UltimateDefrag - is this the best defragger ever?

Rob's last post was circa 9 months ago. In that post he asked a question concerning the event(s) surrounding a failure of the boot-time module. His question was answered. He hasn't posted here since (he basically just left everyone hanging). He did, however, at one point write:

"Our very clever developer who created the boot time module is trying to correct this and I am sure he will come up with a solution in the not-too-distant future."

Well, the "not-too-distant future" has come and gone. Currently, I'd say, we're in the "distant future" (9 months and counting) yet we still have no solution.

What's worse, IMHO, is what can be inferred from the lack of a response; they haven't been able to resolve the issue in the upcoming release. So, if boot-time isn't working for you now, it probably won't work for you in UD v3 either.

Regardless, it certainly appears as if it's going to cost those of us who have experienced the boot-time issue with UD2008 $21.50 in order to find out whether the issue has been resolved in UD v3.

 

i read good things about this defragger..but everybody says ,,biit-time dooesn't work...
and when i tried config is some complicated.

 

No one will have to spend money to see if the new boot time version works better : the demo version will be there for that !

 

fwiw, the UltimateDefrag boot time module worked fine for me as long as
(a) ChkDsk C: /f didn't find any problems, and
(b) no conflicting boot-time jobs were sceduled.
By boot-time jobs I mean BootExecute actions listed under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager. Also, I think the Window's built-in boot optimization has to be turned off (under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction), as well as Boot Time options of other installed defraggers and anti-virus softwares. But BootExecute values can be confusing, for example, a scheduled chkdsk of C: shows up as
autocheck autochk /p \??\C: autocheck autochk *
whereas
autocheck autochk *
is there by default and shouldn't conflict with anything. UD shows up as
UDBDef C:\Program Files\DiskTrix\UltimateDefrag2008\UDBootCfg.xml
if scheduled.

By the way, what's the recommended way to position the meta files using the boot module?

 

MERLE!!!!!!!!!!

Please read --> Try UltimateDefrag yourself to see why it's the Ultimate defragger for PC users who want the power. This 14 day, no-obligation, trial lets you enjoy all the features of UltimateDefrag excluding the boot time defrag module.

It has been mentioned before, I believe more than once in this thread, that those of us who were having boot-time issues with UD2008 didn't have an opportunity to test the module to see if it functioned properly; we had to buy the program first.

 

Thanks for the clarification, and sorry about that ! Maybe it will be different with the new version, unless you are referring to the upcoming one.

 

Prius
may i ask a question about ultimate defrag?

is there a plan to release a new version?

 

No problem, Merle. Please believe me; I didn't intend to take out my frustration with this product on you. It *is* frustrating, though, and I sincerely hope your thought turns into reality; that there will be a fully functional demo (including boot-time) with the new version.

BTW, the language in bold in my previous post does, in fact, refer to UD2008.

 

Well, according to what has been posted here and on the DiskTrix site, there is:

http://disktrix.com/DT_News.htm

 

Is there also any plan of what will happen with the customers who paid for a never working version, and for not getting 1 simple reply to their emails ?

 

I clearly have absolutely no inside information but the fact that it's going on *one year* since the last build (2.0.0.55) of UD2008 doesn't inspire much hope for some sort of a "plan".

What are we left to conclude? Almost one year without a new build despite (at least) one serious issue with UD2008 and not one word from the developer since January. This is probably the poorest excuse for support I've ever seen.......anywhere and for any product. Even most freeware gets better support than we have received.

EDIT: I concur with Peter's sentiments. This company will not be receiving any more money from me - not one cent - and if the boot-time issue is fixed in v3, it should be offered free of charge to those of us who were told the current version would be fixed at some point (which obviously never happened).

 

Hi guys,

Sorry for me disappearing - there's a really lot of work as UD 3 is close to be released.

pajenn:

1. Upcoming UD3 will defrag some of the locked system files (for example pagefile.sys) and MFT metafiles IF it's run from other OS on a multi-boot machine. UD2008 won't touch any of those files. As for defragging from live CD such as Bart PE - I never checked it, but it really worth to check as I feel it may be able to defragment more such files - thank you for great idea!
2. Defragmenting files cannot corrupt them no matter if you defragment from normal system or live CD, as the same system functions are used in both cases.
3. There is no problem for UD to handle junction points, even if they point to non-existing locations.
4. The recommended layout of the meta files for boot time defrag is the one that you get when you open "Boot time" screen in the Options, and press "Reset defaults".

