Perfect Disk Do I need it?

Well, i hope I am not boring you going over the same old ground, however I did get a very speedy response from Raxco's Support and thought you might like to see it. I included my question so as to put it in the right context:

Here is my question:
===================================================
XP / Perfect Disk 6

Hi, i did read the FAQ's but i am still not sure. there are four
choices under tools >Advanced configuration >Optimization of files
needed to start your computer

1- Let PerfectDisk manage (recommended)
2- Let PD manage all the layout.ini files (XP/2003 only)
3- Let Windows manage the layout.ini files (XP/2003 only)
4- Disable.

3 and 4 are quickly eliminated.

1 - seems to be recommended
2 - seems to indicate a better choice for XP users, but is not
recommended?

So...Which is it, 1 or 2?

- HandsOff


and Raxco's (very speedy) emailed response:
===================================================

1 is recommended - which is why it is configured to be the default

Greg
Raxco Support



and my snide reply (which i did not actually send)
===================================================
Well, i guess that is logical. Funny the same logic cannot be applied
to Windows XP or Internet explorer.

- HandsOff

 

I'm trialling PerfectDisk 7 at the moment, but I have to say I'm leaning towards O&O Defrag, even though I thought it might have caused a problem when I last trialled it. The reason being is that it is more configurable, and doesn't hog system resources while defragging. (Had I not re-read my post, it would've read "...defagging" )) For example, I have a large partition where generally keep all my music files which are regulalrly accessed. I also keep other large archives on this partition which are regularly accessed and modified. With PerfectDisk I can only optimize files depending on how frequently they were modified. With O&O, I can do the same but also optimize files depending on the filename, and more importantly, when they were last accessed (this option is very useful for my music partition, where the files never change but some files are accessed more frequently than others).

The PerfectDisk comparison chart is mis-leading (to be honest it's a load of B***ocks). Apart from the fact that O&O Defrag 6.5 needs the same amount of contiguous space as the pagefile when defragging the pagefile, the comparison chart is untrue on just about every other aspect)

I am reasonably impressed with my first couple of days running PerfectDisk 7, but when that ends I will triall O&O Defrag 6.5 again before making my decision.

I haven't yet trialled Diskkeeper, but from everything I've read and heard, it's over-hyped (although isn't everything... ). That said I might also trial that, since you can't make an informed decision without giving it a go (My friend used to say that about Russian Roulette. Now he's dead )

 

I have used all of these defraggers and another one worth testing on your system is Vopt; http://www.vopt.com/VoptXP.htm

This is the the fastest defragmenter I have used and it also has some nice little extra tools within the program; http://www.vopt.com/VoptXP_f.htm

I have VoptXP on one of my systems and PerfectDisk on the other.

Although, IMHO, unless you install and uninstall a lot of programs, the built-in Windows defraggers should suffice most users.

 

Hi Defenstration,

I am not familiar with O&O but I am surprised at your view of PD as a resource hog. I am running it right now, even as I am writing this. I have a total of 8 windows open one of which is the Task Manager, so I can observe the performance graph. Well, honestly, I can't really say I use it scientifically, I just look at the graph and guess. On thing that is somewhat misleading about it is that people will think it is bad to see processor usage at 90 or 100 percent, when actually, i believe the opposite is true. An operating system strives to use the CPU at as close to 100% as it can (to fully utilize its power). So my unscientific measure of if a program is a resource hog is can I have 8 windows active at once, and be typing without even the slightest delay from the keystrokes to the letters appearing on the screen, and I can tell you everything is running fine, infact the defragment just finished.

as for the criteria used for ordering files, I think the simplicity of PD's criteria offer some good versitility in defrag approaches. On the other hand, I haven't considered how to use any other options...Anyway, my strategy is to set the ages such that I have a certain percent fall into often changed, sometimes changed, and hardley ever changed. That way I do not encourage migration of huge numbers of files, but slowly sift them inward...kind of like Reagans trickle down theory!

If you are not feeling a little nauseous by now, you too may be overdue to a defraggers anonymous meeting.

take care,

HandsOff

 

This is just a tidbit of info on PD settings. If you are like me and do not schedule "smart defrags", but instead just analyse partitions once in a while and decide to defrag or not, then the easiest procedure is click on a partition, click the magnifying glass to analyse, click the cubes with the light bulb superimposed to instigate a smart defrag.

for some reason if you click the box saying display defragment dialog in the tools menu then the smart defrag icon disappears from the toolbar. That is not good! Uncheck the box and it will be back.

