Disk Defragmenter is suddenly unavailable; how do I get it back?

[Kolja]

This is the message I am getting. Disk defragmenter was working great until I
installed IE8 and SP3. Now I get the following message...

-----

MMC cannot open the file C:/WINDOWS/System/dfrg.msc.

The may be because the file does not exist, is not an MMC console, or was
created by a later version of MMC. This may also be because you do not have
sufficient rights to the file.

 

[Andrew E.]

Read KB922379,also,go to run,type:services.msc In msc,scroll to
windows installer,double click,set to "auto" start from manual,& start the
service...

 

[Kolja]

Hey Andrew,

I had already read and followed the instructions of KB922379, so I tried
your solution of changing manual to auto and started the service.

That done, I still don't have access to my Disk Defragmenter. I should add
that this problem began after I *uninstalled* IE8 and SP3 (and I uninstalled
those because they screwed up my HP printer).

Is there something else I should do?

 

[MAP]

This is the message I am getting. Disk defragmenter was working great
until I installed IE8 and SP3. Now I get the following message...

-----

MMC cannot open the file C:/WINDOWS/System/dfrg.msc.

The may be because the file does not exist, is not an MMC console, or
was created by a later version of MMC. This may also be because you
do not have sufficient rights to the file.

Uninstalling sp3 might be the cause?
This might help please let us know.


Try running the script on line 280 left hand side at the link below.
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

A reboot might be required after running the script.
Good luck.

 

[VanguardLH]

This is the message I am getting. Disk defragmenter was working great until I
installed IE8 and SP3. Now I get the following message...

-----

MMC cannot open the file C:/WINDOWS/System/dfrg.msc.

The may be because the file does not exist, is not an MMC console, or was
created by a later version of MMC. This may also be because you do not have
sufficient rights to the file.

You sure that is the path it said? dfrg.msc is not under
\Windows\system. It is, however, under \windows\system32.

If you use Start -> Run and enter:

c:\windows\system32\dfrg.msc

does it load?

If you run just the MMC application (mmc.exe), and use File ->
Add/Remove Snap-in -> Standalone tab -> Click Add button, do you see the
Defragmenter listed? If you do see it, and after adding it, does it
work?

Did you ever install a 3rd party defragmenter, like Diskeeper, and then
uninstall it? Did you install and then remove SP-3, hotfixes, or
updates for WinXP that were already applied?

Try http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm and use item 291.
This restores the class IDs used to register and locate the files used
by this snap-in.

Did you do a system restore, restore from backup, re-image or otherwise
revert your host to a prior state before a service pack install? If so,
maybe you have an older version of mmc.exe. You might need to update to
the latest version of MMC; see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/907265.
If using XP 32-bit:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...FamilyID=61fc1c66-06f2-463c-82a2-cf20902ffae0

 

[Kolja]

Uninstalling sp3 might be the cause?
This might help please let us know.


Try running the script on line 280 left hand side at the link below.
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

A reboot might be required after running the script.
Good luck.

Hey Mike,

Tried your solution, but to no avail. I am sure that uninstalling SP3 caused
the problem. I managed to confirm as much with other users who have posted
similar issues.

What I have found out is that the disk defragmenter function is still
available, albeit by right-clicking My Computer --> Manage --> Disk
Defragmenter.

Trying to get the dfrg.msc file to work, however, produced the same problem
I originally posted about. I doesn't matter if I use the Start --> Program
--> Accessories path or the Star --> Run path. Neither can get the Disk
Defragmenter to work.

I can't reinstall IE8 or SP3 without screwing up my printer again. Well,
that's not entirely true. I might be able to install one of the other. It
depends on which one originally prevented my computer from sending document
to my printer.

Any other thoughts?

Kolja

 

[Kolja]

You sure that is the path it said? dfrg.msc is not under
\Windows\system. It is, however, under \windows\system32.

If you use Start -> Run and enter:

c:\windows\system32\dfrg.msc

does it load?

I does not load.

If you run just the MMC application (mmc.exe), and use File ->
Add/Remove Snap-in -> Standalone tab -> Click Add button, do you see the
Defragmenter listed? If you do see it, and after adding it, does it
work?

Yes. It also works through Manage by right-clicking on My Computer.

Did you ever install a 3rd party defragmenter, like Diskeeper, and then
uninstall it?

No.


Did you install and then remove SP-3, hotfixes, or
updates for WinXP that were already applied?

I started to remove SP3, at which point Windows told me to that 2 hotfixes
would be disabled by doing so. I then removed those hotfixes first, and
finally removed SP3. I did this because either IE8 or SP3 had made using my
printer impossible.

Try http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm and use item 291.
This restores the class IDs used to register and locate the files used
by this snap-in.

I merged that file, but no luck.

 

[Kolja]

Did you do a system restore, restore from backup, re-image or otherwise
revert your host to a prior state before a service pack install? If so,
maybe you have an older version of mmc.exe. You might need to update to
the latest version of MMC; see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/907265.
If using XP 32-bit:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...FamilyID=61fc1c66-06f2-463c-82a2-cf20902ffae0

I did not do a system restore, restore from backup, re-image or otherwise
revert my host to a prior state before a service pack install -- but
reinstalled the latest version of MMC anyways (32 Bit).

My Disk Defragmenter works again.

Now if I can just get my computer to send documents to my printer again.
See the new post (above) if you can help me with that problem.

Kolja

 

[VanguardLH]

I did not do a system restore, restore from backup, re-image or otherwise
revert my host to a prior state before a service pack install -- but
reinstalled the latest version of MMC anyways (32 Bit).

My Disk Defragmenter works again.

Now if I can just get my computer to send documents to my printer again.
See the new post (above) if you can help me with that problem.

Kolja

The problem probably resulted in removing the service pack as that
installed a newer version of the MMC (Microsoft Management Console).
The .msc file then got updated to comply with the newer version of MMC.
You uninstalled the service pack which reverted to a prior version of
MMC which couldn't use those updated .msc files. By reverting to a
prior version of MMC, you would have to rebuild all those .msc files
(about 30 of them).

Start a new thread regarding your printer problem. MMC isn't involved
in printer drivers. Before posting, however, go to the printer maker's
web site and make sure you have their latest driver that is designed for
your OS version.

 

[Jose]

I did not do a system restore, restore from backup, re-image or otherwise
revert my host to a prior state before a service pack install -- but
reinstalled the latest version of MMC anyways (32 Bit).

My Disk Defragmenter works again.

Now if I can just get my computer to send documents to my printer again.
See the new post (above) if you can help me with that problem.

Kolja

If you run it from My Computer, Properties, Tools and it works, there
is nothing wrong with dfrg.msc. This setting runs from the registry.
Does this work? (Yes)

If you run it from Programs, Accessories, System Tools, that runs from
a shortcut. Does this work? (No)

If you go to Start, Run and enter: %SystemRoot%\System32\dfrg.msc
does that work (that is the shortcut). (No)

Goto Start, Run, cmd.

To be 100% sure of things, change to the c:\windows\system32 folder.
Reregister the msxml3.dll by typing:

regsvr32 msxml3.dll <enter> and wait for the OK message.

Please try again.

Jose