Genealogy Chat

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I know it's not strictly GC related - but you are a knowledgeable lot out there! Can someone tell me why when I use the Maintenance Wizard, when it is defragging, it keeps re-starting as 'drives contents changing'. I don't have any other programs running, but there's obviously something causing it to re-start. What should I be doing to stop this happening? Also, does the Maintenance Wizard do everything I need to do on a regular basis, or is there something else I need to be doing? Thanks for reading this. Janet

Hello Janet I recently had the same problem and found the answer on the net. Although you think you have nothing else running, there are a lot of programs that need to be shut down before defragging. Select Ctrl, Alt, Delete and then End Task individually on all the programs apart from Explorer and Systray. The defrag should then run - possibly after a couple of false starts. You then have to re-start your computer via the start menu. I use the maintenance wizard once a week to keep my rather elderly computer running reasonably efficiently. Hope this helps. Richard

Thanks Richard! I'll print the advice you have given, and the next time I defrag, etc., I'll give it a try. Regards Janet

Richard is absolutely right. There are often programs that run in the background at startup that you are not necessarily aware of. For example, your virus checker will be one of these. John

Will post shortly, step by step directives to alleviate the defrag from restarting. It's an easy fix....I just need to know what operating system you have (Windows 98, XP, etc....) Judy

Oooops! Sorry, Richard...I didn't mean to step on your toes! I didn't read through all of the replies before I responded with my last post. Richard is correct that there are programs running in the background and need to be turned off. There are several diffrent ways to do so....I was unable, on my end to just end a process and then have defrag work. (overly sensitive computer on my end I suppose.) Running the computer in Safe Mode and defragging always works. Will post on how to run in Safe Mode if you have any problems.

I have Windows Me and after about 3 years the pc refused to defrag. I downloaded Diskeeper Lite and it is doing a fantastic job. My pc is getting old now - ahhhhh Kathy

One program that gets overlooked when defragging is your screen saver. Alter this to none, otherwise when defragging, the screen saver cuts in and defrag has to start again due to "Writing to Disk" messages. Badger Bill Worthing

Wow! Just got back to have a look at the board ...... and all those messages! Thanks everyone! Judy in the States. I have Windows ME. Does Maintenance Wizard cover everything I should be doing? It does a Disk Cleanup, Defragging and Scandisk. Janet

Janet: Maintenance Wizard covers three very important maintenance jobs that need to be done but it doesn't cover everything you need to do. Other maintenance jobs that should be done on a regualr basis: 1. Empty Cookies Cashe 2. Empty Temporary Internet Files 3. Download and Install Microsoft Window Updates as they become available. 4. Update Virus Definitions 5. Install and run program (like Ada-Ware) to remove spyware (if your on the internet, you have spyware.) Judy

Judy, (or anyone else who can help!!!) I wonder if you can help me too - I know it's cheeky cutting in on someone elses problem, but I'm stuck! I can't check for new messages on Outlook Express email as I keep getting two error messages that says (amongst other things!) The connection to the server has failed. Account BT Yahoo Broadband Mail ......followed by an error number. This hasn't happened before and I don't know how to correct the problem. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks in anticipation! Eleanor xxxx

Eleanor: I'm not well versed on Outlook Express. I'm waiting on a response on your OE problem as I sent your dlimemna to Andy, one of my tech guys who is Microsft certified. I'll let you know what his response is as soon as I hear from him. Judy

Judy Just popped back to have a look before I go to bed! Thanks very much for answering my query. I have Norton Internet Security and get Live Updates from them. I also download and install Microsoft Windows updates as they become available. I haven't installed a spyware program yet, but I printed off your reply to someone else's query a couple of days ago, so I have the details of that - thanks! I wasn't sure whether the Maintenance Wizard emptied the Cookies Cache and the Temporary Internet files when it did the disk cleanup. If it doesn't, how do I go about that? Eleanor I don't mind you 'cutting in' at all!! That's what it's all about, isn't it. We can all help each other in different ways, and you'll probably ask questions in which the rest of us are interested! Janet

Janet: Yes and no on the wizard emptying temporary internet files. I've often gone back into the Temporary Internet file after deleting them using the wizard and find that it did not remove all of them....most, but not all. I prefer going into the folder itself and emptying everything manually (which takes less than a minute to do) opposed to depending on the wizard to do it for me....but that is just a personal preferance....the techie in me I guess! There is also a setting in your computer that you can set that will empty the Temporary Internet file folder everytime you close the browser. Again, it eliminates most, but not all of the Temporary Internet files (another personal preferance.) As for cookies, it does not empty this folder at all. There are several ways to empty cookies. Again, a personal preferance for me is to go into the cookies folder and delete manually....another 1 minute chore. If you need help with any of the above give me shout. Judy

I have Spybot on mine as well as AVG anti-virus and Outpost firewall but they've failed to keep out a hi-jacker site, which has now lodged itself onto my pc and set itself as the default home page. It doesn't make a difference if you change the home page as it ignores that setting when you do a complete shutdown and power back up again. The hi-jacker site also alters the Win.INI file, which Windows looks at when starting up, and tries to run a file that's not anywhere on my hard drive. Having browsed through Microsoft support, I think this site changes a setting in the registry but I'm not that computer savvy to go poking about in there blindly.

Andy: Have you looked in your PROGRAMS file on your C Drive to see if the program is there? I've come across, more times than I would like to count, programs that have installed themselves on my computer without my knowledge.....some spyware will do that. Fixing the problem was easy enough by unistalling (not deleting) the program using the "remove programs" option in the control panel. A few programs that come to mind to look for, that installed themselves, were COMMON NAME (not COMMON FILES...your computer needs that one!) and NEW....those would be the names that the yellow folders in PROGRAMS would be named. There are thousands out there, though, so be sure, before uninstalling anything in your PROGRAMS FILE that it's not an operating system file. Judy

Hi Judy, checked my Program Files folder but there doesn't appear to be anything untoward in there. I'm also wondering whether it's affected MSN messenger also, as whenever I change my display name in Options, it reverts to the old name if I sign out and log back in again. Think I'll have to call out our local tech guy.

Judy Thanks for all the good advice! I've been to places in my computer I didn't know existed! I've turned over a few stones, emptied my cookies cache, got rid of my temporary internet files and installed a spyware program! I had 61 unknown intruders! (I've actually installed Spybot, as I couldn't find the free Ada-ware download for some reason.) Thanks again to everyone. Janet

For those interested, Adaware can be gotten at: http(:)//majorgeeks(.)com/download.php?det=506 (Remove the brackets.) Scroll to towards the bottom of the page to the subheading DOWNLOAD FROM and choose one of the two links given. Using the link above will cut out all the hunting and pecking through the Ada-ware sight looking for the free version. Judy