Datasheet

4
Chapter 1 Arranging the AutoCAD User Interface
Put Defragmentation on a Schedule
Manually defragmenting your hard drive can get old. Are you really going to remember to
defragment on a regular basis, or are you likely to forget about it until your hard drive slows
to a crawl again? Fortunately, there is help for the terminally busy (or lazy). If you schedule
defragmentation, then you can potentially forget about it forever (and why isn’t this part of
Windows already?).
Scheduling defragmentation is a simple two-step process. First, make a batch file that
runs the command-line version of
DEFRAG. Then, schedule the batch file to run as often as
you like. Begin by creating your batch file:
1. Open Notepad (found by selecting Start ➔ Programs ➔ Accessories ➔ Notepad), and type
the following:
DEFRAG C: /v
The /v option shows verbose output in the
command window while defragmentation
is happening. If you don’t care to read this
information (or don’t need help sleeping),
leave off the
/v switch.
2. Save the file (under C:\Windo ws, for example)
as
DefragmentC.bat — t he .bat extension
indicates a batch file.
3. Click Start menu ➔ Settings ➔ Control
Panel
➔ Scheduled Tasks ➔ Add Scheduled
Task. The wizard guides you through the
steps. Browse for
DefragmentC.bat, which
you created in the previous step. This is the
task you want to schedule.
4. Select a time when you’re likely to be away from your computer, but plan to leave it on.
We suggest running
DEFRAG daily in early morning hours (if you leave your computer
on all the time). Open the task after completing the wizard if you want to make any
changes.
Diskeeper is commercial automatic defragmentation software that does a more thorough job than
DEFRAG. (www.diskeeper.com).
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