27:14 (permalink)
    I don't really know, but I wanted to help, so I googled...
    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/gg309169.aspx
     
    Is this helpful?
     
     

    StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen.
    I make some videos. This one shows how to do a physical loopback on the RME UCX to get many more equalizer nodes.
    #4
    The Maillard Reaction
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 31918
    • Joined: 2004/07/09 20:02:20
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/02 06:08:52 (permalink)
    Thanks Geoff, 

    That's the tool I was using to shrink the volume but there is a immovable file that prevents me from shrinking smaller than 500GB.  

    The immovable file is likely placed there by the "hibernation" application. 

     If I had the old style defrag tool it would appear as a "red" block. It wouldn't tell me much more but I'd have some sort of representation, then I could turn off functions or try safe mode to see if the immovable file disappeared or actually moved. 

    Mini Tool partition manager says it addresses the issue so I guess I'll try that. 

    best regards,
    mike
    post edited by mike_mccue - 2013/11/02 09:25:04


    #5
    Leadfoot
    Max Output Level: -47 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2817
    • Joined: 2011/04/26 11:08:38
    • Location: Indiana
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/02 07:49:11 (permalink)
    Mike, I miss the block representation too. Windows 7, to my knowledge, has never had it.
    #6
    The Maillard Reaction
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 31918
    • Joined: 2004/07/09 20:02:20
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/02 11:39:19 (permalink)
    Thanks.

    I guess I was thinking about WinXP.

    I am realizing this my first time using Win7 defrag.


    #7
    John6528
    Max Output Level: -82 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 409
    • Joined: 2008/01/19 10:45:28
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/02 23:47:10 (permalink)
    Get defraggler (free) which will show the blocks.  Probably one big file though. Get to c drive check the size column and you will see the big files on the root drive. Probably hyberfil or pagefil. You can delete the hyberfil and/or make the pagefil a lot smaller. If that doesn't find it get to the root c drive and do a win7 search for "gigantic" files over the entire disk. You will end up with only 20 or so files and probably easily locate the 500g one. 
    John

    Sonar 8.5 64, Win 7 64
    Asrock X58 Extreme3, I7-950, 12G ram
    OCZ Vertx3 120, Vertex2 90, WDM 1T
    Focusrite Saffire
    Yamaha P-70 Keyboard
    M-Audio Midisport Uno
    Miroslav Philharmonik , Nanosynth
    #8
    spacealf
    Max Output Level: -54 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2133
    • Joined: 2010/11/18 17:44:34
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/03 18:09:29 (permalink)
    The unmoveable file may be the Virtual File Management System. If you get up Control Panel ->Device Manager ->Performance Information and Tools -> Advanced Tools -> Adjust the Appearance and Performance of Windows ->Advanced Tab (in that window) , you can set Virtual Memory to zero (not recommended by the OS) and have no virtual memory in your computer while you defrag the harddisk and try to shrink down the volume in Windows.  If you have 6Gb of memory in your computer, Virtual Memory should be around 9Gb using that amount of diskspace or 1.5 times the amount of memory in the computer after doing all of any of the stuff mentioned up above. Of course if you are shrinking your drive, that may also stop you from shrinking it down,  but then perhaps it still may not let you shrink down to the amount you want. But after all of that you should reset the Virtual Memory close to 1.5 times the amount of memory you have in your computer. On my computer my C:\ partition (I have several in the 1Tb harddrive) is set to 280mB of the total 1Tb hardrive. In Windows 7, Defrag does not show any blocks or anything just percent needed to be defragmented on the  drive after doing the Analyse button. (no colored blocks or anything, afterall harddisk drives are way bigger now and those graphics would take more time and memory and make defragging even slower.
     
    Virtual Memory is shown as pagefile.sys in the root directory of Explorer (c:\drive partition) and perhaps hiberfil.sys also. (pagefile.sys for sure). After setting Virtual Memory to zero memory there should be no pagefile.sys file in your C:\ root directory (after restarting your computer to set it). After setting Virtual Memory again afterwards there should be a pagefile.sys again after all the changing.
     
    Hope that makes sense I am pretty sure it happens that way.
     
    post edited by spacealf - 2013/11/03 18:13:44

     
     
    #9
    The Maillard Reaction
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 31918
    • Joined: 2004/07/09 20:02:20
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/03 18:46:03 (permalink)
    Thanks. That all makes sense.
     
    Right now I just have the OEM OS on the drive so there is only about 40GB out of 1TB that has been used.
     
