Disk Defragmenting: Tips and Benefits

Before the advent of modern "one-click" solutions for computer problems, one of the most common troubleshooting techniques for a slow computer was disk defragmentation. Because of the advancement of technology (greater storage sizes, faster processors, more capable batteries, etc.), many people no longer think that defragmentation is necessary. However, the truth is that a lot of the common computer issues that we encounter can be resolved by this simple process.

In order to understand how defragmentation helps in maintaining the integrity of your files, it is necessary to comprehend the way the computer stores your files in its memory. When the computer attempts to save any files, it tries to do so in a contiguous section of your storage, i.e., a place on the hard drive without any breaks. For new computers, as well as for those with massive memories, this would not be a problem as most of the hard drive would remain clear. Perhaps you still remember how fast your computer was when you first acquired it, and you must also have noticed how it slowed down over the years.

As more programs are installed and then uninstalled, and as more files are added and removed, these contiguous spaces on your storage grow more and more scarce, resulting in the system saving a portion of your data in other locations far from the original one. If this happens repeatedly, your hard drive slowly gets fragmented.

In order to counter this issue, the Windows operating system is equipped with a tool called the Disk Defragmenter. Once it runs, it will attempt to rearrange all the data on your hard disk, placing related bits and bytes close to each other. As a result, the computer does not have to exert as much effort in accessing these files. The user will therefore be able to enjoy faster system boot times, snappier loading times for files and applications, and even a reduced toll on the batteries (for laptops). It can also improve security as anti-virus, anti-malware, and other similar software will no longer take too much time to scan your storage.

One of the perceived drawbacks of defragmentation (or "defragging") is that it could take hours to finish. This is especially true if it is your first time to run the application, or if you have a large storage. However, defragging your system once can guarantee a faster defrag time in the future.

To resolve the issue on time constraints, as well, the Disk Defragmenter tool available for Windows 7 and onwards (located under "Accessories > System Tools") also has the capability to run on schedule. A user may select which drives to defragment, running the tool on a daily or weekly schedule, or at a specific day and time of the week. For example, one may set his computer to automatically defragment in the evening so that it will be ready for use the next day.

The Disk Defragmenter tool will also allow you to see how fragmented your disks currently are (under the Analyze section). This will let you know how much you will benefit from the process.

Here are a few more tips regarding the process of disk defragmentation:

* Make sure to close all applications while the Disk Defrag tool is running. The process may take up much of your processor's power, leading to possible frozen screens.
* Do not run multiple instances of the Disk Defrag tool.
* Make sure that you have at least 15% free space on the drive that you are defragmenting, in order to make the process more efficient.
* If you believe that a drive has been corrupted, do not attempt to defragment it as the issue may worsen.
* Only local disks may be defragmented.

There are some instances, especially for older systems, when a drive is too fragmented that running the native "Disk Defragmentation" tool can actually take a full day -- even more! Though there are defrag software available for download over the Internet that promise a faster defrag time, a good hack to efficiently defragment such a disk is to use a spare hard drive. Simply copy all the files to the spare one, delete everything from the fragmented disk, and copy the files back from the spare drive. This will transfer and reinstate the files in a contiguous manner.

Because of the benefits of disk defragmentation such as faster performance and long battery life and extended hard disk life, you should consider regularly using this tool. After all, the Windows operating system is an intelligent one, and it contains virtually everything that is needed for a computer to run efficiently.