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June 1, 2000
Summer Fun
By Bill Bateman
I trust that since we last got together, you have been tidying up not only your computer's hard drive, but the rest of the place as well. The approach of the end of the school year always does that for me, too. I empty the shelves and fill the recycle bins - I just can't help it. In the spirit of putting everything in order for the start of summer, let's talk about defragging your hard drive.
I always begin with the caution to check with your system administrator before you start thrashing about on a site-based system. If you have a stand-alone, I always suggest you have backup of the good stuff before you start playing around. On the other hand, working with your programs is the best way to learn them. With that said, let's get busy.
When you defragment your hard drive, to put it simply, you're gathering items that belong together and putting them together on the disk. Some things belong in the front of the disk, some at the end. Interestingly enough, some things are just fine where they are and can't be moved, thank you for asking.
Imagine my surprise when I found that a computer doing an installation acts exactly like a small child running in from school, tossing things all over the house in his haste to get outside and play. The computer acts the same way during the install. There is no guarantee that the entire file will be together - and it doesn't have to be, but it helps. So it can end up scattered all over the drive, especially if there are no large blocks available to move into in the first place.
As the drive becomes fuller, it can slow down or begin making errors. Unused files or data can accumulate and actually prevent you from adding new information. So when should a person defrag? I like to run the defrag before I install a new program. I also do it after I remove programs or a large number of files - large PowerPoint presentations or CAD files are good examples. That really cool video game you may have been playing at lunch also takes up a sizeable chunk of the drive, by the way. If I'm not doing major program shifting, I run it once a month to keep all of the things I've saved as I work lined up.
A word on removing things, while we're on the subject - deletions of major items such as that video game I mentioned should not be done with a claw hammer and vengeance in your heart. Dragging applications to the trash while muttering "Take THAT!" - while satisfying, can have negative repercussions within your machine. It is likely that you have an Uninstall program on your machine or within the program itself. I like to use the Add/Remove function. From your Start button, left-click to Settings, then choose Control Panel. The Add/Remove option is in the top row on my machine. Double-click and you will see a list of programs in a scroll-down window. The Add/Remove button is below that and will be grayed out.
Select the program in the window you wish to delete by scrolling down the list of applications, and then the Add/Remove option will become active. Click it to delete and accept the choice to delete.
My systems administrator recommends this as the "softest" way to remove a program. He maintains that it leaves few (if any) loose ends in the system to cause trouble and so far, he's batting 1000. (You can still mutter under your breath, but I have to warn you - people are starting to talk.) Interestingly, I still must drag the shortcuts to the trash to clean off the desktop.
The defrag from Windows 95 and 98 is fairly straightforward. As we did when we ran our Scan program, we go to Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools and finally we find Disk Defragmenter. In the 95 version, mine always reported that "It isn't necessary to run the program". I choose to do it anyway. The first time you do it, I suggest you look at the legend to see what is being moved where. Bad segments will be identified, blocks change colors and, all in all, it is a fine show. (It also can make a fine lesson for the class on computer care if you can put it on the LAN school or the TV.)
Do not have anything else running while you try to defrag. The last time I removed a large program (VBASIC), and had done a number of PowerPoint presentations, it took almost two hours to run the defrag. If the Net is down and you have a class to teach, the timing is perfect. By lunch, you will have a very tidy machine.
If you have 3.1, go to the c:\ prompt and type "defrag". Select the main drive, then go through the choices. This is a more hands-on operation, as you'll have to select options and monitor the first time. I always choose Full Optimize from the pull-down menu. (You change your selection by hitting the space bar, by the way.) It's probably just me, but I must go through it twice to get to the selection portion on Optimization. The Configuration simply happens. To complete this takes about 15 to 30 minutes in most cases.
Because you're in a recycling mood, let's not forget to empty the e-mail. While it is possible on many systems to select options that will empty your trash every so many days, few people actually use it. I know on the Group Wise set-up we have, you can select that option under Tools, then go to the Environment icon. The machine that I spoke of last time that had half of the hard drive full of old e-mail? It didn't have it in the trash. It was all in the SENT file. That needs to be emptied, too. Drag what you don't want to the trash, then dump it. But before you begin a mass dump, check with your system administrator. As an aside, if I dump the Sent files in Group Wise and certain e-mail hasn't been opened yet; it will be deleted from that person's In-basket. This can sometimes act as a "recall" on that memo you typed while angry-but I wouldn't count on it. I know that once you hit send in Netscape, it is gone.
If you do have the Task Scheduler option on your 98 system, or your server, set it to automatically complete items such as the scan disk or defrag. I recommend you use it to save you time and future trouble. If you have questions, go make friends with the computer person on your campus. We are really nice people and only a few of us bite.
The only problem I have had is helpful people thinking I have left my machine on and shutting it down for me. I have the process set to run overnight, so as not to disrupt my day use. With a bit of education, a phone call or two, and a really big thick padlock, I've been able to keep it running on scheduled evenings.
Next time, I want to talk a bit about exploring features of the software you have on your computer, as well as how to begin discussing how to "web whack." While the students in certain areas of my school are, by statute, not permitted direct Internet access, we can still present interesting web-based lessons by "whacking the web."
Email: Bill Bateman
First Electronic Serial Rights: The Well Connected Educator
All others: Copyright Bill Bateman 2000
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