Disk Defragmenter May Seem to Stop Responding

• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95
• Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release 1

SYMPTOMS

When you run Disk Defragmenter, the progress gauge may not move for a long time, even though it seems that the hard disk is being accessed. In some cases, Disk Defragmenter may seem to stop responding (hang). This problem frequently occurs when Disk Defragmenter is between 5 and 10 percent finished.

CAUSE

This problem can occur when Disk Defragmenter encounters an area on the hard disk that takes a long time to defragment, but for which Disk Defragmenter did not reserve space on the progress gauge. This problem typically occurs when Disk Defragmenter underestimates the amount of time it will take to defragment a particular area of the drive.

In particular, because removing deleted folder entries can take a long time, emptying the Temporary Internet Files folder or deleting a large number of files from another folder on your hard disk can cause this problem to occur. When the problem occurs for this reason, it occurs when Disk Defragmenter is between 5 and 10 percent finished because this is when Disk Defragmenter removes deleted folder entries.

The Norton Desktop for Windows Smartcan tool creates an empty folder whose format can also cause this problem to occur. Disk Defragmenter reserves no progress gauge space for this folder, but often takes up to 30 minutes to process the folder, making sure that the folder is actually empty and marking the corresponding clusters so that they can be used.

RESOLUTION

Allow Disk Defragmenter to continue as long as the hard disk light indicates that the drive is being accessed. Do not use the Close Program dialog box to quit Disk Defragmenter. The process gauge will start moving again and Disk Defragmenter will start responding again when Disk Defragmenter finishes processing the area on the hard disk that is taking a long time to defragment.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows 95, Windows 95 OEM Service Release 1, and Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95. This problem does not occur with Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2.