ATT prevents offline defrag in Windows 7

Hey I spent the better part of 2 days installing and reinstalling components on windows 7. I have isolated the problem to ATT. It seems a driver for ATT prevents exclusive boot time access to the main C: drive on Win7 RC. This prevents any offline defrags. This did not occur on WinXP. Any theories on this Ray?

Any manual edits I can do to solve this???

This issue is likely similar to the issue defrag programs had with daemon tools and alcohol, basically the driver is loading before the defrag program and prevents exclusive access by defrag.sys file. This was solved with an updated sptd.sys file a couple years back.

Also note, I have already set ATT to NOT load with windows, so that will not solve the problem.

 

Uhmmm I was having exactly the same issue, but I didn't give it so much importance. Now I know what was causing it.

Hope Ray will fix it

 

And how did you fins that this is ATT related problem?

 

How could it do that when offline defrag is performed before the OS loads?

 

As I explained above. I have systematically gone to a clean install and installed programs 1 by 1 to isolate the problem. Only ATT prevents defrag programs from gaining exclusive acess to the harddrive. As stated above it is likely due to a driver loading before it should in the windows boot process.

This seems to be new to win7, but won't likely change. If you need any file, I'll send it your way.

Offline defrags are not performed completely outside of windows. Rather they allow windows to load a certian portion to create the right enviroment for access to drives, but before windows has locked any files or loaded drivers. If drivers from 3rd part manufacturers call for their driver to load before the defrag, then the offline defrag can't have it's "clean" enviroment and thus cannot be performed.

 

I don't think this is ATT's driver. And because I never use any defrag application even internal one, I don't think Im going to check it. ATT's internal driver has nothing to do with drives.

 

The issue is not with drives, but with the drivers loading too soon.

Any chance you could look into this? Would be really nice to have att work with defrag programs on win7.

 

Can you prove it?

 

No, I can prove that it is something with ATT, but not the exact cause. I can test that with it uninstalled offline defrag works and when it is installed it doesn't work.

I know the likely cause by looking at other issues in the past that have caused this, such as early lodaing of sptd.sy by daemon or alcohol 120% and extrapolate that that may also be the issue here. But I am a med student, not a programmer, thus why I was hoping for some help.

 

If you boot without Windows logo, a list of drivers is loaded is showed BEFORE the offline defrag process is started. You can see amongst them the ati tray tools driver.

 

Thanks XibaD. Guess there is the proof. Any way to fix this?

Like I said, I love ATT and don't want to switch, but need to be able to defrag.

 

Jesus Mary & Joseph - G3D really should start doing competency checks on new members.:wanker:







A simple boot debug will tell you what drivers are being loaded at boot.:wanker:

It still doesn't prove anything. Have you even checked the Event Log?

 

If you have 64 bit W7 ATT has no boot driver, but if you have 32 bit atitray.sys will be loaded at boot timer as well as ten other drivers. Open device manager, select View->Show hidden devices. Find atitray.sys in Non-plug & play drivers, double click on it and select startup type to manual or even disabled. Check your defrag after that.

 

Apropriate use of the "wanker" face. Seriously, we showed proof enough in my opinion. If you want to be helpful and suggest something that would be awesome. If you want to be critical and offer no assistance, please go to someone else's thread and be a "wanker". Really no point to your presence here.

I'd likely pass any reasonable test about overclocking or system building, sorry I am not a programmer, I am just a dumb med student. Please learn empathy and kindness. Thanks.

If you actually feel like being helpful, why don't you tell me how to look at event log in windows 7 and what I might want to look for.

Not entirely clear on what you mean, but I am running 64 bit version. Anything I can show you to help solve this?

When setting it to manual or disabled, is there a way to still have it load but later in the load process? Possibly task scheduler?

I'll re-install ATT now and see what I see under Non-plug and play devices.

Thanks for you help Ray.

 

Definately sill need help here Ray. I re-installed ATT into Win7x64. As you said, no atitray.sys are seen under Non-Plug and Play devices. And of course I can no longer offline defrag.

Any logs I could send you so we can track this down?

 

So this is not ATTs fault at all! ATT has nothing to load with Windows in 64 bit version!

 

This is the only thing installed so it MUST be the cause. Whether install changes reg files or there is a driver loaded, I don't know, but I know ATT is the cause. Not trying to begrudge your work, which I absolutely love, but it is definately ATT. I am willing to send anything that will help, just let me know.

 

Did it look like my post was in reply to you?

No.

 

Where can I download that offline mighty defrag?
If after testing I find nothing , this thread will be closed.

 

Try PerfectDisk, Diskeeper or whatever defrag program with the offline defrag feature.

I personally use PD.