Configure Disk Defragmenter Schedule in Windows 7 or Vista
Windows 7 or Vista automatically configures Disk Defrag to schedule defragment to run once a week, usually at 1am on Wednesday. I don’t know about you, but I’m usually awake at 1am on wednesday, and I’d rather schedule it for a different time.
To open up the defragment utility, just type defrag into the Start menu search box, and hit enter. Vista users will have to click through a UAC prompt, but you should see this screen:
Windows 7 users will see a very similar dialog, and will need to click the Configure Schedule button:
From this screen, you can disable automatic defrag by unchecking the box. You can also modify the schedule by clicking the Modify schedule button (no surprise there)
Much better.. Not like I’m ever awake at 8am.
If you are on Vista and using at least Service Pack 1, you can also select which volumes will be automatically defragmented during this scheduled defrag. (Windows 7 users can select the volumes from the start screen).
I only have one drive in this computer, but you would see the list of all the drives here.
You might as well power down your computer when you sleep ? (Unless you’re downloading or something)… What’s the use of a computer that powered on when you don’t even need it…
does it still defragment your pc if you’ve shut it down?
No, if you have the computer off it will not defragment.
Ok here is the situation. In my program logic & design class my home work asn 9 was to perform disk defragmentation on my disk drive. Explain the steps to perform the process. Note thefile system an operating system of my computer. provide and account status of my drive after the process. Then click view report button, press save as. open the file I save and copy and past its contents into my report document that I will be turning in. PROBLEM, VISTA never gave me that option it just stopped when the defragmentation process was over it went back to the box above. So now what do I do to get the results that I need???? HELP!!!!!!!!!
Can I schedule my computer to do disk defrag when my computer has been shut down. For example what if I wanted to schedule disk defrag for 12:00 am every Sunday. I know I’m not up at that time and my computer has been shut down
I run defrag on a schedule on my laptop. The computer is on, but in the “Switch User” status, and the cover is closed. The defrag has been running at 1 AM on Wednesday each week in this mode. If the computer is completly shut down, it will not run.
OK .. defrag is now dumbed down .. no estimate of time, no progress to date.
Q. how can I chosse what drive to defrag ?
Q. How can I tell if it’s defragging all drives and not just sys drive
It doesn’t work this way any more. With the install of SP1, it’ll still try to do an analysis on a USB disk, even if this box is unchecked.
Nice, Microsoft. Happy to have that lovely addition– NOT!!
I finally made the leap to Vista and I must say the disk defragmenter application is really dumb down; just as others stated! In the past I’ve used disk keeper, which was okay until I found Perfect Disk. If those of you that want a better application I would suggest Perfect Disk. Do what I do and download the trial and run it for 30 days and then uninstall it.
Hi,
You had given in your blog that using defrag will give you the dialog to start defragmentation. But its not the right command to use in run command. dfrgui is the command to get the GUI interface to start defragmentation in windows vista
@rajasekhar
Typing in defrag will still find it, with the Vista start menu search.
I accidently deleted windows version of Disk Defragmenter.
Can you give me the site or the link where I can download disk defragmenter back on my computer?
If you want the XP style of disk defrag then right click on your ‘My Computer’ icon and select Manage. In the lower section of the left menu you will see Disk Defragment. There you have options to analyze and defrag.
I didn’t even realize my disk was automatically. Its nice that it does though.
I just heard from a friend about this defrag thing I am not so familiar since I have just learned few things about defraging. Is it possible to open and use my pc while in the process of defragging????
@joy
Yes, but the computer will be slower while the defrag is going.
I have a problem, I was running the disk clean up and then started to click on disk defrag but when i try to open it, it wont, I cant get it started. I dont know if its missing something thats stopping it from opening.. a black screen (as dos) pops up but disappears so fast I’m not able to see what it says. Any ideas? I would really be greatful for the help..
I have a 160 GB and I tired defrag. in Vista. I let it run for a day and it is still running. I can’t see the progress. I don’t know where it is at and why is it taking so long? Help!
Vista defrag is useless .. I let mine run for 2 days .. it still did not complete … I downloaded AusLogics Disk defrag … it’s free, fast & gives a good progress report … all the things the VISTA one does not do.
Rick, thank you very much for the info.
I used “Auslogics Disk Defrag” and it’s so simple and I used “CC Cleaner” to get rid of Junk file. Somple to use and it’s fast.
Go to download.com to get it. Free!
Is there any way to set windows vista to automatically shutdown after it has finished defragging?
Eddie Monge said:
“If you want the XP style of disk defrag then right click on your ‘My Computer’ icon and select Manage. In the lower section of the left menu you will see Disk Defragment. There you have options to analyze and defrag.”
