Vista - Disk Defragmenter from Command Prompt

**Brink**

How to Run Disk Defragmenter from the Command Prompt in Vista

Information

This will show you how to run Vista Disk Defragmenter from the command prompt instead of the program within Vista to use more options and details.

RELATED LINKS:

Here's How:

NOTE

Wait until your hard drive stops running before closing the command prompt to allow the defragmentation to finish. It may take a while to finish depending on how large and fragmented your hard drive is.

1. Open a elevated command prompt.

2. Choose the option you want to do below.

3. For a Complete List of Commands -
A) In the elevated command prompt, type defrag.exe -? and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

4. To Defragment a Drive or Volume -

A) In the elevated command prompt, type a option in bold below you want to do. (See screenshot below)
defrag.exe c: for the C: drive
NOTE: You can use whatever drive letter to defrag it.

defrag.exe -c for all drives or volumes.

B) Press Enter.

5. To Perform an Analysis Only and Not Defragment -
A) In the elevated command prompt, type the option in bold below. (See screenshot below)

defrag.exe c: -a for an analysis on the C: drive
NOTE: You can use whatever drive letter to defrag it.

B) Press Enter.

6. To Perform a Partial Defragmentation Only -
A) In the elevated command prompt, type a option in bold below you want to do. (See screenshot below)

defrag.exe c: -r for the C: drive.
NOTE: You can use whatever drive letter to defrag it.

defrag.exe -c -r for all drives or volumes.

B) Press Enter.

7. To Perform a Full Defragmentation -
A) In the elevated command prompt, type a option in bold below you want to do. (See screenshot below)

defrag.exe c: -w for the C: drive.
NOTE: You can use whatever drive letter to defrag it.

defrag.exe -c -w for all drives and volumes.

B) Press Enter.

8. To Force a Defragmentation on a Drive With Low Space -
A) In the elevated command prompt, type a option in bold below you want to do. (See above sections)

defrag.exe c: -f for the C: drive.

defrag.exe c: -w -f for the C: drive with full defragmentation.

defrag.exe c: -r -f for the C: drive with partial defragmentation.

defrag.exe -c -f for all drives and volumes.

defrag.exe -c -w -f for all drives with full defragmentation.

defrag.exe -c- r -f for all drives with partial defragmentation.

B) Press Enter.

9. For Verbose or Detailed Mode -
A) In the elevated command prompt, type a option in bold below you want to do. (See screenshot below)

defrag.exe c: -f -v for the C: drive.

defrag.exe c: -a -v for the C: drive with analysis.

defrag.exe c: -w -f -v for the C: drive with full defragmentation.

defrag.exe c: -r -f -v for the C: drive with partial defragmentation.

defrag.exe -c -f -v for all drives and volumes.

defrag.exe -c -w -f -v for all drives with full defragmentation.

defrag.exe -c- r -f -v for all drives with partial defragmentation.

B) Press Enter.

That's it,
Shawn

**MilesAhead** · 02-04-2009

Brink, just a note... it seems like the -b switch to defrag boot files still works, even though when you do "defrag /?" it doesn't show up in the param list. I just defragged with -b switch.

**Brink** · 02-04-2009

Strange MilesAhed, I cannot get defrag.exe -b to work in a elevated command prompt, but can with this tutorial's shortcut.

Defragment Boot Files - Create Shortcut

**MilesAhead** · 02-04-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Brink

Strange MilesAhed, I cannot get defrag.exe -b to work in a elevated command prompt, but can with this tutorial's shortcut.

Defragment Boot Files - Create Shortcut

Hmmmm, do Path and see if C:\Windows\system32 is in your path

I have Auslogics defrag but their command line version is cdefrag.exe. I don't see another defrag.exe on my machine. Plus doing defrag /? brings up the help info so it must be going to the windows defrag.exe

That's weird.

**Brink** · 02-04-2009

Tru Dat.

**soldier000** · 07-04-2009

is there a command thats possbile to disable everything related to defrag so it doesnt run auto like when i turn on my computer the defragger always says "Analyzing disk" and it lags up my hole computer and i turned off te schedual thing already

**Brink** · 07-04-2009

Hi Bobo,

Is this happening during boot, or when Vista starts up?

Since you already turned off the Disk Defragmenter schedule, you might check to see if it is listed as a startup program.

If this is happening during boot up, then see if letting it finish will stop it from running at the next boot up.

Hope this helps for now,
Shawn

davidjames29365 · 09-27-2009

how would i know when its done defragmenting doing this through the comand prompt?

**Brink** · 09-27-2009

Hello David,

When it's done, you will see the C:\Windows\System32> command prompt at the bottom. It depends on how large your hard drive is and how defragmented it is for how long it may take to run though. I would plan for it to run for around a hour to be safe though.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

davidjames29365 · 09-28-2009

thanx brink. ive been tryin to defrag my computer through windows but it never finishes.

02-04-2009
MilesAhead Vista Home Premium 64 bit SP1 698 posts	Re: How To Make Vista more responsive and faster Brink, just a note... it seems like the -b switch to defrag boot files still works, even though when you do "defrag /?" it doesn't show up in the param list. I just defragged with -b switch. Last edited by MilesAhead; 02-04-2009 at 01:51 PM..
My System Specs

02-04-2009
Brink Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 26,110 posts	Re: Disk Defragmenter from Command Prompt Strange MilesAhed, I cannot get defrag.exe -b to work in a elevated command prompt, but can with this tutorial's shortcut. Defragment Boot Files - Create Shortcut
My System Specs

02-04-2009
MilesAhead Vista Home Premium 64 bit SP1 698 posts	Re: Disk Defragmenter from Command Prompt Quote: Originally Posted by Brink Strange MilesAhed, I cannot get defrag.exe -b to work in a elevated command prompt, but can with this tutorial's shortcut. Defragment Boot Files - Create Shortcut Hmmmm, do Path and see if C:\Windows\system32 is in your path I have Auslogics defrag but their command line version is cdefrag.exe. I don't see another defrag.exe on my machine. Plus doing defrag /? brings up the help info so it must be going to the windows defrag.exe That's weird.
My System Specs

02-04-2009
Brink Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 26,110 posts	Re: Disk Defragmenter from Command Prompt Tru Dat.
My System Specs

07-04-2009
soldier000 Vista Home Premium 64bit 53 posts	Re: Disk Defragmenter from Command Prompt is there a command thats possbile to disable everything related to defrag so it doesnt run auto like when i turn on my computer the defragger always says "Analyzing disk" and it lags up my hole computer and i turned off te schedual thing already
My System Specs

09-27-2009
davidjames29365 vista home premium 32 bit 4 posts	Re: Disk Defragmenter from Command Prompt how would i know when its done defragmenting doing this through the comand prompt?
My System Specs

09-28-2009
davidjames29365 vista home premium 32 bit 4 posts	Re: Disk Defragmenter from Command Prompt thanx brink. ive been tryin to defrag my computer through windows but it never finishes.
My System Specs

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