 

After trialling PerfetDisk, I was not overly impressed with the speed improvements gained (although this is based on perceptional gains, rather than quantitative means). I am now trialling O&O Defrag again (it is more configurable than the other defragmenters).

My preferences aside - I don't know if anyone has read the comparison documents with Diskkeeper 9, but I have to say they are extremely biased towards PD. I would very much like to see an honest appraisal of the main defragmenter software. My O&O preference comes from experience and also reading the PCPro review

http://www.oo-software.com/en/reviews/oodefrag/pcplus_012004.html
http://www.oo-software.com/en/reviews/oodefrag/pcplus_012004_verdict.html

The comparison doument, while commisioned by O&O, also seems more thorough and reasonable:

http://www.oo-software.com/en/docs/papers/oodefragv6_whitepaper.pdf

I await the flames from PD and DK aficionados

 

From "PerfectDisk Users Guide":

I'm using this advice and until now and works fine...

Did you have another schedule?

 

I have Perfect Disk 7 but after using it instead of Diskeeper I had very notioceable slowdowns. I personally don't believe their hype about PD being better than Diskeeper when I see my PC slowdown after using PD and speed up greatly after using Diskeeper.

Alos, some here have raved about their tech support and I have found it to be the very opposite. Unfriendly, very slow to help and very unhelpful. I haven't been able to get PD to do a boot time defrag so I sent an email to tech support. I got a fellow called Greg. He told me to disable my AV and when I told him that did not fix the issue he DID AND SAID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO TRY AND STOP ME FROM PURSUING THE ISSUE. He discouraged me from further troubleshooting asking if I was 'prepared and ready' for what was to come. Anyway he gave me a program and I had to have it write to floppy at boot time but it didn't and I told him and never got a reply for some time. Then he said there was nothing more he could do. IN OTHER WORDS RAXCO WAS LEAVING ME IN THE LURCH WITH A PRODUCT I'D JUST BOUGHT AND TOLD ME IT WAS JUST MY BAD LUCK. He virtually said that it just won't do a boot time with my PC and a 'goodbye and see ya later chum'.

I replied by saying that DISKEEPER always did a boot time defrag and he arrogantly replied that Diskeeper should not have done it and that is why PD is Microsoft certified and Diskeeper is not.

WHATEVER, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF RAXCO BECAUSE THEIR SUPPORT IS THE WORST I'VE EVER COME ACROSS and whoever mislead me on this site about their support should be shot because Raxco left me in the lurch and virtually told me to get lost.

I'm furious and asking for a refund.

Dave

 

Thanks for the interest. I just emailed tech support now. I just couldn't believe it when the guy was saying things like 'are you sure you want to go ahead with this' as if I was about to take control of the world! He just didn't want me to go ahead and troubleshoot the issue. Maybe he already knows that there's major problems with their boot time defrag because someone else here did mention they couldn't do a boot time defrag either.

The program he sent me didn't write to floppy as it should have and then he replied (after days) that there was nothing more he could do. What about getting the program he sent to work? Then he just said my PC was not compatible goodbye see ya later!!!

I requested a refund just now. Not putting up with this kind of crap at all. Got Diskeeper anyway which is better so I could use the extra cash for XMas.

Dave

 

I guess this means that I'd better remain in hiding.

Acadia

 

Don't hide - every opinion is worth being posted and read and it's good to share different experiences which show a balance. I didn't expect the kind of brush off I did get after reading about their wonderful support but I must have just got the bottom of the barrel because the guy just wanted to get rid of me saying it was my pc and see ya later.

So I bought the product and can't do a boot time defrag with it as advertised so I blame my pc and give in?

His response when I told him that turning off my AV didn't help was 'OH RATS' in capitol letters. He just didn't want to pursue the issue. All I can do now is what I have done - request a refund. I only really bought it because it was so cheap but I always use Diskeeper anyway.

But I'm very happy with First Defense and have no problems with it. Great program. Perfect Disk is good too except I can't get it to work as it should and support is just not there - not so far for this issue.

Dave

 

It was you guys which helped me so much with First Defense for which I'm very grateful. I was just expressing my frustration but I love reading your posts no matter if I differ in experience.

Dave

 

Here's Raxco's reply:

The vast majority of our customers have no issue with performing a boot
time defrag. As I communicated to your previously, something specific
to your environment is preventing PD's boot time defrag from running.
The primary tool that Raxco has available to try to figure out what that
might be didn't work for you. Due to something in your environment
preventing PerfectDisk's boot time defrag from running, PerfectDisk may
not be the defrag utility for you.

They then offered a refund but if I have to mail it in I won't worry about it. It could be Process Guard I don't know.

