Hello people, I have a Dell laptop and starting today, when i start to defrag, the defrag program stops responding, it doesnt even start to defrag and freezes. I have disabled the antivirus program and still it freezes...any ideas why this is happening...I have run scan disk and nothing seems to be wrong there and tried windows update and all the critical updates are already installed on the machine......help please!!!

The standard defrag program is somewhat a pain in win98. As a simple suggestion, why not download winME defrag from www.surecool.com It functions faster and works very well with 98. I replaced my 98 standard one and am able to defrag in half the time of the other one. Without any error message to it, it is rather hard to explain. Maybe the more advanced posters will give a thought or some advice on it. Good luck.

Hello:what about safe mode!!!!

When you say freezes do you mean keeps re-starting or the programme itself actually hangs? Run Scandisk - turn off screensaver - close all programmes except Explorer & Systray - keep anti virus disabled. Best of luck Dennis

Ramzal, here is a link that may be of help, it was posted in an earlier thread by turfnuf, it involves deleting the applog file from the C:\windows directory, i havnt tried it but its from the Microsoft website here, http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q218160 Also, follow what the other contributors above have stated ie using Safemode, disabling screensaver and anti-virus software and using the WinMe Defrag program instead of the Win98 one, regards

Toggle F8 or press Ctrl key during bootup ( depends on your computor ) , choose Command prompt only ( NOT Safe mode Command prompt ), then at the C: prompt , type Scandisk /all & press Enter . When finished , type win & press Enter . Download > Layout.zip , fixes desktop layout , for when you come out of Safe Mode . It can restore your Desktop , back the way it was . http://www.pcnineoneone.com/tweaks/layout.zip Run defrag in Safe mode 1st , then download ME defrag . Toggle F8 or press Ctrl key during bootup ( depends on your comp ), choose safe-mode . ----- Windows ME defrag ( free ) , very fast . I don't need to close ( ctrl/alt/delete , I don't use a screen saver ) anything down to run defrag , no restarts . Get it from here . W9X-Me-Defrag http://ozcountry.tripod.com/winmedefrag.zip http://members.home.net/scotterpops/enhancements/enhancements9c.html http://surecool.com/download.htm http://www.ematic.com/techpost/files/ ================================ Open Windows Explorer , go down to Windows , left click on the yellow folder , this opens the right hand panel . Scroll down to defrag & write down the exact name . Next , right click on defrag , scroll down to rename & click on it . Now left click at the end of defrag & add the word old . So if you had the word defrag , it now becomes defragold . Now rename MEdefrag to whatever you wrote down ( usually Defrag ) , drag & drop it on the yellow Windows folder or anywhere in the right hand side . Both achive the same thing & Windows will after you close , put it alphabetically . That's it . ================================= Also , to make ME Defrag even Faster for it's 1st run ( you may have a corrupt file ) from Windows Explorer , Delete all the files ( except the read only file ) in Windows > Applog . Taskmon will rebuild the Applog file . http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q218160 To view Applog , do this . Windows Explorer > View > Folder Options > View , click on Show all files . Click OK . http://www.windows-help.net/windows98/start-17.shtml