Vista - Disk Defragmenter

I installed Diskeeper Light - mistake, it doesn't work so I un-installed it.

Now when I right click on a drive in Explorer and select 'Defragment Now'
I get a dialog telling me the Disk Defragmenter is not installed and to
install it by clicking the Add or Remove Programs Icon in Control Panel.

a) By un-installing Diskeeper Light have I managed to un-install the Vista
defragmenter?
b) The error message is going to create some issue since there is no Add
or Remove Programs Icon in Control Panel.
c) I found the de-fragmenter through help & support and it's running now
so the message is incorrect.

Is this 'Working As Designed'?

--
Jeff Gaines

Defrag in vista is not supposed to show you what is going on.
You can change the time settings for it if you want but as to it showing you
what it is doing then there is nothing.
Uninstalling a failed defragger should not uninstall the built in one.
It pays to read up on will or will not run in vista.

"Jeff Gaines" <whitedragon@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:xn0eubwv8kj1k000@msnews.microsoft.com...
>I installed Diskeeper Light - mistake, it doesn't work so I un-installed
>it.
>
> Now when I right click on a drive in Explorer and select 'Defragment Now'
> I get a dialog telling me the Disk Defragmenter is not installed and to
> install it by clicking the Add or Remove Programs Icon in Control Panel.
>
> a) By un-installing Diskeeper Light have I managed to un-install the Vista
> defragmenter?
> b) The error message is going to create some issue since there is no Add
> or Remove Programs Icon in Control Panel.
> c) I found the de-fragmenter through help & support and it's running now
> so the message is incorrect.
>
> Is this 'Working As Designed'?
>
> --
> Jeff Gaines
>

Hi Jeff,

>> Now when I right click on a drive in Explorer and select 'Defragment Now'

I don't see that context menu item. I guess you're referring to the button
located in the drive's property sheet. If so, you need to fix the Defrag UI
location in the registry. Check this article:

Error "The Disk Defragmenter is not installed on your computer" when
launching Disk Defragmenter in Windows Vista:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/97/1/

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"Jeff Gaines" <whitedragon@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:xn0eubwv8kj1k000@msnews.microsoft.com...
I installed Diskeeper Light - mistake, it doesn't work so I un-installed it.

Now when I right click on a drive in Explorer and select 'Defragment Now'
I get a dialog telling me the Disk Defragmenter is not installed and to
install it by clicking the Add or Remove Programs Icon in Control Panel.

a) By un-installing Diskeeper Light have I managed to un-install the Vista
defragmenter?
b) The error message is going to create some issue since there is no Add
or Remove Programs Icon in Control Panel.
c) I found the de-fragmenter through help & support and it's running now
so the message is incorrect.

Is this 'Working As Designed'?

--
Jeff Gaines

On 30/11/2006 in message <ueD7VYHFHHA.4016@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl> Ramesh,
MS-MVP wrote:

>Hi Jeff,

>I don't see that context menu item. I guess you're referring to the button
>located in the drive's property sheet. If so, you need to fix the Defrag UI
>location in the registry. Check this article:

Yes, sorry I was a bit sloppy :-)

>Error "The Disk Defragmenter is not installed on your computer" when
>launching Disk Defragmenter in Windows Vista:
>http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/97/1/

I down-loaded the .reg file, amazing coincidence, it has your name in it!!!

Many thanks, I wonder why MS let it out like this - particularly pointing
users to a non existent icon in Control Panel.

--
Jeff Gaines

This is a comparison chart between what MSFT ships and Raxco Ships as a
defragger. Take a look by doing a mouseover each feature:
http://www.raxco.com/products/perfec.../compareV8.cfm

Info on Perfect Disk vs. Other Defrags
http://www.raxco.com/products/perfectdisk2k/

You can do a free trial for 5 months of Perfect Disk by Raxco. It's the
difference between a little league ball player in grade school and the pros.
I'd go with the pros.

You can't expect MSFT financially or legally to ship a defrag utility that
compares with companies who make them and they won't and don't.

