Use the Scheduler. Start - Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Scheduled Tasks. Drop Defrag into the schedular and tell it when.

Doesn't that just start the defrag program and not actually defrag? I was under the impression that I needed to use switches when I launch it. I can try using the task scheduler again, but when I tried it a few months ago I had no success. Maybe there was something I missed.

You're right. Looked it up and plain as day, it says that it cannot be automated. I use O&O Defrag 2000. http://www.oosoft.de/english/products/oodefragv4/index.html
It has a scheduler built into it. It is a free download. If you buy it, it gives you more flexibility in defragmenting by date, access, name, etc. But the free download has pretty much everything built in it. I don't work for these folks.
Sorry for the bad info.

I wouldn't recommend using Microsoft's Defrag program. It takes so long that one job won't finish before the next week comes along.
 
Ok, so maybe I exaggerated, but not by much. I'd suggest using Norton Speed Disk or Executive Software's Diskkeeper.
 
If you insist on using Microsoft's Defrag utility, go to Windows Help and open the topic "Defrag." The switches are listed under that topic in Windows XP, and I would assume the same for Win2k.

Oops, I was wrong. To schedule Windows Defrag in Win2k, go to the program. Then go to the Action menu, and click Set It and Forget It.

You just need to create a batch file with this line in it:
defrag c: /v >defrag_c.log
It will automatically run the defragmenter in console mode and will log any text output to the file after ">"
 
Otherwise Norton Speedisk is much better.

The only way to "schedule" the Windows 2000 built-in defragmenter is to write a script that simulates launching dfrg.msc and clicking on the appropriate buttons. Windows 2000's defrag doesn't include a command line defrag like Windows XP does so it's a lot harder to automate.
 
The built-in defragmenter is also quite limited in the files that it is able to defragment. I can't defragment directories on FATx partitions, the pagefile, the hibernate file and the metadata on NTFS partitions. The built-in defragmenter (just like it's commercial cousin Diskeeper) also may require more than 1 pass to perform an adequate defrag of files. The built-in defragmenter (just like it's commercial cousin Diskeeper) also requires that you have at least 20% free space in order to defragment. The built-in defragmenter (just like it's commercial cousin Diskeeper) also doesn't do a really good job of consoli[censored] free space - which means that the partition will re-fragment quicker (requiring more frequent defrag passes, etc...).
 
Fortunately, there are other options available than the built-in defragmenter:
 
* PerfectDisk - www.raxco.com. Certified for Windows 2000 Workstation and Server
* Diskeeper - www.execsoft.com. Certified for Windows 2000 Workstation and Server
* O&O Defrag - www.oo-defrag.com
* Defrag Commander - www.winternals.com. Certified for Windows 2000 Server
* Vopt - www.goldenbow.com
* SpeedDisk (part of SystemWorks) - www.symantec.com
* Ontrack FixIt Suite - www.ontrack.com
 
All of the above defrag products offer easier scheduling. They do, however, differ in the amount of free space required (1 will work with as little as 5% - others range from 10-20%), the ability to defrag the pagefile (not all have this ability), the ability to defrag the hibernate file (not all have this ability), the ability to defragment the MFT (not all have this ability), the abilty to defragment the remainder of the NTFS metadata (only 1 has this ability), free space consolidation (some do it well, others don't), the use of Microsoft's defrag APIs (all but SpeedDisk do), etc...
 
- Greg/Raxco Software
 
Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility and a competitor to the defrag products named above, as a systems engineer in the support department.

The best program i have used is Diskeeper 7. It has all the options of the crippled Win2k version, and more like set it and forget it, and options like that. Ive used SpeedDisk before and didnt like it much, and i have used the defragmenter with OnTrack's System Suite 4.0 and it isnt as good as Diskeeper. SpeedDisk can't defragment the MFT either, where Diskeeper can, also SpeedDisk doesnt have "Frag-Guard" technology that helps keep your drives fragment free.

"SpeedDisk can't defragment the MFT either, where Diskeeper can, also SpeedDisk doesnt have "Frag-Guard" technology that helps keep your drives fragment free."
 
Because SpeedDisk doesn't use Microsoft's defrag APIs (provided as part of the operating system), SpeedDisk is able to defragment the $MFT online - not requiring a boot time defrag. That is why there is no boot time defrag capability with SpeedDisk. When you run SpeedDisk - it will ALWAYS defragment the $MFT - you have no option to tell SpeedDisk to NOT do it.
 
All FragGuard does is to monitor the fragmentation level of the pagefile and $MFT and if it exceeds a certain number of fragments, will automatically schedule Diskeeper to perform a boot time defrag on these files. FragGuard does NOT help prevent fragmentation from occuring in non-$MFT/pagefile files.
 
- Greg/Raxco Software
 
Disclaimer: I work for Raxco Software, the maker of PerfectDisk - a commercial defrag utility and a competitor to Diskeeper, as a systems engineer in the support department.