Topic: Diskeeper

[Simon]

Perhaps this is one for Tony?  I'm using Diskeeper (as per "Defrag or not" thread), but it's starting to become a real pain.  I have set it to the "set and forget" mode, and this morning it has sprung into action on no less than 6 times, since I started the PC 20 minutes ago, and each time it starts, everything freezes for a second or two.  It's started up twice even when I'm writing this!    I'm certain it doesn't need to keep starting up as often as this, especially as I'm not really doing anything, except checking e-mails and here.

Does anyone else use DK (I know Tony does), and have you noticed the same?  I'm finding it quite irritating, and am about to disable the "set and forget" mode, so I can regain control.

[lobo]

@Simon
I use Diskeeper and its in the "set and forget" mode to run during the night hours only ( my PC is on 24/7) and its no problem, perhaps you should set the preferences for that option

Brian

[Simon]

Thanks, Brian.  

My PC is not on 24/7.  I turn it on and off several times during any 24 hour period, as I am in and out during the day, and can't see the point of wasting electricity when I'm not in.  I sometimes nip in from work, and switch the PC on just to check e-mail and forum postings, so it's sometimes on for only a few minutes.

I might try a 'once every 24 hours' setting, and see how that goes.

[Sandra]

Thanks, Brian.  

My PC is not on 24/7.  I turn it on and off several times during any 24 hour period, as I am in and out during the day, and can't see the point of wasting electricity when I'm not in.

This could be the start of another good debate Simon  

If the pc is on and idling its using a negligible amount of electricity especially if you set it to all the power saving options,as long as you turn your monitor off.
Its arguable that the saving of wear and tear caused by powering up the system for a few minutes each time you want to use it will cost less in the long term than the extra electricity consumed by leaving it on.
Its very rare for a PC to fail while it is switched on and running its usaully when you switch it on that it breaks down  

[lobo]

"Its arguable that the saving of wear and tear caused by powering up the system for a few minutes each time you want to use it will cost less in the long term"

The problem with starting and shutting down PCs is that on power up the hard drive accelerates from 0 rpm to upto 7500 rpm in fractions of seconds thus increasing the wear ad tear on the drive.

 Imagine a car which one wears out more quickly? A car used for long runs or one that is just started and stopped on short journeys

As for cost again look at a fluorescent lamp it costs 10 times what it cost to start the lamp working than to leave it on 24/7

As Sandra says more failures happen during booting than at any other time so in my opinion it is better to leave the thing running than to expose the drive to such stresses

Brian

PS I can see another long debate on the horizon lol

[Adept]

You won't get an arguement from me Brian

I leave the PCs on all the time in work and the only reason I don't leave my PCs at home on permanently is that they are too noisy!

[Camstop]

Just to carry on....

Well i know what you all mean..BUT!!

Take my 17" monitor...I've had it for about 5 years and now when i turn it on it's a poor picture for a few mins...and i've been eying this 18" philips tft but don't feel i can justify it till my other one blows.....

It's far easyer to say to the wife....ehhh the monitor blowen and i need a 18" tft one now....than ho hum i think i'll just go and buy another monitor for no reason..

And i still feel that most pc components out live their comparative usefulness...infact..i don't think i've had any hardware in the last 5 or 6 years that has failed....

Me my self..i just switch on in the morning and switch off at night time and i just leave everything running when it's on...and i feel that you should just do what you want and don't worry about it.

But hey....Even blonde's cal me fik so what do i know....

[Clive]

I always turn my machine on first thing in the morning and leave it on until bedtime too.  Sometimes I will turn the monitor off if I know I'm going to be away at work for a few hours but it's a TFT so I don't think it draws much power and there doesn't seem much in it to go wrong if size is anything to go by.  TFT prices have fallen dramatically over the past year anyway and I think that CRT's have a dim future.  The local LG factory which manufactures CRT monitors under many brandnames and employs 2,000 people has recently announced that it is closing down so the writing really is on the wall.

[Simon]

Hmmm, an interesting debate unfolds.  Haven't we had this somewhere before?  

I think there's valid arguments both ways.  I just don't like leaving things on when no one's indoors.  Isn't it a bit like saying it's best to leave your car running overnight, to save wearing the battery in the morning?  Swings and roundabouts, me thinks.

[Sandra]

Its probably a lot more "cut and dried" than that Simon as it would cost a lot of money in fuel to keep a car running needlessly but again thats better for wear and tear if you are sat at some traffic lights that you know are going to take ages to change and switching the engine off and back on,(the system someone brought out some years back cutting half the cylinders out while stationary was a saving,whatever happened to that idea? ),but the electricity consumed is virtually nil while the PC is idle as long as the CRT monitor is off or shuts itself down in its power saving mode  

[Tony]

Perhaps this is one for Tony?  I'm using Diskeeper (as per "Defrag or not" thread), but it's starting to become a real pain.  I have set it to the "set and forget" mode, and this morning it has sprung into action on no less than 6 times, since I started the PC 20 minutes ago, and each time it starts, everything freezes for a second or two.  It's started up twice even when I'm writing this!    I'm certain it doesn't need to keep starting up as often as this, especially as I'm not really doing anything, except checking e-mails and here.

Does anyone else use DK (I know Tony does), and have you noticed the same?  I'm finding it quite irritating, and am about to disable the "set and forget" mode, so I can regain control.

Well Simon getting back to your original query, like I say I very rarely see mine in action. I must say I'm lucky to notice it 'kicking in' once or twice a week and then for a matter of seconds.  If it was giving me the pain it is giving you, I would only use it on manual. What do you do to cause your drive to need defraging so often? are you cleaning up your downloaded image libary     Or is something a miss some where [I'm on Win2K as you know]

[Simon]

Dunno Tony.  

Anyway, I've now set it to 72 hours, so it can't just do what it likes!  Sheeesh!!  Damn machines always want to take over!  

[Tony]

sorry my reply was late Simon, as I was off buying and installing a new Laurel hedge over the weekend. I hate leylandia .. whatever as hedgeing, should be banned. Just look at the hight of the leylandia to the right of the pictures, and how dark it is. Not the reason for the sale though, it's personal "cough" And before anybody proffers the suggestion, no it is not because they have me for a neigbour  

before here

after here

using that cheappo camera from Nova Tech so you will understand the tourquise fence top  

but mayde not the spelling  

[Simon]

Is that a For Sale sign up as well, Tony?  You doing a runner??  

[Clive]

I used to have a leylandia hedge too and it outgrew its welcome.  I think it cost me about £30 to buy the plants (many years ago) but it eventually became too big for me to trim myself.  It cost me £100 a year to get cowboys in to lop it and then £300 to have it all dug up and removed.  A brick wall (which is what I have now) would have cost far less and no maintenance at all.