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Question
Can defrag lose or delete a file?
Working with an XP Pro SP3 system with QuickBooks Pro 2007. We have two company files which for purposes of this question we will call CompanyA.QBW and CompanyB.QBW.
In the last 4 weeks we have had two instances in which the CompanyB file has disappeared from the system. We have managed to recover it from backups on both occasions, but had to recreate all entries for a full day.
We have checked our anti-virus (AVG) - the logs show nothing being found and quarantined or deleted during the time windows in question... and nothing is in the virus vault.
Recycle bin has files dated prior to and after the "time window"... but no signs of the CompanyB file. So accidentally deletion is not a possibility unless someone did Shift-Del, which is unlikely by accident.
The machine has only one user who has worked with QuickBooks for years.
Desktop cleanup wizard was set for 60 days... we have now deactivated it, but the files and icons are used on a weekly basis... and the company files are not keep on the desktop.
There are no other defensive programs on this machine (i.e. that may give a false positive), except for windows firewall.
Event logs show that in one case .net updates were run during the time window when the file disappeared. In both cases, a defrag was likely run.
I have never seen a defrag delete a file... but that is the only common thread so far. Oddly, the CompanyA file has been stable through out all this. It is only the CompanyB file that is doing the disappearing act.
Any suggestions or insights are most welcome.
Tomster2
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Answers
Sometimes a scandisk/chkdsk is called before the defrag occurs.
I'd be suspicious of saying that's the cause but I'd keep an open mind. What I would do is scan the disk for errors. You can grab a disk util from the hard disk manufacturer or grab the UBCD http://www.ultimatebootcd.
Download links are the icons at the top of the page above Overview. Browse the page and see what utils are there for you. Check the memory and hard disk utils especially.
If the defrag program uses standard windows api calls, then no, a file being defragged won't disapear. Using windows api calls to defrag simply instructs a certain block to be moved to another location, and microsoft made it so that it would be completelly safe.
Now, it all depends on the defrag program used, it may contain a bug or an issue that makes it pottentially hazardous in some situations.
We are using MS built-in defrag.
The second time the file disappeared, it was the same day we performed a check for disk errors (from the tools menu for C:\) and a defrag.
On the first "disappearance" all three files associated with the company file were gone. The second time only the QBW file was gone.
This week, I set Quickbooks to automatically create backups each time it closed... did a backup and ran check disk and defrag again... and the files remained in place.
The QuickBooks files for the other company have been unscathed throughout this mystery.
So it appears it is something other than defrag or check disk - but stiill unknown.
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by: johnb6767Posted on 2009-03-25 at 08:46:56ID: 23980921
Normally, it will not delete the file from the old location until it is verified that it has been moved successuflly. If there is a power outage/or something to disrupt the working system, then sure, I would see it as possible....
How To Enable Security Auditing in Windows XP Pro
http://netsecurity.about.c
I would do this for the QB folder, to see if you can get anything good to help further troubleshoot....