How to Defrag a Laptop

If a laptop computer is running slowly, defragmenting the hard drive may help the computer to run more efficiently. Defrag is a function that is built into the Windows operating system no matter if you are running it on a laptop or desktop computer. Defragging organizes files on your hard drive so that they can be processed more efficiently. A hard drive becomes more fragmented over time as files are installed and then uninstalled at a later date.

Instructions

1. Click "Start" and select "All Programs."

2. Click "Accessories" and choose "System Tools."

3. Choose "Disk Defragmenter."

4. Select the hard disk that you would like to defrag and click "Defragment Disk."

5. The process could take several hours, depending on the size of the hard drive and the amount of defragmentation.

Tips & Warnings

• The more frequently you defrag a computer, the less time the defrag process will take.

• You can set up schedule to automatically defrag your computer at a specific time each week. It is best to set this automatic process to run at a time when you are not using the computer but at a time the computer will still be running. The defragmentation process will slow other processing being done by your computer at the same time.

References

• Microsoft: Improve Performance by Defragmenting Your Hard Disk

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish