How to Defrag Your Computer
A computer's operating system stores files on the hard drive using a method called a file system. In many file systems, rather than looking for a block of free space big enough for the whole file, the operating system will break up the file and store it in pieces. When this happens, the file is said to be fragmented. Over time, your files will be spread out over so many small pieces that accessing them becomes very slow. Windows includes a utility that can defragment your file system by analyzing the files, moving them to a temporary block of space, and then storing them back in the file system in contiguous blocks.
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Instructions
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Click "Start" and select "Al Programs."
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Select "Accessories and choose "System Tools."
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Click "Disk Defragmenter."
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Select the hard drive you want to defrag and click "Analyze." This will cause Windows to do a rough analysis of the file system and report how fragmented the file system is, given as a percentage.
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Decide whether or not to continue with the defrag process, depending on the results of the analysis. If the file system is not very fragmented, such as 2 or 3 percent, Windows will report that you do not need to defragment at this time, although you still have the option to do so.
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Click the "Defragment Disk" button.
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Tips & Warnings
Fragmentation is the result of files being deleted, leaving "gaps," or files being changed so that they are shorter than they previously were -- when you delete delete several pages from a word processing document. The file system uses these gaps to store chunks of new files or ones that grow larger.
When Windows is finished, your files will be stored on the hard disk in contiguous pieces, making access time faster.
If you have a very large hard drive, an extremely fragmented file system, or an older, slower computer, the defrag process can take hours. Plan on doing your defragmenation when you will not need the computer for several hours.
Windows has the ability to schedule automatic defragmentation for a time of your choosing.
References
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Comments
View all 8 Comments-
Great!
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Thank you.
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Well here goes I'm going to try it...thanks.
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I'm going to try this.. most likely it won't work for me as this computer hates my kidneys, liver, and pancreas..but thanks.
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advise me how to speed up my pc pls.
