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Disk Defragmenter wont remove hidden files??
I want to use Fips to repartition my hard drive. It requires running disk defragmenter which will free up some space at the end of my hard drive. The problem is that windows ME disk defragmenter wont remove some hidden files probably associated with Microsoft Mirror and Nortan Image.
My questions are:
1. How can I remove these files?
2. Will removing these files cause problems?
3. Which hidden files can be deleted and which cannot?
I really need some detailed answers if you can help me!
Thanks
My questions are:
1. How can I remove these files?
2. Will removing these files cause problems?
3. Which hidden files can be deleted and which cannot?
I really need some detailed answers if you can help me!
Thanks
319
0
Posted February 21st, 2002 23:00
Disk Defragmenter isn't suppose to 'remove' any files and hidden files are usually, but not always, system files that MS 'hides' so folks have a harder time messing with them. I'd tread real careful when it comes to removing any hidden file. If you're insistent, then post a few examples and the folks how frequent here can probably help...
Cowboy Wisdom:
"There's two theories to arguin' with a woman. Neither one works."
- Bob -
7XDB8319
0
Posted February 21st, 2002 23:00
What Disk Defragmenter does is to 'put pieces' of files that are 'fragmented', i.e, not located on contiguous clusters/sectors on your drive back together and it does that for 'all' files, including hidden files. You don't have to change any attributes for Disk Defragmenter to de-fragment the file, if it fragmented in the first place....
Cowboy Wisdom:
"There's two theories to arguin' with a woman. Neither one works."
- Bob -
7XDB8319
0
Posted February 22nd, 2002 00:00
Well I tried to repartition my 20 GB hard drive with fips. Right now windows ME is taking up 4 GB and the rest are free. But fips is not allowing me to decrease windows partition from 16 GB. This is because I have hidden files scattered all over the hard drive. Only the last 3 GB of my hard drive is free. I have used fips before on my other Dell computer and was able to reduce the windows partition to only 12 GB, the remaining 8 GB went to linux. In fact many articles say that most disk defragmenters dont do anything to hidden files.
If I want all the files in my computer (hidden and normal) to lie within the first 12 GB of my hard drive, how should I go about doing that?
Thanks
319
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Posted February 22nd, 2002 00:00
You got me on this one. I have no idea why you'd have 'hidden files' scattered all over the place. To be honest I've never seen anything like that. With WinME If you shut down everything (i.e., do an al-ctrl-del and end task on everything except Explorer (and systray if it's listed), turn off any screen saver, etc., then run Defrag all your files, hidden or otherwise, should be packed into contigious clusters as far as I've ever known. Why you're apparently seeing them scattered all over the disk is beyond me. Hopefully others will jump in here. Sorry....
Cowboy Wisdom:
"Never do card tricks for the group you play poker with..."
- Bob -
7XDB8319
0
Posted February 22nd, 2002 10:00
which disk defragmentor are you using? if you're using norton's disk defragmentor that will leave behind some files at the end of the drive. use the windows based defragmentor by right clicking on the hard drive, then left click properties then click on tools and defragment from there. this should work. i just did the same on a dell optiplex and was able to use fips
mpls
19 Posts
319
0
Posted February 21st, 2002 23:00
I want to move and NOT remove the hidden files. I want to find all of them, change their attributes so they are not hidden. Defragment the hard drive. Repartition it and then change the attributes of those initially hidden files back to hidden. I know it is a long process, but this is what I gotta do. Any help?