Microsoft KB Archive/323389

= HOW TO: Analyze and Defragment a Disk Volume in Windows Server 2003 =

PSS ID Number: 323389

Article Last Modified on 4/5/2004

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Datacenter Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Premium Edition

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This article was previously published under Q323389



For a Microsoft Windows 2000 version of this article, see 300978.

IN THIS TASK

 * SUMMARY
 * ** How to Analyze and Defragment Disk Volumes
 * *** To Analyze a Disk Volume
 * To Defragment a Disk Volume
 * Troubleshooting



SUMMARY
This step-by-step guide is intended for users who want to perform maintenance on disk volumes on Windows Server 2003-based computers. When you analyze and defragment disk volumes, you help to preserve the performance and general operation of your system.

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How to Analyze and Defragment Disk Volumes
Because the defragmentation process can take a long time (depending on the size of the volume, the number of files, the percentage of fragmentation, and the availability of system resources), Microsoft recommends that you analyze volumes before you defragment them. By doing so, you can determine whether or not you need to take the time to defragment the volume. After you analyze a volume, a dialog box is displayed that tells you the percentage of fragmented files and folders on the volume, and which includes a recommendation about whether or not to defragment it.

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To Analyze a Disk Volume
To search for fragmented files and folders on a volume, follow these steps:
 * 1) Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
 * 2) Click the volume that you want to analyze.
 * 3) Click Analyze to start the analysis.
 * 4) After the analysis is complete, click View Report in the Disk Defragmenter dialog box to review the results of the analysis. If the analysis tool recommends that the volume be defragmented, follow the steps in the How to Defragment a Disk Volume section of this article.

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To Defragment a Disk Volume

 * 1) If the Disk Defragmenter tool is not already running, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
 * 2) Select the volume that you want to defragment.
 * 3) Click Defragment to start the operation.
 * 4) Review the progress of the operation in the Estimated disk usage before fragmentation and Estimated disk usage after fragmentation windows.

Fragmented files on the disk appear in red, contiguous files in blue, and system files in green. The goal is to get rid of most of the red in the Estimated disk usage before fragmentation window.
 * 1) After the analysis is complete, click View Report in the Disk Defragmenter dialog box to review the results of the disk defragmentation.

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Troubleshooting
Although any user can gain access to the Disk Defragmenter tool, administrator permissions are required to analyze or defragment a volume. To analyze or defragment a disk volume, you must be logged on as Administrator or as a member of the local Administrators group.

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Additional query words: kbStorageDev drive

Keywords: kbHOWTOmaster kbFilePrintServices KB323389

Technology: kbSBServ2003Pre kbSBServ2003Search kbSBServ2003St kbSBServSearch kbWinServ2003Data kbWinServ2003Data64bit kbWinServ2003Data64bitSearch kbWinServ2003DataSearch kbWinServ2003Ent kbWinServ2003Ent64bit kbWinServ2003Ent64bitSearch kbWinServ2003EntSearch kbWinServ2003Search kbWinServ2003St kbWinServ2003Web

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