No you can’t and no it isn’t. You’re getting mistaken with Disk Management….where you can format, partition or change drive paths and letters, but Disk Defragmenter is not there.
sorry, i am a IT MORON. just bought a WINDOWS VISTA PC. i am trying to do defrag. i see that there are 2 DRIVES – C DRIVE & D DRIVE.
it says the D DRIVE stores the RECOVERY PROGRAM and when i click to open the programme , there is a warning message to say i should not tamper with this folder.
since i should not tamper it, should i still defrag D DRIVE ?
and can i schedule my defrag when PC is off, not possible right? sorry this qn sounds very idiotic but i know almost nothing about computers.
when i go into my defrag and set a time for it automatically defrag and then close the window and then go back into it, it always says that the next scheduled run is “never”, why? the run on schedule box is checked but it always says the next scheduled run is never. does anybody know why it is like this?
I have a serious situation! I put all of my icons in my start menu, so you could see the pic of my kitty. And all of the sudden, I can’t find “disk defragmenter”,”trash bin”or”Rollercoaster Tycoon”!!!! I need help!
I hate the Vista defrag, can’t see anything, and with a 500 disc it has never come back with a message saying complete when on at night, maybe it goes to sleep too when the screen goes black. Any good software out there from freeware that works, lets you see what is going on, estimation of tiem to complete?
tHANKS
I have Vista but it won’t defrag automatically. I set the schedule but it never runs. It will allow me to defrag manually.
I have Vista but can’t get defrag scheduler to work. I can set the schedule and Nextg Scheduled run will indicate the day and time that I entered. However, if I close the Disk Defragmenter and re-open it, the Next Scheduled run is “NEVER”. Also, sometimes when I run the defrag manually, it runs, runs and runs some more…doesn’t stop. I have to manually cancel it.
i have vista but i can’t see a defrag window when i type defrag and hit enter. a window just get flashed and it closes then. i have no idea if the disk is getting defragged. how can i actually see it like in good old XP.
If defragging will not take place when your PC is off, why would Microsoft, by default, schedule defrag to take place at 1:00 AM?
I’m not asking a rhetorical question. I genuinely would like to know.
Thanks in advanced.™
Hi!
About getting status on Vista…..
There is a log of the scheduled tasks that shows how long the defragment runs.
To get there – at least on Vista-Home (other versoins may be different….):
right click on My Computer
select ‘manage’.
In the left pane expand the ‘System Tools’ item
(If there is a ‘+’ mark next to System Tools, click on it and it should show ‘-’
And ‘+ Task Scheduler should then show up)
In the left pane, select (left-click) on ‘Task Scheduler’.
Then, the middle part of the right pane should show the Task Status.
(You may ave to click on the task status bar to expand it.)
It should then show the columns:
– Task Name
– Run Result
– Run Start [time]
– Run End [time]
On my PC, it showed:
“ScheduledDefrag (last run succeeded at 5/20/2010 9:52:32AM
I have it set to run daily and it took about an hour for a 500GB disk.
Have a great day..
========= A response to MrBean ==============
I looked around about scheduling defrag on Vista and found this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942092
It says:
Scheduled defragmentation
You can now use Task Scheduler to schedule defragmentation.
Therefore, you do not have to manually start defragmentation.
By default, a task is created and is set to run at
1 A.M. on every Wednesday.
If the computer is turned off or if the task does not
run at the scheduled time, the task will run
the next time that the computer is idle.
==================
I set my defrag to run every day at 10:00AM.
I run BOINC and it was set to run 100% of the time – leaving no time for the defrag to run…..
So I set up BOINC to be idle for an hour and a half at the time the defrag starts.
This seems to work.
My first computer would actually show the defrag operating, going thru and filling in all the little boxes. It seems Microsoft got worse over the years, not better. Vista stinks! I shut down my computer every night, so it shouldn’t show the last defrag was on the Wednesday it is scheduled, but show it wasn’t completed. I have it running now, and all I see is that little circle going round and round which tells me NOTHING. TIme for a new computer, an Apple.
Does anyone know if dust inside the computer will make it to freeze? Takes 2-3 times of forcibly starting the computer and then it works awhile, after an hour or so, it freezes again, unexpectedly. But there is a noise coming from the cpu as well. Then I disconnect again, and again, and again . . . Tired of Vista. Let’s begin a revolution all the Vistas’ people, we want our money back !!
)
Olga, theoretically, dust could cause your computer to freeze, but its unlikely. If your problem is hardware, a bad fan could possibly be causing the CPU to overheat, and the computer freezes in response. Most likely, you have a software conflict, or some type of maleware that is causing your issue.
Solution? Windows7. It really is a ton better than vista. It is more reliable than XP and has more features and an easier interface. I really recommend it.
RE: Defrag. By setting your computer to wake on a scheduled event (in power plan advanced options), And modifying the already present defrag task in task schedular to wake the computer on start, you can get the computer to wake from sleep mode and defrag.
I went to use my defrag on my Windows XP Professional and it came up with the following:
Microsoft Management Console
Not Registered
I just used it yesterday because I defrag every day
i want 2 learn more about disk defragementation