Mitch,I plan to board ASAP, lol. Running a dxdiag on my system reports: MS WinXP Pro (5.1 Build 2600). The Dell restore discs are labeled WinXP MCE 2005, yet system properties shows XP MCE v2002.....?? I don't ever remember upgrading to XP2 on this puter, saying that is was pre-installed.Weird, huh? I thought I had better ask a pro first...Stacy

That one is strange but it appears to me since you said this was preinstalled the patches are slipstreamed into the install disk and therefore the HAL and other files will correctly register during a Windows reinstall.If the disk was labeled 2002 I would then question and advise not to do it however in this case I think you are OK. All the indications point to the fact that the disk is already updated.Now, I am assuming the disk is not mislabeled too.Remember, even if everything checks out and you were not on a Dell and were using a brand new SP2 install disk, things can go wrong in any tweak situation.I would never post something without warnings that I thought would not ever be an issue.. and for most it is not, however I can not promise no problems with any tweak list for everyone. No one can.make sure you back up anything critical just in case.. you should do that regardless. Tweaking is never perfectly safe.

>Stacy, I don't have XP(MCE) but do have XP Pro SP2>installed.>>Until Nick answers your direct question, I just wanted you to>know that with XP Pro, the tune-up is the best next thing to>sliced bread.>>I hope that you can indeed do it. The XP Tune-Up has really>pushed back the need to go out and buy another whole computer>system as really, my Dell XPS Gen 3 P3.4GHz, 3 meg of RAM,>ATI256 meg X1950Pro vid, Sound blaster Extreme...does the>trick at a median of 18 FPS for FSX-Plus and over 30 FPS>constant when using FS9-Plus>>I hope you can climb on-board the 'Tuned' party boat. :)>>Cheers,>>Mitch--------------------------Sorry, a slight typo: Correction Pent4, not Pent3 system. Sorry. :(

Really? this is what I had in email today....Dear Mr Owings,thank you for your email. There are no changes in the functionality betweenO&O Defrag 8 and O&O Defrag 10. What exactly do you miss?Best regards / Mit freundlichen Gruessen--Brigitte Nill My query to them yesterday evening:After downloading and purchasing a license for version 10, I've realized that> I no longer have the functionality that I had with the 8.5 version. Is there> ANY way possible that you can issue me a downgrade key for version 8.5? I> really prefer to use it, as version 10 just isn't what I expected it to be.> > Thank you for your time,> > E.N.Owingsso now what? You guys are telling me one thing, and the company is telling me another...

Nick,Thanks for the info. I forgot to point out that I had already installed O&O defrag and made one pass. The puter still works, so I guess I'm okay, lol.The Dell restore discs are labeled: WinXP MCE 2005 with Update Rollup 2 (whatever that means).System Properties shows: MS WinXP MCE ver 2002 Service Pack 2andDXDIAG shows: MS WinXP Pro (5.1 Build 2600).That IS confusing :-zhelp . I'll give it a go...Thanks for your help.Stacy

Hi Nick,"I bet you may be seeing some real differences."I'm sorry to say I am seeing some real differences and that's why I'm having to type this on my wife's PC :(I decided to give O&O ver. 8.5 a go and, for a time, all seemed well after carefully running through your detailed instructions and having fully optimized C: (20GB primary partition).Booting did seem faster and operations in Windows seemed generally nippier, although they weren't at all bad prior to using O&O.I then turned my attention to D: the second and only other partition on my main SATAII 250GB drive. This contains all my applications, games and simulations and currently the remaining free space on this partition is around 85GB.Everything seemed to be proceeding as it did while following your step-by step instructions for C: to the letter. Then came the reboot following the second COMPLETENAME defrag and this time the system took ages to return to the desktop with the following problems now being evident:1. I cannot access the Taskbar - there is a thin blue strip at the foot of the screen, but it won't pop up. I am able to right-click on this blue strip and select 'Properties'. Unchecking 'Auto-hide' makes no difference.2. Checking the Task Manager I see only 20 of 32 processes have loaded.3. Internet Explorer won't run, but I can access other programs via their shortcuts on the desktop. Outlook Express works and I've been able to download a few e-mails.During the boot I note that there is a long delay of 30+ seconds at the Windows screen. The Desktop background loads and then there is another long delay (with no hard drive activity) before the Desktop icons and system tray items load. I know, e.g., that AVG is loading as I see a popup telling me that the e-mail scanner is in an error state. Ati Tray Tools also loads as I hear adjustments to the speed of the GPU's fan.I have been able to reboot via the Task Manager and have run DSKCHKs on D: (okay) and C: The check on C: turned up the following issues:1. 3 messages appeared advising that it was deleting index entries (128, "")2. Then came a lengthy list of lines stating that it was Replacing invalid security id's with default security ids for each file. I watched it for a while and I think it terminated before rebooting around 40K + files.So, currently my system is barely useable with several processes failing to load with Windows and booting is now taking an unacceptable length of time to complete. I am assuming this is because Windows is now having difficulty locating certain files.At this point I should say that my PC is not a Dell, it's a self build and has given flawless service for the past couple of years.I would appreciate any thoughts you may have as to how I can extricate myself from this situation. Windows has not crashed so far and I have seen no BSODs.Windows does load into SAFE MODE, albeit very slowly, but the Taskbar problems remain the same. All the drivers seem to be loading normally up to and including Mup.sys so there ain't anything wrong with my HD.Would it be reasonable to try the Last Known Good Configuration or System Restore? How do I run the latter without access to my Programs menu or the Command line? I suspect these may be non-starters because it looks to me that O&O may have corrupted the MFT in some way.I would like to continue using O&O if it's at all possible, but if the only way out of this is to restore my system from backups then it would seem a bit pointless to pursue this route again.Fingers crossed you will have an answer.Regards,Mike