If I were you or anyone else, even though you can run the native defrag in
Vista, I'd not touch it because it simply does not compare in quality with
the one from www.raxco.com Perfect Disk which not only works in Vista but
can be tried for about 5 months full functionality. It will have no impact
on the native defrag that they ship with Vista, except that it's so much
better you won't be using it. It also does boot time defrag of your MFT.

Here is some info on the very low end defragger that MSFT ships with Vista
from Jill Zoeller's [MSFT] blog :

https://blogs.technet.com/filecab/articles/440717.aspx

CH




"Jeff Gaines" <whitedragon@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:xn0eubwv8kj1k000@msnews.microsoft.com...
>I installed Diskeeper Light - mistake, it doesn't work so I un-installed
>it.
>
> Now when I right click on a drive in Explorer and select 'Defragment Now'
> I get a dialog telling me the Disk Defragmenter is not installed and to
> install it by clicking the Add or Remove Programs Icon in Control Panel.
>
> a) By un-installing Diskeeper Light have I managed to un-install the Vista
> defragmenter?
> b) The error message is going to create some issue since there is no Add
> or Remove Programs Icon in Control Panel.
> c) I found the de-fragmenter through help & support and it's running now
> so the message is incorrect.
>
> Is this 'Working As Designed'?
>
> --
> Jeff Gaines

On 30/11/2006 in message <eqby03HFHHA.4844@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl> Chad
Harris wrote:

>You can't expect MSFT financially or legally to ship a defrag utility that
>compares with companies who make them and they won't and don't.

Thanks for the links. I didn't expect MS to distribute a full blown
commercial de-fragger, it would be another opportunity for the competition
authorities!

I was surprised to be pointed to a non-existent icon in Control Panel
though, nobody has commented on this.

--
Jeff Gaines

You're welcome Jeff.

>> particularly pointing users to a non existent icon in Control Panel.

They should have fixed the message box text in Vista. That's the error
message for Windows XP defrag.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"Jeff Gaines" <whitedragon@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:xn0euc0on2xgcs002@msnews.microsoft.com...
On 30/11/2006 in message <ueD7VYHFHHA.4016@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl> Ramesh,
MS-MVP wrote:

>Hi Jeff,

>I don't see that context menu item. I guess you're referring to the button
>located in the drive's property sheet. If so, you need to fix the Defrag UI
>location in the registry. Check this article:

Yes, sorry I was a bit sloppy :-)

>Error "The Disk Defragmenter is not installed on your computer" when
>launching Disk Defragmenter in Windows Vista:
>http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/97/1/

I down-loaded the .reg file, amazing coincidence, it has your name in it!!!

Many thanks, I wonder why MS let it out like this - particularly pointing
users to a non existent icon in Control Panel.

--
Jeff Gaines

But defrag is a logical product for inclusion as part of the operating system
while Media Player, which they do include, is not so clearly an operating
system function.

Really, I see the problem as the fact that probably 90% of users never
defrag their drives. Therefore there's no financial return expected by
offering a fully functional defrag.

As an example, consider the situation wtih anti-virus software. Only
recently, since more and more people are getting smarter about buying and
using their anti-virus has Microsoft suddenly jumped into that market.
Microsoft certainly isn't worried about legal ramifications in selling their
own, even if their own model blocks the competition. Just like anti-virus,
if large enough numbers of users actually used the disk defragmenter,
Microsoft would build their own more robust version.

