Disk defragmenter?

Question

Is it normal to have to run it nine hundred and fifty seven million times to achieve the desired result?

Answer 1

Not really... but what exactly is the desired result? One defragmentation should be sufficient.

Answer 2

No, it's not normal. But if you think the desired result is perfectly contiguous use of space, I don't think it won't happen, even if you do it for million times. Reason? As long as the windows run, there many files that created, deleted, moved, everywhere through the hard drive. And some critical system files can't be moved while the windows is running.
Be careful with your hard drive though, defragmentation really torture your hard drive because it must continuously moving file all over for that period, you can notice it by the blinking HDD activity LED. If you have open case computer, touch the drive and you'll feel that it become very hot after a long defragmentation process.

Answer 3

A lot depends on the Defrag software you are using. If you use the standard defrag package built into windows, then yes, you will have to run it several times to get the best out of it (having also shut everything down as suggested by others). Alternatively you could try on the the other commercial defrag packages such as Diskeeper or PerfectDisk. I use these a lot and they work perfectly all the time, plus they recommend how you can change other settings on your disk to improve performance. Give them a go!

Answer 4

Well windows disk defragmenter is a pain in the b**t and I wouldn't use it
There are several free defrag tools you can try:
http://www.auslogics.com/disk-defrag/index.php
http://www.iobit.com/SmartDefrag/index.html
http://www.vcsoftwares.com/SpeeDefrag.html

But if you're going to pay for anything then pay for a good defrag utility - download and try either O&O Defrag Pro or PerfectDisk for 30 days and check the before and after views with windows defrag analyzer. Watch those red bands disappear...
http://www.download.com/O-O-Defrag-Professional-Edition/3000-2094_4-10633963.html?tag=lst-0-2
http://www.download.com/PerfectDisk/3000-2094_4-10636371.html?tag=lst-0-1

Answer 5

A few less than that will do the trick!
Normally, once suffices, though if you haven't done it for some time (or ever) it will take seemingly forever. You might even want to leave it running overnight. Once it's been done, it will be much quicker.

And turn off anything that runs automatically, like screensaver, or it will keep restarting.

Answer 6

disk defragmeting is not required more than once aty one particular time however if you did defrag your drive everyday once for 1 year that would be 365 times you defraged it but each day your computer will e running better so technically the more you defrag the more you meet your inner desires.

Answer 7

No one time should be good but do a disk cleanup and do a full system scan with your spyware program before running the defragmentor. I highly recommend Spybot S&D

Answer 8

To perform a full defrag, you need to make sure you have switched off any screensavers and any programmes that running.

Answer 9

No, if you do you must have nothing else better to do!!!! Try using the Norton Defrag programme you only need to do it once a month (if that)

Answer 10

It sounds as if you are trying to get to the point where all files are contiguous. As long as all the parts of each file are contiguous, the file won't load any quicker.