==============================================Hi BrigitteWhen O&O version 10 runs a COMPLETENAME defrag it leave space in the sectors between the files and does not compact them closely together. That is fine, however if a SPACE defrag is run for any reason it fills in those gaps left by the COMPLETENAME defrag and makes the original defrag, uselessO&O v8 and 8.5 COMPLETENAME defrag compacts the space between the files and therefore a SPACE defrag run as regular maintenance does not hinder or remove the advantages of a COMPLETENAME defrag.Also, by allowing free space to exist in sectors between files as the v10 NAME defrag allows, it lets a hard drive fragment faster by letting that free space fill up. Caches that are simply temp areas take up space in the critical file zone instead of collecting at the end of the data block, etc.The fact that the slack sector space is present in version 10 makes the title useless for my needs. I prefer version 8.5 which functions within the specifications I require.E.N.Owings============================try that... good luck, I have tried to explain it to them until I am blue in the face and fingers are raw.

In this case I do not think it is an O&O issue and I will explain whyThere are thousands of people who use this process and out of all of the reports I have seen about O&O, not one of them that was a

:-doh ,Thank you Nick. At first I felt embarrassed but after seeing your explanation, I have to admit, the subject matter is in fact over my head. I can grasp what is happening, but do not understand the workings as you do. I sent a reply email to them, using your post. I humbly thank you for helping my dumbazz. I'm usually the "helper" here in my life, so it feels really weird being the "helped". Thanks again. I'll keep you posted of any replies I recieve.

Hey Normin life, what goes around comes aroundtake a break and dont consider yourself a dumbazz. Your just being helped a little for a change.:)

Hi Nick,Thanks for responding so promptly.Chkdsk C: /R is running on C: as I type.Can I suggest we move this to the MS Flight Simulator Hardware Discussion Forum? I've taken the liberty of copying your first response to save you the trouble.This thread is already very lengthy and I don't want to add to it needlessly.Regards,Mike

After running the disk check /repair (unless you aready have) Check something for me please. You said the taskbar is not accessable.The only way I can see that happening is if explorer.exe is not running or is damagedCTRL-ALT-DELWhen the task manager appears, File menu, select New Task (Run) type:explorerand press OK. That should restart explorer and display the taskbar.After that, if still no task bar, try CTRL+ESC and see if the bar or the START menu appearspost back the results

Hello GuysNick, I truly hope you get your rewards before as well as after 'moving on'. You're a star of the highest magnetude sir!I would like to ask a question re the the 'old Dell SP1' issue...The last time I tried with your list, at least a year ago from SimV I think, that problem happend to me. I think it was after rebooting from offilne defrag. However, I do not own a Dell PC. I built the PC from only high quality parts. My Windows XP-Pro CD however, is only marked as SP1a, although at the time, I had installed SP2.Once Windows has been upgraded with SP2 or SP3, should the O/S then be in a suitable condition for applying your list?Many thanks

The primary conditions that indicates a safe environment for use of the defrag is that WindowsXP was installed using either a genuine WindowsXP SP2 disk or a slipstreamed WindowsXP SP2 disk that was created at least 6-9 months after SP2 was web released. Installing Xp from a SP1, SP1a and applying the SP2 patch it is recommended the defrag not be used. Also, older SP2 slipstreamed disks may still present a problem if the disk was produced right after SP2 was initially released.Those are the only issues/conditions I am aware of. Dell systems were more susceptible than any other however the issue was not completely limited to Dell. Also, not everyone who used the web update Sp2 process will have problems however it is best not to use the defrag software if your system falls under that criteria.I can not promise anyone that they will not have any problems at all. Out of the thousands that use and try that method there are bound to be conditions whereby criteria is met for incompatibilities or system components may fail. Tweaking and performance tuning is never totally safe.most however will not see anything but performance gains.

REQUIRED READING1. If you read the thread very carefully you will find that if you make the registry edits but do not use the defrag, the defrag solution you are using will most likely fragment the drive WORSE2. The results being worse I would question your entire system and what may be running in the background, none the less... without the defrag being run you should not use the registry edits.3. I am not going to tell you everything will be fine... the ODDS are you are good to go and will have no problems if the WindowsXP CD is in fact an GENUINE SP2 install disk. However, tweaking is YOUR responsibility, not mine and although thousands use that method without any issues at all, tweaking a computer is never completely "safe"Always back up any critical data and make sure you can recover in the event of a problem.. that is a given in this day and age even if you are simply trying to do mild FSB clocking, or, something as simple as change or add hardware to a system. Even hardware vendors tell you to back up and make sure you can recover before changing parts our upgrading certain things.I have seen motherboard driver upgrades over the years kill more systems than that list and they usually come with backup warnings too.In that, I don