Unmovable files and SmartDefrag 2.x

[RHMA]

I've been using Smart Defrag for a couple years now and I've been very happy. Unfortunately, I've been much less impressed with the latest versions starting with 2.0. This version seems to mark significant portions of the hard disk as unmovable. By significant I mean in the range of 20%-30% of the total storage space. These unmovable blocks are sometimes scattered throughout the drive, making defragmentation of free space difficult to accomplish.

 

In an effort to find a solution to the issue myself, I've installed smart defrag on several pcs to test results. In every case, there are excessive unmovable blocks marked. I've tried the suggested solutions/troubleshooting steps, including disabling system restore, running a boot time defrag, and even using PerfectDisk to try to identify the files in question. In the case of the last example, PerfectDisk doesn't agree that those files are unmovable. It does mark part of the drive as "ignored" but it is a much smaller portion of the drive. I have to say that it's unfortunate that these forums are suggesting other defragmenters as a tool to diagnose problems with smartdefrag, because now I might just stick with PerfectDisk since it does more and seems to work as I expect it to. I would suggest you add features to your product to make identifying these unmovable blocks feasible without using a competing product.

 

I would take the time to take screenshots and fill out detailed bug reports, except I had no trouble whatsoever reproducing the problem on every single computer I installed Smart Defrag on. Each system I tested on was more or less individual, and by that I mean they weren't clones of an image or anything. Some had different antivirus than others, and one was a fresh reformat of a newly installed drive that was loaded with XP and a few other programs.

 

I like that smart defrag is free, easy to use, and more configurable than the XP defragmenter, however a defragmenter that can't defrag large portions of a drive isn't of any use to me. I hope that future releases address this problem so I can start using it again, but for now I'm switching to PerfectDisk.

[Toppack]

I have version-2.0.1 on 4 computers and the Only unmovable data I'm seeing are Known Hidden-System-files, Backups, Compressed-files or Encripted-files.

So, I'm guessing that those you are seeing fit into one of those catagories.

I'm not sure how defective or damaged areas of a drive are marked but they may be considered unmovable also?

[enoskype]

Hi RHMA, welcome to IObit Forum! :-D

 

This is a help forum and we don't see any problem suggesting other programs if they help for the diagnosis of a problem the users are experiencing.

 

PerfectDisk has never been a competitor of IObit, as Smart Defrag is a free program and, it is one of the best of free defragmenters.

 

It is the first time that Smart Defrag started to recognise the system files and also defragmentation of certain system files and exclusion of chosen files are possible.

 

I am sure Smart Defrag will be a better defragmenter than today in the upcoming versions.

 

I am glad that our suggestion helped you to find a way for your defragmentation concerns.

 

Cheers.

[Toppack]

Wow, there's not many willing to Vote in this Poll, are there :?:

What does that tell us :?::?::?:

[Toppack]

Another thing that may be causing unmovable data are Malware 'Bots.

Which use your computer for storage and transfer of data, such as other malware.

This problem has increased resently, infecting more computers that do not have sufficient security protection.

[andygmorris]

Yes, I'm getting the same problem...

Have a look at the screenshot I've attached.

 

If anyone knows how I can 'identify' which files are unmovable, please let me know...and I'll find a way to deal with them manually.

 

Otherwise, this defragger's coming off my machine and something else will replace it.

 

I know that some other defraggers allow you to click the blocks you see on the screen and they list all the files that are in that block... but I can't even see how to do that. If I'm being totally blind, please tell me.

 

I have to say, since the last time I used iobit's smart defrag, it's a big UI improvement as well as better configuration options. So a big thumbs up to that.

 

To be honest, I wouldn't run Windows if I didn't have to, NTFS really sucks.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if we could have Windows 7 running on a linux file system (ext4) ;-) .... failing that, I find myself longing to 'go Mac' [it'll come, when there's more $$$ to spare, nuff said on that!]

[enoskype]

Hi andygmorris, welcome to IObit fırum! :grin:

 

Please read Smart Defrag 2 dramatically reduces free space after Full Optimize and Defrag thread and all the linked information in the posts there.

 

Cheers.

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[Tryst]

Try opening command prompt and type these two lines in DOS, pressing return after each one:

 

CD\

attrib -h -r *.* /D

 

Warning: May take some time to complete depending on how much data you have.

 

The first command takes you back to the root directory of the drive, the second removes all hidden and read-only attributes from EVERY file on the hard disk including all sub-folders. Any remaining unmoveable blocks will be system files.

 

If any program falis to run after this process, I would get rid of it. There is always something suspicious about a program that requires hidden or read-only attributes on files in order to run.

[Toppack]

Most unmovable blocks are System-files, Compressed-files or Encripted-files, which are not effected by the 'Attrib' command.

There is no need to run 'attrib' archive attribute command with Vista and Windows-7 OSs.

[PeterH]

Go to general settings.

 

Select "Skip files greater than...."

 

Use the slider beneath it to increase the number to 10Gb.

 

Most of my large number of unmoveable files dissapeared after doing this.

 

By default SD will skip files greater than 2GB. Increasing it to 10Gb fixed this issue for me.

[kinseyfs]

Turns out the last post help out. Despite the option to skip larger files not being checked, it was still active. I check the box and moved it up to 10g and all my non-system unmovable files showed as movable.

[cloud_firaga]

unmoveable files

 

thank you PeterH

 

I had that problem as well and just by doing that fix you suggested it let me move all the files on my HDD

 

I think that the IObit guys should add this little bit of information to the FAQs on their product page I mean the fact that SD automatically skips files bigger than 2 gigs whether or not you have the option checked to skip larger files was completely hidden until I read this

 

also a suggestion that they have a option to defrag regardless of file size most other things just add it to the end of the slider so like it would go up to the 10GB option and then the next bit on the slider would say "ALL FILES" or something akin to that

 

But yes thank you very much PeterH just that little bit of information helped me very very much

[Toppack]

I think that the IObit guys should add this little bit of information to the FAQs on their product page I mean the fact that SD automatically skips files bigger than 2 gigs whether or not you have the option checked to skip larger files was completely hidden until I read this

 

 

I think they assume that most users will look-at, understand and verify the Settings

before running any program that makes Changes to their computer ?

But I'm starting to think that Most users do Not do that! :cry:

[solbjerg]

Hi Toppack

Actually I think we may be a little biazed on that question :-)

There are millions of users and we only see a small fraction here in the forum and then mostly those that encounter "problems" - this easily leads to what I think is a false conclusion -

The actual situation may be the exact opposite - namely that most people actually do check their settings and do take care.

Only we do not hear from them very often.

Cheers

solbjerg

p.s. Most often many unmoveable blocks is there because of many functions running at the same time on the users computer or sometimes because there is too little free space or too little contiguous free space.

 

 

 

I think they assume that most users will look-at, understand and verify the Settings

before running any program that makes Changes to their computer ?

But I'm starting to think that Most users do Not do that! :cry: