Unable to Defrag: Win2K or hardware problem?

[GH]

I have a system running Win2K Pro that I'm trying to defrag ( using MS
defrag utility ). When I "analyze" the disk, it reports that even
though 57% of the drive is free ( approx. 10GB ), there is 0% available
space for defragging. The program does suggest defragging the drive.
So the picture that is shown when it's done analyzing is a few bigger
blue chunks, a few small green chunks, and then everywhere else where
there might be white space, it's all red. So, it's telling me that it
has no space to work in, in order to defragment the hard drive.

That doesn't make any sense. There's 10GB free. I've run chkdsk and it
doesn't find any problems. I've cleaned up every temp file I can think
of. None of that helps. Does anyone know what's going on? Is this a
Windows problem? Is the hard drive ready to die? It's a Dell system
that is only about 1.5 years old.

Thanks!

 

[Yor Suiris]

Try DiskKeeper, they have a free version you can get.
Then schedule a defrag for next reboot and reboot.

 

[Greg Hayes/Raxco Software]

With NTFS, free space is located in 2 different areas - INSIDE of the MFT
Reserved Zone and OUTSIDE of the MFT Reserved Zone. With Windows 2k, disk
defragmenters are not allowed to use the free space INSIDE of the Reserved
Zone. By default, the Reserved Zone is 12.5% of the drive. What you need
to find out is how much of the total free space on the drive is usable free
space - something that the built-in defragmenter really isn't going to tell
you.

- Greg/Raxco Software
Microsoft MVP - Windows File System

Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a
commercial defrag utility, as a systems engineer in the support department.

Want to email me? Delete ntloader.