Dave

 

Hi Dave,

I have tested PD's boot-time defrag on two systems running PG and have not had any problems. Both systems do have StyleXP and I have to set its service to manual start before doing a boot-time defrag. One system has Ghost installed, but I have always set the service to manual start. You could enable boot logging (What are the Safe Mode options? When should I use them?) and submit the log to Raxco. They might be able to spot the driver causing the problem.

Nick

 

It's a damn nuisance! I'll just have to set aside some time when I'm in the mood and go through everything.

I can probably find it by trial and error. I only have a few programs with low level drivers. Sound driver, PG, probably AV,Intel Active Monitor & Auto Pilot XP but I have to find the patience first. That might take time if ever.

Dave

 

I'll try that, sounds like a good idea.

Dave

 

What!? I run Processguard on my computer and I can use PerfectDisk with absolutely no problems at all! I think your computer has some spyware crap on it.

 

I just want to let you know that Raxco software's tech support has always been very friendly towards me and they always give me the latest news about their software, they always help me when I ask them. I'm not one of Raxco's employees, I'm just one of their very satisfied customers.

Now, it's purely your own bad luck that PerfectDisk can't work properly on your computer. You may have spyware or some other program that is conflicting with PerfectDisk and stopping PerfectDisk from working properly.

Now, I think you might as well stop blaming Raxco software. Get Ad-aware SE and Spybot S&D and scan your computer for spyware. Raxco can't help you unless you help your ownself. I myself can only tell you that some spyware or program is conflicting with PerfectDisk and stopping PerfectDisk from working properly.

It's not Raxco software's fault that PerfectDisk can't run properly on your computer. It's your own fault because you are the one who may have installed some other program, then you installed PerfectDisk, PerfectDisk can't work properly and now here you are saying that Raxco's tech support is to blame for everything.

When asking for help from tech support, please ask in a polite manner. If you are rude, sarcastic and say the wrong thing, you may just end up offending the tech support staff and they may refuse to help you.

 

The vast majority of our customers have no issue with performing a boot
time defrag. As I communicated to you previously, something specific
to your environment is preventing PD's boot time defrag from running.
The primary tool that Raxco has available to try to figure out what that
might be didn't work for you. Due to something in your environment
preventing PerfectDisk's boot time defrag from running, PerfectDisk may
not be the defrag utility for you.

Read this sentence from the above paragraph:
Due to something in your environment preventing PerfectDisk's boot time defrag from running.......
The tech support guy is telling you that some program on your computer is responsible for preventing PerfectDisk's boot time defrag from running!

What I said here is equivalent to what the tech support guy said. I said: You may have spyware or some other program that is conflicting with PerfectDisk and stopping PerfectDisk from working properly.

Get the meaning?

The vast majority of our customers have no issue with performing a boot
time defrag.
This is something which I am sure is TRUE.

 

Originally Posted by worldcitizen
I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF RAXCO BECAUSE THEIR SUPPORT IS THE WORST I'VE EVER COME ACROSS and whoever mislead me on this site about their support should be shot.....

Worldcitizen, I don't believe this. NOT true at all IMHO.

 

I have absolutely NO SpyWare on my PC. I PAID for the Program and it doesn't do what it advertises. I blame the company for making a piece of software which even they themselves admit doesn't always work as advertised. I helped myself by PAYING. Am I supposed to buy programs and then spend hours fixing them up to work with my PC?

If Raxco software won't work out of the box like the thousand other programs I have then it's a piece of crap and worse still is their tech support which couldn't care less.


I repeat: ALL my software works perfectly on my PC EXCEPT PERFECT DISK Boot timer defrag. It's Raxco's fault because it's THEIR software. THEY programmed it not me. I'm not the expert THEY are supposed to be or that's what thay'd have us believe.

These people as far as I'm concerned are a bunch of phonies selling software that won't work properly and when it doesn't they cleverly blame the user.

I completely and totally reject the idea that it's my PC. If they couldn't program Perfect Disk to overcome these problems then it's far from perfect.
They sell and distribute the program so as far as I'm concerned the onus is on them to get their program to work properly. I totally reject their notion that the majority of PC's have no trouble with boot defrag. I've already come across a few. These guys may have you fooled but not me. I expect a product to work if I pay for it. It's not my fault if their programmers are too dumb to be able to work out a solution. The lack of ability of their programmers to fix the issue gives them no right to place the blame on me for their program not working as advertised. I'm not the one putting up the neon signs that Perfect Disk is perfect and does a boot time defrag - RAXCO are and they are lying to consumers.