How to Troubleshoot Defrag
Whenever your computer runs a program, deletes a program, or downloads a program, pieces of it get left over and become fragmented on your hard drive. The defrag system on your computer takes these pieces and puts them together into one. Defrag is part of your computer maintenance options, and it's something you can use occasionally to help your computer run more smoothly.
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Instructions
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Computer or Defrag is Running Slowly
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Shut down any other programs that are running while you attempt to defrag your computer. Other programs will slow down the system and you will not be able to defrag correctly. Programs will slow down the defrag, and the defrag will slow down programs, so it's best to only do one thing at a time.
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Right click on any program that will not shut down, or that continues to run, and click "Exit" on that program. If asked, click "Close anyway" or "Force exit" even if Windows says the program is not responding.
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Right click on the desktop and click "Properties." Click "Personalize," "Screen saver." Click the drop down menu under "Screen saver" and click "None" to shut down the screen saver. If the screen saver comes on during the defrag, it will slow down your computer.
Defrag Freezes
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Use your cursor or mouse and see if you can get it to move. If you can't, it means that your entire computer has frozen, and the only option you have is to do a hard shut down (by pressing the power button) and restarting your computer as well as your defrag program.
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Click "Pause" on your defrag program if you are able to. When the system has paused, click "Start" to continue the defrag process. Pausing and starting it again may solve your problems.
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Restart your computer if you cannot get your defrag program to pause or restart, and if the system does not move or show movement within a period of a couple of minutes. You will have to restart the defrag program, but it may begin wherever it left off.
Defrag Won't Run
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Right click on the defrag link if the program will not run on your computer and click "Properties." Make sure the defrag link goes to the actual defrag program and is not just empty. Click "Start," "Control Panel," and "System and Maintenance," "Defrag your hard drive" (under "Administrative Tools") to make sure you are using the correct link.
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Restart your computer before attempting to try defrag again. If your computer has frozen or is not currently working, you will not be able to start the defrag program.
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Shut down any other programs you currently have running. Defrag programs will not work correctly if there are other programs that are running on your computer.
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References
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