Disk Defragmenter Schedule- Turn On or Off

How to Turn the Windows 7 Disk Defragmenter Schedule On or Off​

   Information

This will show you how to turn the Disk Defragmenter schedule on or off to allow it to run automatically in Windows 7 or not. Disk Defragmenter is set to run on a automatic schedule by default in Windows 7.

   Note

The Disk Deframenter .exe file is located at C:\Windows\System32\dfrgui.exe.

   Warning

Solid State Drives (SSD) do not need to be defragmented. Doing so may shorten the lifespan of the SSD drive.

Disk Defragmenter will show all disks including SSDs. If you have the Disk Defragmenter schedule turned on, then be sure to check that the SSD has been excluded (unchecked).

Here's How:

1. Open the Start Menu, and click on All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and Disk Defragmenter. (See screenshot below)


A) Go to step 3.
OR

2. Open the Start Menu, then type dfrgui into the search line and press Enter.

3. To Turn On the Disk Defragmenter Schedule
NOTE: If you have a SSD, then check and make sure that any SSD installed has been excluded (unchecked).
A) Click on the Turn on schedule button. (See screenshot below)

B) If prompted by UAC, click on Yes (if administrator) or type in administrator's password (if standard user).

C) Check the Run on a Schedule box. (See screenshot below)

D) Choose the frequency, day, time, and disks to be used for the schedule. (See screenshot above)

E) Go to step 5.
4. To Turn Off the Disk Defragmenter Schedule
A) Click on the Configure schedule button. (See screenshot below)

B) If prompted by UAC, click on Yes (if administrator) or type in administrator's password (if standard user).

C) Uncheck the Run on a Schedule box. (See screenshot below)

5. Click on OK. (See screenshot above or below step 3C)

6. Click on the Close button. (See screenshot below step 3A or 4A)


That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Use Windows 7 Disk Defragmenter
• How to Run Disk Check in Windows 7
• How to Add Defragment to Context Menu in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Check and Enable or Disable SSD TRIM Support in Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[Brink]

Is that ok? I have Corsair Force GT 120GB, but i see that schedule doesn't defragment my ssd, so i don't need to turn off schedule, right? Sorry for my bad english

Hello hibernate, and welcome to Seven Forums.

That would be correct. As long as it's not set to defrag your SSD, then it's perfectly fine to leave the schedule turned on if you like to defrag your other HDDs.

 

[hibernate]

Thank you for the fast answer and for the welcome

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Shawn this is my new laptop and as soon as I click on the defrag in system tools it disappears and I am not sure what it is doing - is there a registry way of doing this please?

 

[Brink]

Hey John,

Is this for a SSD or HDD? You wouldn't want to defrag a SSD.

Does it Disk Defragmenter run if you run the dfrgui.exe file directly instead?

 

[omidsolo]

Thanks Brink, actually I need to disable the Disk Defragmenter Schedule CheckBox via registry!
Do you know which registry key to modify?
Please advise.
Cheers.

 

[Brink]

Hello omidsolo,

I'm afraid that I don't know a registry option.

 

[DjDiabolik]

mmmmmmmm.... from default the defrag schedule it's setted every week............ if i change and set every months or i disable directly which this can cause problems ? I don't have a hd SSD but i have a 500GB SATA2 whit 3 partition (C D and E)... i need also to set this defrag schedule for all 3 partition ?
What's you can suggest ?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

mmmmmmmm.... from default the defrag schedule it's setted every week............ if i change and set every months or i disable directly which this can cause problems ? I don't have a hd SSD but i have a 500GB SATA2 whit 3 partition (C D and E)... i need also to set this defrag schedule for all 3 partition ?
What's you can suggest ?

I'd set it to defrag all 3 of your partitions once a week or once a month.

Most likely, you will never notice the difference.

You can choose "analyze" and get an idea of the defragmentation percentage any time you want.

I defragment once a week on an automated schedule and my fragmentation percentage is usually zero and never above 7 or 8 percent.

I have not done a manual defragmentation in 5 or 6 years.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

mmmmmmmm.... from default the defrag schedule it's setted every week............ if i change and set every months or i disable directly which this can cause problems ? I don't have a hd SSD but i have a 500GB SATA2 whit 3 partition (C D and E)... i need also to set this defrag schedule for all 3 partition ?
What's you can suggest ?

Unless I am wrong my friend the defrag will do the whole disk and why are you so concerned a bout it defragging every week. If it were me with a spinner then I would leave it at that - my reasoning being that leave it for long periods and the defragging becomes a lengthy process and yes who is to say it might not cause problems.

If you go into settings for it you can set the defrag to work overnight if that is what is bothering you.

 

[AddRAM]

You should be defragging manually, not relying on a schedule.

 

[mjf]

I have Windows disk defragmenter turned on and run on a weekly schedule. My 2 SSDs are automatically excluded and only my 2 HDDs (3 partitions) are included in the option list. The HDDs have 0% fragmentation so I just let Windows do its thing.

 

[mjf]

I have Windows disk defragmenter turned on and run on a weekly schedule. My 2 SSDs are automatically excluded and only my 2 HDDs (3 partitions) are included in the option list. The HDDs have 0% fragmentation so I just let Windows do its thing.

One annoying thing I notice is that my SSDs do not appear in the schedule list only the HDDs. The non operating system SSD has never had a defrag run. BUT my OS SSD C: does show that it is having weekly defrags even though it isn't in the "Configure Schedule" list. I don't know what's going on here

If I turn off scheduled defrag then I think I'd need to manually defrag the HDDs.

 

[Brink]

Hey Michael,

Technically, SSDs should only be trimmed instead of defragged.

If you haven't already, you might check to make sure that TRIM support is enabled for SSDs.

TRIM Support for SSD - Check and Enable or Disable

 

[Layback Bear]

When I did have a combination of SSD and hard drives I did manual defrag's of the hard drives only.

I know of know SSD manufacture that want their SSD's defraged.

Jack

 

[mjf]

TRIM is enabled and I don't want Windows to defrag my SSD C: drive.
Only my HDDs are listed in the scheduled list. My C: SSD drive is not listed in the scheduled defrag list but is being defragged. I have another SSD also not in the list and is not being defragged.

I'm happy to have Windows defrag the HDDs (only) on a schedule and not have to do it manually.

So why is Windows treating C: like it was included in the scheduled defrag list?

 

[Brink]

Most likely it's automatic maintenance including the system drive.

 

[mjf]

I think you're correct here Brink.
I think a Norton Admin setting is defragging the boot drive. Under Norton Administrative settings turn "Idle time optimizer" off. It appears you need to do this even if you uncheck the obvious Task scheduling>automatic tasks>Disk optimization.

If you choose to use Norton Security and have an SSD boot drive then I suggest you turn the Idle time optimizer off.

 

[Brink]

Thank you for posing back with your findings Michael.