    I figure it is one of those .sys files just sitting empty waiting for something to happen.
     
    My current hope is to use some other system, ideally on a bootable CD to shrink the volume while the .sys files aren't active.
     
    best regards,
    mike


    #10
    gswitz
    Max Output Level: -18.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 5694
    • Joined: 2007/06/16 07:17:14
    • Location: Richmond Virginia USA
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/04 08:04:47 (permalink)

    StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen.
    I make some videos. This one shows how to do a physical loopback on the RME UCX to get many more equalizer nodes.
    #11
    spacealf
    Max Output Level: -54 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2133
    • Joined: 2010/11/18 17:44:34
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/04 14:28:54 (permalink)
    I guess the Virtual Memory minimum size file is 16mB in Windows 7, or else that is what my Windows 7 computer states in Virtual Memory Manager. (?? use to be able to turn it completely off before).
     
    Any Windows 7 programs you think you need but may not be installed (or shown or can be used actually) is in Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features off or on. Games I do not have installed (although they are there to put on if I want to) and whatever features I got with the particular Windows OS given by the manufacturer of the computer.
     
    Oh, well, that is computers nowadays. All there for whatever version of Windows OS you have (Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate) and any of that, all there already on the harddisk and I think a copy also if something goes wrong.
     
    No more installing from any DVD or CD for the OS anymore.
     
    But they do pay (the manufacturer) for the licenses for multiple models of their OEM computers, because Microsoft is going to make money despite what anyone thinks. It could be the same license number but the number of copies to use just the one license is always worked out by the manufacturer of the computer and Microsoft  - I guess so the computer can be cheaper in price. Whatever????
     
    Of course I have Click-to-Run Microsoft Office Software on a Partition on my drive I can not even access. I guess if you want that version of Microsoft Office you click and download the program from Microsoft (for a price). That takes up 14Gb of my harddisk space whether I wanted it there or not. Another manufacturer included (but nothing in the end) piece of software. I like to get rid of it, although I think I can use a demo type version of something there perhaps. That part is on its own partition not accessible by me at all at any time. So if you have anything like that on your computer that may be another large file that you can not actually get rid of - or at least right now.
     
    Downloaded that Mini Tool partition program, I doubt if I have to use it, but just to look at it. I use to have Partition Magic 7 on my old computer, but that was the old program and now it looks as if the Symetec (spelling) program has been taken over by Norton's stuff or version of that program. That use to work fine even in XP on my old computer not really made for it though. Not many people use any partition program anymore, and  think Windows 7 can do that as long as you make logical partitions before installing anything, because otherwise it will be wiped off of the drive when making partitions and formatting the partition.
     
    Windows 7 also has a backup and restore program included to use for making backups of whatever is on the harddrive also (as long as there is enough room or a second harddrive to do that on).
     
     
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I don't have Maids unless you count "Made in China"! The pain of it all!
     

     
     
    post edited by spacealf - 2013/11/04 14:47:38

     
     
    #12
    The Maillard Reaction
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 31918
    • Joined: 2004/07/09 20:02:20
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/04 15:55:12 (permalink)
    I ended up using MINI Tool Partition Wizard on a boot CD to get to where I wanted.
     
    I was able to shrink the C:\ volume to the size I hoped.
     
    Thanks!
     
    best regards,
    mike


    #13
    gswitz
    Max Output Level: -18.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 5694
    • Joined: 2007/06/16 07:17:14
    • Location: Richmond Virginia USA
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/05 10:38:07 (permalink)
    Awesome, Mike!
     
    I thought about it, and I probably would have solved it by popping the hard drive out and defragging it from another computer.
     
    Too late to help tho. ;-)

    StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen.
    I make some videos. This one shows how to do a physical loopback on the RME UCX to get many more equalizer nodes.
    #14
    Old55
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 19791
    • Joined: 2008/09/19 20:10:05
    • Location: Californiashire
    • Status: offline
    Re: Did win7 ever have a defrag tool that showed the file block as WinXP did? 2013/11/08 18:51:05 (permalink)
    I haven't try this with Win7, yet--can you set the defrag utility to run at boot-up.  That usually takes care of that sort of thing before the programs get a chance to run.  It takes a long time to boot, though. 

    Should auld acquaintance be forgot--hey, who the hell are you guys?  
     
    X2(X3 pending hardware upgrade), Emulator X2, E-mu 1212M, Virtual String Machine
    #15
    Jump to:
    © 2024 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1