Comments on: Defragment Your System Files (Pagefile and Registry) in Windows XP

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:41:07 +0000

It doesn’t move my system files. They are still spread out in the middle of nowhere.

By: Larry Miller

Larry Miller — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:51:01 +0000

PageDefrag is essentially a solution looking for a problem. Except in extreme cases pagefile fragmentation will have virtually no impact on performance. If you do use this tool it need be used only once. The pagefile does not become fragmented with use, even if it is system managed. Anyone who claims otherwise is misinformed. After the pagefile is defragged it will stay that way, even after months of heavy use. Running this tool on every boot is silly and will accomplish nothing except lengthen boot times.

To see if you need this tool:
Look at the report in the standard defrag program. Divide size of the pagefile by the number of pagefile fragments (usually 1). If the result is over 1MB (highly likely) you do not need PageDefrag.

Larry Miller
Microsoft MCSA

By: Biep

Biep — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:01:28 +0000

I need something related, but not quite this.
My C: drive is littered with small (unfragmented) system files that make it impossible for any defragmenter to free a large continuous space. How do I move all these small files to a corner?

By: CSB

CSB — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:40:45 +0000

it does not work on the custom managed page file on vista.

By: Olly

Olly — Wed, 13 May 2009 00:38:42 +0000

On the command line, first I use:

rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks

Then:

defrag c: -b

NOTE: ProcessIdleTasks is case sensitive! No space between advapi32.dll and the comma and the ProcessIdleTasks. The first command line ensures all your files in the prefetch folder are updated (the prefetch folder only works when taskmgr.exe is running – check your processes), and the last uses the files layout.ini and ntosboot files in prefetch to defrag your boot files.

By: ana

ana — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:25:36 +0000

i know i’m a bit (to much) off topic, but i’m wondering how did you managed to take a chkdsk screenshot? google gave me no answer. help?
as about the application, now at least i know that i have no reason to worry about my system files, since they’re looking quite like yours…

By: deedhoet

deedhoet — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:53:41 +0000

i tried to imitate linux, making dedicated partition for paging file, fixed size paging file & moving temporary folder to that partition => reducing system file fragmentation. I wonder how to move registry file…

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:01:15 +0000

I used to use this all the time on older machines that I had. it worked great. most of the time when it ran, it just took a few seconds. I haven’t yet tried it in vista.

By: ankit agarwal

ankit agarwal — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:04:42 +0000

when i try to defragment my c drive in which windows xp is installed ,it shows an error of missing file “some ‘.dll’ file” to check the disk and defragment the drive .please reply me as soon as possible .

By: mgo

mgo — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:25:38 +0000

Another helpful defrag item: From the command line (in either XP or Vista) run “defrag c: -b” This is a undocumented but legit command to defragment the prefetch folder in XP or the Superfetch folder in Vista. First time you run it, it may take several minutes. After that, it’s pretty quick.