Pete, prius04, and others who experience non-working boot time module:

Again - I would be very happy to answer your questions, but I can't, sorry. I don't work on boot time module and I'm not involved in Disktrix management. I can answer any question regarding UltimateDefrag main program and DefragExpress.
I agree that if the boot time problem is fixed you should get its update for free. I also agree that demo version should include boot time module. I'll let Rob know my (and your) thoughts on it - that's all I can do.

 

Thanks for the answers. I can't wait for UD3 - the list of new features sounds like my own wish list for UD2. The latter boots fine from BartPE as long as I include Sherpya's WMI plugin (xpe.inf and xpe-wmi.inf enabled, wmisvc.dll registered), plus I had to add PDH.DLL to the plugin (and maybe glu32.dll and opengl32.dll).

On the topic of wish lists, my main problem with UD2 was figuring out what settings to choose. I hope UD3 gives more guidance or examples of udefrag.xml settings.

For example, an optional default template for udefrag.xml that includes all exe,dll,sys,inf,ocx,... files under high performance, rar,zip,cab,... for archive etc. or whatever settings would typically maximize system speed and speed of most used programs and of programs that need speed the most. Another example template to minimize re-fragmentation, another to maximize stability.

Also additional instructions in the form of pop-up messages. For example, when the user moves the mouse over a 'Respect layout.ini' check box, it would be great to see a pop-up message informing said user of the practical implications of checking the box (or brief pros and cons).

p.s. Paragon Software offers their Total Defrag 2009 in a winpe-based 'recovery cd' version (~130 MB). The program itself is slow and crude, but the bootable CD/USB concept rocks.

This is another junction where I could use the pop-up guides. For example, if I select $LogFile in the boot module options screen and start to drag it to a new location, a message box saying '$LogFile is responsible for...' or 'MS suggests $LogFile be placed in...' or 'Move $LogFile left/right to maximize/minimize...' would be helpful.

edit: fixed UD version typo (v2.0.0.55, not UD2.55)

 

Any news on the release date? The initial news release said the release would be sometime in Nov.


Thank you.

 

think tehre are a lot of people waiting to know about it.

 

wow
is there a beta version to test it?
seems amazing the new version

 

DiskTrix site now says the release is expected Jan 2010...

I like the sound of this feature:

But I will only like it if it comes in the form of a discreet background service that uses almost no resources and conflicts with nothing (think of Everything Search or Locate32) or a windows task scheduler managed task (think of CleanMem), or something you run or schedule manually...

 

where is the place to put the registry files? to be more fast
thanks

 

Hello,

I am also unable to run the Boottime Defrag on two PCs running 32 bit Vista: Reporting "Logfile is not clean" (not exact quote).

The ONLY reason why I bought this defragger, was to be able to move unmovable (by other defraggers) files ($ files) under Vista to be able to copy som large Virrutal PC Images onto a disk.

What really did set UltimateDefrag (UD) apart from the rest was the announced ability to defrag these unmovable files at boot time.'

Now, in version 3, they seem to be abandoning this more nor less alltogether. Having to innstall two OS to defrag one from the other is plain silly.

I think UD is loosing its edge if they cannot meet the original spec.

Another issue is that I bought UD on false premises: They even removed the Boot Defrag option from the demo so I could not see this problem before I paid.....

As for Issos replies: Why can't you talk to the two other developers and ask about the plans for the Boot Time defrag? I's not more complicated than that if you really want to tell us what is going on !

Geir Ove

 

Something to try for people with boottime problems: Install UD into C:\UDEFRAG or another short path name in %SystemDrive% or %SystemRoot% (uninstall it from the default location first).

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with DiskTrix and the advice is simply based on a trick I used to make Paragon Total Defrag 2009 work on my laptop with WinXP Pro/SP3. It has something to do with common tweaks that limit support for short path names and/or boottime access outside of %SystemDrive% and %SystemRoot%. (I think this may be why some defraggers, like UltraDefrag, install themselves into %SystemRoot%).

p.s. Make sure you can run "chkdsk c: /f" without trouble from windows (requires a reboot), or "chkdsk c: /p" from recovery console, where c: stands for your system drive. if your system drive doesn't pass the chkdsk test, then it's not the defragger's fault the boottime module doesn't work either. Also, make sure there are no pending boottime tasks - for example, if chkdsk fails to run at boottime, a note of it remains in the registry and some defraggers refuse to run until that's cleared.

 

Imho, no.

PerfectDisk seems to be a better option.. at least, as I see it.

Though it's arguable that MyDefrag is probably the best defragmenter out there right now.

 

First Nov 2009, then Jan 2010. It's almost March 2010. What is the deal?