Cannot Defrag my computer

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It’s been some time since I’ve defrag’d my computer as I don’t use it very much. When I try to defrag it, I get the message “Disk Defragmenter was scheduled using another program. When I click on the button that is labeled Remove Custimized Settings, it does NOT correct the problem… I have no idea what the progam is or how to find it…I have tired to go into the System folder and also Right clicking on the Computer C drive and neither one works……any help is appreciated, thanks, John

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Having Norton Security installed which can also take over the disk defrag, I occasionally have to remove those settings – but the button does work for me.

Do you have any AV programs or tune up programs installed that would also take over the defrag ?

Unfortunately, defrag doesn’t work in Safe Mode where you can isolate such programs, so a clean boot or disabling such programs would be your only alternative if that was the case.

In services.msc (go Start – type that and press enter) you will see a service for Disk Defrag which is set to manual.

I don’t know what the outcome of right clicking on it to select Properties then use the dropdown to change that to Auto (Delayed) would be, but you can also use services.msc to disable your AV or tune up program if applicable.

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Thank you…..I have since typed in Task Scheduler in the window next to the Start button. When it came up there was a window overlaying it that said a program’s image had been modified or corrupted. When I clicked OK then another message came up, etc. there was about 15 or so messages that said the same thing. I am wondering if when I upgraded to Win 10, then didn’t like it and rolled back to Win 7 if that is what caused the problem….Each time I have run my Trend Micro Platium A/V it has given me a clean bill of health….John

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I finally gave up and did a Factory Reinstall on the computer…..Johb

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It’s possible that the revert to Win 7 could have corrupted your user profile.

Creating another admin account may have confirmed that.

The factory reset was probably the easiest way to resolve, other than having to reinstall your programs then the Windows Updates.

Don’t forget the likes of Adobe products and Java if you have that installed which will need to be updated.

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…. When I try to defrag it, I get the message “Disk Defragmenter was scheduled using another program. …

That means at some point you installed a 3rd party defragger that subsumed Windows Defrag app or really was nothing more than a menu shell that then used Windows Defrag app.

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Do you remember any software installed which was used to defrag your computer? Disable the security software and then test.

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It doesn’t matter he clean installed the drive.

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For future reference, I find that Safe Mode is a good place to defrag from. Perhaps that would have done it for you.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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For future reference, I find that Safe Mode is a good place to defrag from. Perhaps that would have done it for you.

Which version of Win 7 are you using as clicking on defrag in Safe Mode on this laptop does absolutely nothing.

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Which version of Win 7 are you using as clicking on defrag in Safe Mode on this laptop does absolutely nothing.

Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit.

Here’s what I do:
* Reboot into Safe Mode.
* In File Explorer, I right-click on C: and choose Properties / Tools / Defragment now. I select the C: drive and click Defragment Disk.

A friend of mine used to do defrag from regular mode. He would go into Task Manager and kill as much as he could, and then run Defrag. Killing as much as possible before running Defrag would greatly speed up the defrag.

But come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I defragged a drive. It’s possible that it was not Windows 7.

Will Defrag run if you do it from Regular mode, first killing a bunch of stuff in Task Manager?

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Don’t know – never tried it.

I tend to just run as is and it takes as long as it needs, but I don’t normally defrag unless it’s over 2% – but I’ll give it a go in Safe Mode next time as you’ve described as I can navigate to that in normal mode.

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