I have 6 computers ALL running various versions of Windows XP - home & pro & media center. Since installing the new version none of them will defrag completely anymore. I have used Avast forever but I’m done with it now. I got a e-mail reply from Avasts so called customer support about it. They had no clue & wanted a bunch of information that did NOT even relate to the complaint or question. Just like most so called customer support people they have NO clue & are reading off a cheat sheet what to ask & say & then they can’t even spell correctly. The PROBLEM is SIMPLE to understand. What I need is a FIX. If you install the new version 5 on ANY computer running Windows XP ANY version Avast corrupts your ability to do a full defrag. It is simple install Avast & defrag no longer will work correctly. If you already have installed on a computer with XP try & defrag & you will see what I mean. If not try defragging before you install the new version & then again after you install it & you will see it worked before the install but not after. I have done totally fresh new re-builds to prove this is FACT. If you remove the new version with ADD - REMOVE it still leaves it’s damage behind & defrag WON’T work. I’m DONE with AVAST. I hate SOFTWARE that causes ISSUES & then they DON’T want to admit it or have an answer to correct what their product corrupted. I need a fix for the defrag ??? Having to re-build 6 computers to get the defrag to work correctly again really stinks. The Spinning Blue Ball was just FINE. Wish I had NEVER updated to the yellow egg / spill looking thing!!!
I have used avast for 6 years and windows defrag for as long and a number of other defrag tools and since using avast 5.0 I have seen zero difference or problem in any of the defrag tools that I have used.
Win XP Pro SP3 defrag
Defraggler
Power Defragmenter (GUI interface that uses contig.exe for the defrag.
So I too am baffled as to what may be going on with your system.
Just tried the Windows built-in defragger. Was able to run it with no problem. Then tried the defragger that is part of TuneUp Utilities 2010. Again, that one ran with no problem. I’m using Windows XP Home SP3 and the latest version of avast! 5.0 Free. Not sure what your problem could be caused by but it doesn’t look like it is an inherent problem in avast.
This is what it says when I defrag ?? You ( DON’T ) get this when defrag finishes ??
Some files on this volume could not be defragmented.
Please check the defragmentation report for the list of these files.
Erm… and that’s the “problem”? Since your files get fragmented almost every time you perform some file operation, a few un-defragmented files are hardly of any concern.
Anyway, the key question is - what are those files? (in the defragmentation report)
I have been using Avast for so long never had any defrag problems at all.
OK then have you checked what file list for those that aren’t defragged (I don’t believe there will be any in the list). Also if you run the analysis again I guess you will find you don’t need to defrag and that there is 0% fragmentation.
I bet you that it is the Master File Table which is fragmented and windows can’t deal with that or it would screw up the very table that records the location of your files on your hard disk. I guess that you have finally bumped into the problem area where the MFT is fragmented and as far as I’m aware the XP defrag can do nothing about that so it reports it.
Yes I get it, is it a problem, no I don’t believe so, is it related to avast 5.0 I can’t see how it can be. I can’t recall when this started, but I believe it pre dates 5.0.
See images, click to expand.
The first shows that after analysis and before a defrag my MFT file is in 2 fragments. It also shows that there are no fragmented files in the list as the MFT isn’t classed as a file in the same way that folders can become fragmented but they too aren’t listed.
The second shows that notice (not error) you are talking about and on clicking the View Report matches the first image as far as the MFT is concerned yet there are no files in the list. The problem is that XP’s defrag isn’t too clever as it is effectively reporting what is not a file, or it would be listed in the fragmented files list, nor it seems can it defrag the MFT.
All I know is this happened to ALL my computers running XP after I installed the new Avast. I just dis a total re-build after a re-format & fresh install of XP Pro & checked the defrag before & after I installed Avasy 5 & it immediately stopped working correctly after the install. Nothing else was installed after the re-build just the O/S Win XP Pro then Avast. I just want my defrag working correctly again & removing Avast did not correct the problem. I build & repair computers & have used Avast for a long time. If ANYONE has a fix for the defrag issue that would be great. Sorry I came in yelling & kicking. Looks like you have a nice group here & I don’t want to BASH Avast. If I’m WRONG I will be the FIRST to admit it & say I’m sorry. We ALL get frustrated when things go wrong. Like I said all I know is my 6 Win XP no longer will fully defrag & my mother-in law called this morning & hers won’t either & she just installed it last night ?? I’m glad for those of you that it did NOT bother & wanting to hear from anyone else having this issue.
