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Symptoms

When you run the Disk Defragmenter (Defrag.exe) utility on a volume on a computer that's running Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2, the defrag operation fails. Additionally, event ID 257 is logged in the Application log. This event displays a "The parameter is incorrect" error message.

In this case, you may be unable to optimize the volume for space efficiency.

Resolution

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft Support. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, go to the following Microsoft website:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=supportNote The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must be running one of the following operating systems:

  • Windows 8.1

  • Windows Server 2012 R2

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any previously released hotfix.

The English (United States) version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 file information and notesImportant Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows 8.1" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows 8.1" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

  • The files that apply to a specific product, milestone (RTM,SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.

    Version

    Product

    Milestone

    Service branch

    6.3.960 0.16 xxx

    Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2

    RTM

    GDR

  • The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2" section. MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows 8.1

File name

File version

File size

Date

Time

Platform

Defragsvc.dll

6.3.9600.16523

357,888

31-Jan-2014

09:14

x86

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows 8.1 and of Windows Server 2012 R2

File name

File version

File size

Date

Time

Platform

Defragsvc.dll

6.3.9600.16523

449,024

31-Jan-2014

09:24

x64

For all supported ARM-based versions of Windows 8.1

File name

File version

File size

Date

Time

Platform

Defragsvc.dll

6.3.9600.16523

346,624

31-Jan-2014

08:23

Not Applicable

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows 8.1 and for Windows Server 2012 R2

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows 8.1

File name

Package_1_for_kb2929874~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum

File version

Not Applicable

File size

1,812

Date (UTC)

31-Jan-2014

Time (UTC)

23:51

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Package_2_for_kb2929874~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum

File version

Not Applicable

File size

2,040

Date (UTC)

31-Jan-2014

Time (UTC)

23:51

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Package_for_kb2929874_rtm~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum

File version

Not Applicable

File size

2,158

Date (UTC)

31-Jan-2014

Time (UTC)

23:51

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

X86_724935a96a9554ed0ba52c9f9eccafae_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.16523_none_5adbb5e12e190b80.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

699

Date (UTC)

31-Jan-2014

Time (UTC)

23:51

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

X86_microsoft-windows-defrag-core_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.16523_none_ad3e1016d37669b8.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

15,151

Date (UTC)

31-Jan-2014

Time (UTC)

23:51

Platform

Not Applicable

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows 8.1 and of Windows Server 2012 R2

File name

Amd64_29da73f2f1d7639cdea1933a3b275f2d_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.16523_none_84564fcb4d62a1eb.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

703

Date (UTC)

31-Jan-2014

Time (UTC)

23:29

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Amd64_microsoft-windows-defrag-core_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.16523_none_095cab9a8bd3daee.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

15,155

Date (UTC)

31-Jan-2014

Time (UTC)

23:29

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Package_1_for_kb2929874~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum

File version

Not Applicable

File size

1,822

Date (UTC)

31-Jan-2014

Time (UTC)

23:29

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Package_2_for_kb2929874~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum

File version

Not Applicable

File size

2,493

Date (UTC)

31-Jan-2014

Time (UTC)

23:29

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Package_for_kb2929874_rtm~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum

File version

Not Applicable

File size

2,613

Date (UTC)

31-Jan-2014

Time (UTC)

23:29

Platform

Not Applicable

Additional files for all supported ARM-based versions of Windows 8.1

File name

Arm_eff229baaa267cc355ed65a9c4949d46_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.16523_none_00a122241d9baf3a.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

699

Date (UTC)

01-Feb-2014

Time (UTC)

00:09

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Arm_microsoft-windows-defrag-core_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.16523_none_ad40826ed373887e.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

15,151

Date (UTC)

01-Feb-2014

Time (UTC)

00:09

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Package_1_for_kb2929874~31bf3856ad364e35~arm~~6.3.1.0.mum

File version

Not Applicable

File size

1,812

Date (UTC)

01-Feb-2014

Time (UTC)

00:09

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Package_2_for_kb2929874~31bf3856ad364e35~arm~~6.3.1.0.mum

File version

Not Applicable

File size

2,040

Date (UTC)

01-Feb-2014

Time (UTC)

00:09

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Package_for_kb2929874_rtm~31bf3856ad364e35~arm~~6.3.1.0.mum

File version

Not Applicable

File size

2,158

Date (UTC)

01-Feb-2014

Time (UTC)

00:09

Platform

Not Applicable

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

References

Learn about the terminology that Microsoft uses to describe software updates.

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