Answer Line
Your questions on: lost clusters, Windows' StartUp sequence, diagnosing a sluggish PC.Lincoln Spector
Norton Utilities keeps telling me that I've got lost clusters. Why do I keep getting them?
Dave Knowles, Calgary, Alberta
Windows manages files by dividing your hard drive into small sections called clusters. Each file uses one or more clusters to store data, and Windows tracks all the clusters in use. Each cluster in use is associated with a single file. Windows knows not to allow a file to put new data in clusters currently associated with another file. By contrast, when you delete a file, its clusters become available again.
A lost cluster (which is also known as a lost file fragment) appears to Windows as in use, but it does not have a file associated with it. Programs such as ScanDisk and Norton Disk Doctor find and fix lost clusters.
What causes lost clusters? Crashes, mostly--by Windows and by applications. If a program crashes while it is creating, copying, or enlarging a file, some of the file's clusters may not be re-marked as available--even though the file that the clusters are associated with no longer uses or needs them. That leaves clusters marked as in use, but with no files or other clusters pointing to them.
A loose or defective drive cable can also cause lost clusters by creating bad sectors within clusters. If your system and applications don't crash often but you still end up with lost clusters, try removing your PC's case and checking the ribbon cables running between the drives and the motherboard. I know of no way a bad drive by itself could cause lost clusters, however.
In theory, you could lose clusters by defragging your drive while running other applications, although today's defraggers make that unlikely. Still, it's safer to defragment your hard drive with no other programs open.
When a disk scanner finds a lost cluster, it gives you two options: Save the contents of the cluster as a file so you can look at it and decide if you need it, or mark the cluster as unused to free up wasted disk space.
The safest option is to save the contents as a file, but I have never found anything worth saving in a lost cluster, and I stopped saving them years ago. They virtually always contain extra copies of information that is safely stored elsewhere on the drive.
Control the StartUp Menu Sequence
I want to keep some programs in my StartUp menu from starting until others have finished loading. How can I control the sequence of commands in the Start, Programs, StartUp menu?
Kelvin D. Luong, Garden Grove, California
Because StartUp loads everything at once, the biggest program will be last to finish no matter the preset order; there's no way to change the order in the StartUp menu itself. Here are two solutions: One creates a batch file; the other costs $20.
First, the batch-file method: Start by launching Notepad, then select Start, Run, type c:\windows\start menu\programs\startup, and press Enter to show the contents of your StartUp menu in a folder window.
Right-click the shortcut for the program you want to load first and select Properties. Make sure that the Shortcut tab is selected in the Properties dialog box (it should be the default selection), and that the contents of the Target field are highlighted. Press Ctrl-C to copy the contents to the clipboard, then press Esc to close the dialog box. In Notepad, press Ctrl-V to insert the command as the first line of the batch file, then press Enter.
If you want a program to run undisturbed until it finishes and closes, add the command start /w to the beginning of the line. For instance, to make sure that nothing else is running while ScanDisk automatically checks your hard drive, use the command start /w scandskw.exe c: /n (don't forget to put a space before each forward slash). Repeat the process for every icon in the menu, giving each its own line in the batch file.
If you simply want to give a program enough time to load before the next one starts, insert a pause: Place the command choice /n /t:y,xx--where xx is the number of seconds (such as choice /n /t:y,30 for a 30-second pause)--on a line by itself between the other two commands. This command will pause the system until you indicate that you want to proceed, or for 30 seconds if it receives no response.
On the bottom of the batch file, start a new line and enter the command cls. Make sure there is nothing--not even a blank line--after it. Save it as c:\windows\start menu\programs\startup\startup.bat. Open the file, and if it works, remove all other icons from your StartUp folder.
The $20 solution is Cool Bay Software's Auto Start Manager shareware, which lets you drag shortcuts from the StartUp menu (or elsewhere) into the program, set program load order, and select all sorts of options. Delay a program's execution by seconds or days, launch it only with a certain hardware configuration or on particular days of the week, or make one program wait until its predecessor is done loading. You can get Auto Start Manager from our Downloads library.
Suddenly Sluggish Computer
My 18-month-old PC has become sluggish...like it's sleepy. Sometimes it takes 10 to 15 seconds for a folder to open. I've run ScanDisk, defragged, and looked everywhere I can think of, but I can't find the problem. Any suggestions?
Dave Fraser, Bensalem, Pennsylvania
Well, you've already done the first thing I would have advised: Defragment your hard drive. Those who haven't defragged within the last couple of weeks should do so by going to Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter. But what, besides fragmentation, can slow down your system over time?
The problem could be software you've recently added. Many Windows programs load parts of themselves every time you boot, slowing down your system. See my August 2000 column for tips on how to find out what is and is not loading.
Another possibility is a virus. Update your virus scanner and do a fresh scan. If you're on a network, there may be a problem with your network card or configuration. Ask an administrator to review your settings.
There's one last place to look for a clue. Right-click My Computer, select Properties, and choose the Performance tab in the System Properties dialog box. The last words in the Performance status box should be "Your system is configured for optimal performance." If they don't appear, you'll see a description of your problem.
Share Desktop Settings
I use multiple computers, all of which are used by several people, but we don't like each other's desktop settings. Can I transfer my settings to another computer and easily switch between my settings and someone else's?
Ryan Morse, Oceanside, California
You want to create and distribute desktop themes. A number of programs will let you do this, but I recommend the Desktop Architect freeware. You can download Desktop Architect from our Downloads library or from the program's author, Ken Foster.
Windows doesn't install desktop themes by default. Windows 98 users can install themes from the Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs applet. The "official" way for Windows 95 users to add themes is to buy Microsoft Plus 95--no easy feat, since the program is no longer sold. After you install Desktop Architect, you'll be able use, save, and distribute themes.
To save your current settings as a theme, launch Desktop Architect and select File, Save. Select a location and give the file a name. Now you've got a theme, but unless its wallpaper, sounds, fonts, and other files all come with Windows, simply transferring your theme file to another computer won't work. You have to transfer all the other files it uses as well.
That's where Desktop Architect beats Windows 98's own Themes tool. To bring all the files together, select Tools, Package. A wizard will walk you through the creation of either a.zip or an.exe file for putting the individual files your theme requires in the right place. I recommend creating an.exe file for easy distribution.
The target computer will have to support Desktop Themes, whether via Windows 98, Plus 95, or Desktop Architect. To add your own theme, run the.exe file you created in Desktop Architect, then right-click your desktop, select Properties, click the Themes tab, and select your theme from the pull-down menu.
One final note: Switching back and forth between themes is easiest if you have put them all in the same folder. By default, that folder should be C:\Program Files\Plus\Themes.
Free Folder Encryption
In my October 2000 column, I recommended either a zip program or Encrypted Magic Folders for encrypting the contents of a folder. Bruce Stephenson of Tampa recommends an excellent alternative: Nick Payne's free Cryptext utility. It's not as convenient as Encrypted Magic Folders--you have to remember to re-encrypt the files after you decrypt them--but its 160-bit key encryption is hard to beat. You can get Cryptext from our Downloads library or from the author's site.
Send questions to answer@pcworld.com. Answer Line pays $50 for published items. Read Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector's humorous writing at The Link Inspector.