- Defragmenting is a process that takes blocks of data and puts them next to related blocks, organizing free space and certain file types together. When you save files or programs on your computer, parts of them may be saved anywhere there is open space on the hard drive; when the computer needs them, it locates and reassembles the fragments in the correct order. When you defragment the hard drive, the computer undertakes an intricate process of reorganizing the hard drive's space so that the fragments of files or programs are as close together as possible. This increases the computer's efficiency when retrieving information.
- Defragmenting your hard drive organizes your files, making them easier for your computer to find the relevant data when you want to open a file. This process doesn't increase the speed of your processor, but it does makes data more efficiently accessible, which means your computer is likely to be faster opening programs and files.
- Scheduling defragmentation on a regular basis will help keep your computer's files organized and could help stave off the slowdown that inevitably occurs as your computer ages. The frequency with which you need to defragment your computer depends on the amount of data you have stored on the computer and how much maintenance you want to carry out. The Speed up my PC Tips website recommends defragmenting your computer at least once per month, and says it's not a process you need to perform every day.
- The longer you postpone defragmenting your computer, the longer it will take to defragment, and the less effect it will have on improving your computer's performance. if you wait two years between buying your computer and running the first defragmentation, you may have to leave your computer running the process overnight, and you might find that it doesn't improve the running speed very much. Defragmentation is most effective when you start doing it early in your computer's life and run the process on a regular schedule.
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