Thanks for the replies !
Have you read my post as that shows what I believe is the problem and answer the questions asked by Igor or implied by me in my ramblings.
Start command prompt and run “fsutil usn deletejournal /n ” and restart (probably not needed, but just to be sure). After that try to defragment again.
Mine has no problem also I can confirm it 
See http://www.techsupportforum.com/microsoft-support/windows-xp-support/294668-solved-some-files-volume-could-not-defragmented.html#post1720337, this came as a direct result of a google search on the “Some files on this volume could not be defragmented.” that you posted. MFT fragmentation is high on the list of causes of that message.
There are many hits on that google search and they most certainly all using avast or avast5 in particular as most of them pre-date the release of avast5 anyway.
The info command posted by warlock should also work for you, but there is always a risk involved with this command (it stopped the message for my system), if it is the same as mine in that it relates to MFT fragmentation. Though the command is (fsutil usn deletejournal /n c:) for the c: partition and without the brackets, the restart wasn’t needed.
If that command helps you, then it means the fragmentation is caused by the persistent cache feature. What that command does is, it deletes the USN journal. That is a NTFS feature. It is off by default, but can be enabled by some system functions or by programs that make use of it (in this case avast!). It’s purpose is to log all changes on a disk and make this info accessible to programs. Deleting it is pretty safe, it will never damage your disk, but take note, that it is often used by backup programs and deleting it can cause problems with them, as although the file will be automatically rebuilt, you will lose information about all the changes made before you deleted the file.
Another alternative is to use a defragmentation program that is able to defragment MFT and all the related metadata, you can try Puran Defrag (free for non-commercial use), what you need to run is the Boot Time Defrag.
Interesting thread … I use XP’s own defrag, and typically get that “Some files …” thing at about the 56-58 pct completed mark. If I then view the report, no files or folders are shown, consistent with what others have said here. In fact that’s usually the case even if I Analyze again before looking at the report.
And it’s interesting to see that MFT’s most often the cause. I’ll typically analyze and look at both parts of the report before defragging, just in case I spot something large that I’d forgotten to delete first. And while the percent-used of the MFT may vary quite a bit, without exception it’s always in 3 fragments.
And with 75 pct free space and rarely more than 2 or 3 pct fragmentation, I certainly don’t need to lose any sleep over not getting a “perfect” defrag.
ok i have used Avast fer years
the updated version comes along and i downloaded it ok installed ok
But i cant use it!!!
all providers are off, all protection is off and when requested to “fix” Nothing happens??
am i missing something
i run xp pro sp 3 on a compaq presario lappie never had any probs until now and …erm dont have any protection at the mo
so help is needed urgently
thanks
Did you reboot?
Try Add/Remove programs, choose avast, select “repair” when installer starts.
Reboot.
Firstly I have had fragmented MFT in two of my three partition of my hard disk before installing avast5 and as I said I believe I was getting these notices before avast5. Whilst the persistent cache may well have an impact, though I don’t know exactly how it goes about its task I will leave that to Igor.
The important thing is that this doesn’t stop the completion of a defrag as is being stated as when you do an analysis even after this notice windows defrag confirms 0% fragmentation and this is confirmed by other defrag tools and no files in the list.
Unfortunately the windows defrag isn’t very helpful in this regard by saying exactly what files can’t be defragged, but I certainly don’t consider it a problem as the defrag completed with success on my system.
Thanks for the link and info on Puran Defrag.
I can’t find anything on Puran’s site where it is free for non-commercial use. Do you have a link?
Never mind, I found it. Thanks
It is first a 30 day trial, after that it says you have to register it (in the program installation terms of use), but I don’t know if that registration also requires that you pay. In any case you can at least try it for 30 days.
never had any troubles on different xp machines…
but if ur prob persits, maybe u want to try an alternative defrag.
defraggler is rather good and free - u can even defrag single files. (defraggler.com)
asyn