Scandisk & Defrag

For those of you who have problems with Scandisk and/or Defrag then
two methods which are apart from the mainstream may interest you.

One method uses the LM RunOnceEx key - a key rarely used by anyone
other than our friends at Redmond who use it extensively with IE updates
and the like. I've used it for over two years without problem and is my
preferred method.

The other method logs off, invokes Progman.exe as the shell, and then logs
back with Explorer as the shell. This method came about after seeing Defrag
used as the 'shell' limiting us to only one application. With Progman we can
run anything we like and any number. As a corollary the Internet caches can
also be cleared via this approach - access is normally denied at the desktop.

For a description of both methods download S&D.zip (virus checked)
This unzips to a folder within which is S&D.htm for reading in your browser.

If anyone has any tips to improve either method then let's see them.

Have fun,

Gamma

 

For those of you who have downloaded the above you may like to edit LogOff.vbs to

I've just logged off and forgot to edit system.ini. My doc said senile decay wouldn't kick in for a few years yet. He's older than me so maybe he's already there.

Anyway, the above now gives you a chance to pull out. If you are a bright spark then the original version will do fine.

Gamma

 

What the heck. We may as well go the whole hog here and have an all embracing LogOff which now ceases to be a log off. I've called mine PoshExit.vbs.

Why bother? We cannot access the Shift Restart from Progman - only a Restart or Shutdown plus Log off with the original incarnation.

Gamma

 

With the Progman method instead of editing System.ini via Notepad, PoshExit now provides the option to open msconfig so we can select/deselect the shells there.

PoshExit is now too long to post here and since the modus operandi has changed the script has been included within S&D.zip along with a revamped S&D.htm.

Gamma

 

Don't know how many of you, if any, have downloaded S&D.zip but the move from Notepad to msconfig has been improved upon further.

PoshExit now optionally invokes an INF file which edits System.ini for us. The first pass changes explorer to progman and toggles the screensaver status. The second pass reverses the process.

We now get from the desktop to progman in just 4 mouse clicks.

Early tests showed a drop of resources via the progman route as opposed to the RunOnceEx route hitting the desktop as if it hadn't been employed. One progman run got me back nearly 20 percentage points of resources. Not sure why we lose on some occasions and gain on others. Not enough 'runs' yet to draw any conclusions.

The progman method was being treated as an academic exercise and unlikely to shift me away from RunOnceEx but that view is starting to waiver.

The latest documentation is as the first post.

Anyone thought of any improvements?

Gamma

 

Don't know why this didn't occur to me before but we can drop a file manager onto progman's group window and dispense with progman's antiquated file browser. Both suggested managers have a run command so we don't come unstuck if switches are required.

Gamma