I have run Norton Disk Doctor (less the surface test) and found no problems. I have also run Norton Win Doctor which, apart fron the usual invalid shortcuts, found one missing file "MAPISRVR.exe" and it could not access a neccessary file "gapi.dll". This appeared to be a problem seeing the NTFS volume and required reinstalling "MAPISRVR.exe" but that also required Outlook to be set as the default mail client. I have no idea what this was all about but I figured it needed fixing anyway and who knows. Did all that and reset Outlook Express as the default and presume that is now fixed. Tried all three defraggers with no change! I have also emailed this info to the nice diskeeper people and I got this reply.....
I know this is counter-intuitive, but I have seen it happen on several occasions; the cause of the problems is disk errors. After you did the fresh format and installation of Windows XP, you should do a chkdsk/r. Yes, you can have existing disk errors on a freshly formatted drive.
In fact, if it was my computer, I would format it with a 6GB C: partition, in which Windows XP is installed, then a 2GB D: for applications, and an E: for everything else. Windows goes on C:, and nothing else that you can put elsewhere. All applications go to D:, data to E:. Temporary Internet Files go to E:. EVERYTHING that can be put elsewhere is moved off of C:. The reason is that most file corruption occurs on writing, so the less you write to a drive, the less chance of corruption. Minimize the writing to C:, and you minimize the chance of having to rebuild.
6GB may seem large for C:, but Windows XP includes the System Restore feature, which can use a lot of disk space if you don't limit it. END OF MESSAGE
So what do you guys think, should I invest in upgrading from Partition Magic 6 to 7 and do some carving? I think I'll try the safe mode angle first