--
Dale Preston
MCAD C#
MCSE, MCDBA


"Jeff Gaines" wrote:

> On 30/11/2006 in message <eqby03HFHHA.4844@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl> Chad
> Harris wrote:
>
> >You can't expect MSFT financially or legally to ship a defrag utility that
> >compares with companies who make them and they won't and don't.
>
> Thanks for the links. I didn't expect MS to distribute a full blown
> commercial de-fragger, it would be another opportunity for the competition
> authorities!
>
> I was surprised to be pointed to a non-existent icon in Control Panel
> though, nobody has commented on this.
>
> --
> Jeff Gaines
>

Jeff--

I really like Raxco but I have also used Diskeeper but they don't have as
generous an offer. Raxco taking into account that for many people, RTM may
not be available worldwide until later in January although I have already
seen it sold in Comp USA this morning along with Office 2007, is offerring
the Vista version for several months as a full functionality trial. I like
the interface for defragging at Boot Time (the MFT /Master File Table or
paging file--or running a boot time chkdsk a little better with Diskeeper
but Raxco has been my main squeeze.

If you're interested in defrag, Jill Zoeller's article has some good info
and Jill has been very concientious about posting a lot of the beta chats on
her blog, and a lot of other very good info, as has Josh at Windows
Connected who helps out frequently on these groups--including one with the
Vista defrag team/and some members of her file core services team at MSFT
that drills into the details of defrag in Vista:

From Jill Zoeller's helpful blog The Filing Cabinet:

http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/default.aspx


Disk Defragmenter Beta Chat Transcript (July 26, 2006)
Chat Topic: Disk Defragmentation
Date: Wednesday, July 26, 2006
http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/pages/447168.aspx

A quick note about Defrag.exe parameters in Windows Vista
http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/arc...arameters.aspx


That MSFT is shipping utilities like this is to their credit. They try to
make them better every OS--and I wouldn't doubt that they are not going to
put out a competent utility that they've tested thoroughly if they put it
out at all. No one could possibly expect them to include for the price of
the OS many third party apps of course, and I'm sure they try to walk a fine
line legally as well and still take care of their customers that way.

They obviously deserve credit for improving defrag over the Win 9X Scan Disk
that took a long time, and was erratic, particularly in the dreaded (I so
hate to curse on the web "Win ME"--Win ME stood for 'Mental Emergency' or
''Miserable Experience' or "Most Eggregious" in IT vernacular), and they
have included a Diskmgmt tool that now will re-size partitions without
losing material and a DVD-writer in Vista.

As to the control panel icon for defrag in Vista, I don't see it on the
final relase. I've used every build they had since July, and I never
noticed one. I know you can hit defrag 3 ways:

1) you can as you can with many programs and locations simply type defrag
above the start button and it comes up immediately--Search in Vista and that
situation were quickly one of my favorite convenience type features in Vista
in contrast to Win XP's often erratic slow search
2) As in Win XP you can right click Computer or if you have it set to slide
out the Vista drive>properties>tools>defrag button
3) Defrag can be run at the command line.

If you have a CP icon, I'm not sure it's default unless I miss it, but in
addition to Ramesh's tweak/fix from his excellent site, you might try items
280 and 291 at Kelly'x XP and see if those regedits help you with defrag in
Vista. Many XP regedits there and VB scripts work in Vista, but
understandably not all.

Kelly's [MSFT MVP] Tweaks from Kelly's Korner
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

CH






"Jeff Gaines" <whitedragon@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:xn0euc1oc47yb8003@msnews.microsoft.com...
> On 30/11/2006 in message <eqby03HFHHA.4844@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl> Chad
> Harris wrote:
>
>>You can't expect MSFT financially or legally to ship a defrag utility that
>>compares with companies who make them and they won't and don't.
>
> Thanks for the links. I didn't expect MS to distribute a full blown
> commercial de-fragger, it would be another opportunity for the competition
> authorities!
>
> I was surprised to be pointed to a non-existent icon in Control Panel
> though, nobody has commented on this.
>
> --
> Jeff Gaines

Thanks for pointing out PD8 which will also work with Vista.

But I disagree with others in that I think that the Windows OS should
include all of these "utilities" that you buy from third parties.

1. The best defrag including registry defrag.
2. Registry cleaner.
3. Privacy software (e.g. hide IP address if desired)
4. Windows Live (e.g. firewall, anti-spyware, anti-virus).

Especially in laptops with their slower and smaller HDs, you need the better
defrag built into Windows OS. More and more people are buying these
laptops....

