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In Windows 8.1 the Scheduled Tasks list contains hidden tasks to run the built in disk defragmenter at various times, such as when bringing the computer out of sleep in the morning. When the defragmenter is running on a small laptop, it is almost impossible to get work done on the computer. Even clicking a menu may be delayed by many seconds. Video cannot be played.
There must be some way to turn off automatic defragmentation, or to make it happen at the user's desired times. Anyone know how to do this?
ADDED: Perhaps the slowdown is not caused by defragmentation, but by other tasks done during automatic maintenance. I have found neither explanation nor settings.
If I had designed Windows, I would have made sure that the message pump could never be dominated by an I/O operation, or by a task that refused to yield their control. At the very least, defragmentation should deliberately yield control several times a second, so it does not hog the computer and make it hang or run very slowly.
ADDED: Since disabling defragmentation, I have observed the same kind of severe slowdown at random times, most often when I wake the system from sleep in the morning. This would appear to prove that my assumption that defragmentation is the culprit is false. I have re-enabled defragmentation.
However, this leaves open the question of why regular maintenance is slowing the system down so severely. In its usual benevolent hiding of details from users, Microsoft's task scheduler gives no hints as to what tasks or process names are part of its scheduled regular maintenance. It would seem difficult to do further research to figure out why this severe slowdown happens, a few times a day.
David Spector
Posted 2017-10-15T11:44:07.363
Reputation: 111
How to Change "Optimize Drives" Schedule Settings in Windows 8 and 8.1 – DavidPostill – 2017-10-15T11:49:33.213
Disk Defragmenter in Windows 10/8/7 explained – DavidPostill – 2017-10-15T11:51:15.150
1A simple google search would have found both of the above links. Please do some research before posting questions. – DavidPostill – 2017-10-15T11:51:48.270
Disable automatic defrag and then run it manually at a time of your choosing (when you can leave the computer to do its own thing while it defrags. – DavidPostill – 2017-10-15T11:53:27.630
I did a Web search, but did not find those two links. Perhaps my search terms were poorly chosen. You don't have to assume that I did no research. – David Spector – 2017-10-16T15:11:37.753
My comments tell you what to to disable defrag. Then you can see if something else is causing your issue. – DavidPostill – 2017-10-16T18:00:13.330
I thought we were not supposed to have back-and-forth discussions in these comments. Did I misunderstand the rules of this site? I followed your comments and found the defrag dialog box and disabled defrag. I will see if this helps. I can always do a manual defrag using Properties > Tools. – David Spector – 2017-10-17T16:15:28.927
Comments are used to help clarify a question (asking for additional information for example), and to provide hints to questioners on steps they might take to find a solution. If the hints work and completely solve the problem then they should be converted to an answer and the comments cleaned up. – DavidPostill – 2017-10-17T18:04:27.057