If you buy all of these items separately and given that Windows Live is
subscription, you can pay much more for the additional software than for the
Windows OS itself.


"Chad Harris" <FixVista'nRedmondToo@kickit.net> wrote in message
news:Ol731$IFHHA.4432@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Jeff--
>
> I really like Raxco but I have also used Diskeeper but they don't have as
> generous an offer. Raxco taking into account that for many people, RTM
> may not be available worldwide until later in January although I have
> already seen it sold in Comp USA this morning along with Office 2007, is
> offerring the Vista version for several months as a full functionality
> trial. I like the interface for defragging at Boot Time (the MFT /Master
> File Table or paging file--or running a boot time chkdsk a little better
> with Diskeeper but Raxco has been my main squeeze.
>
> If you're interested in defrag, Jill Zoeller's article has some good info
> and Jill has been very concientious about posting a lot of the beta chats
> on her blog, and a lot of other very good info, as has Josh at Windows
> Connected who helps out frequently on these groups--including one with the
> Vista defrag team/and some members of her file core services team at MSFT
> that drills into the details of defrag in Vista:
>
> From Jill Zoeller's helpful blog The Filing Cabinet:
>
> http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/default.aspx
>
>
> Disk Defragmenter Beta Chat Transcript (July 26, 2006)
> Chat Topic: Disk Defragmentation
> Date: Wednesday, July 26, 2006
> http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/pages/447168.aspx
>
> A quick note about Defrag.exe parameters in Windows Vista
> http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/arc...arameters.aspx
>
>
> That MSFT is shipping utilities like this is to their credit. They try to
> make them better every OS--and I wouldn't doubt that they are not going to
> put out a competent utility that they've tested thoroughly if they put it
> out at all. No one could possibly expect them to include for the price of
> the OS many third party apps of course, and I'm sure they try to walk a
> fine line legally as well and still take care of their customers that way.
>
> They obviously deserve credit for improving defrag over the Win 9X Scan
> Disk that took a long time, and was erratic, particularly in the dreaded
> (I so hate to curse on the web "Win ME"--Win ME stood for 'Mental
> Emergency' or ''Miserable Experience' or "Most Eggregious" in IT
> vernacular), and they have included a Diskmgmt tool that now will re-size
> partitions without losing material and a DVD-writer in Vista.
>
> As to the control panel icon for defrag in Vista, I don't see it on the
> final relase. I've used every build they had since July, and I never
> noticed one. I know you can hit defrag 3 ways:
>
> 1) you can as you can with many programs and locations simply type defrag
> above the start button and it comes up immediately--Search in Vista and
> that situation were quickly one of my favorite convenience type features
> in Vista in contrast to Win XP's often erratic slow search
> 2) As in Win XP you can right click Computer or if you have it set to
> slide out the Vista drive>properties>tools>defrag button
> 3) Defrag can be run at the command line.
>
> If you have a CP icon, I'm not sure it's default unless I miss it, but in
> addition to Ramesh's tweak/fix from his excellent site, you might try
> items 280 and 291 at Kelly'x XP and see if those regedits help you with
> defrag in Vista. Many XP regedits there and VB scripts work in Vista, but
> understandably not all.
>
> Kelly's [MSFT MVP] Tweaks from Kelly's Korner
> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
>
> CH
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "Jeff Gaines" <whitedragon@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
> news:xn0euc1oc47yb8003@msnews.microsoft.com...
>> On 30/11/2006 in message <eqby03HFHHA.4844@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl> Chad
>> Harris wrote:
>>
>>>You can't expect MSFT financially or legally to ship a defrag utility
>>>that compares with companies who make them and they won't and don't.
>>
>> Thanks for the links. I didn't expect MS to distribute a full blown
>> commercial de-fragger, it would be another opportunity for the
>> competition authorities!
>>
>> I was surprised to be pointed to a non-existent icon in Control Panel
>> though, nobody has commented on this.
>>
>> --
>> Jeff Gaines
>