How to Defragment a Computer Hard Drive

Defragmenting is a process that compresses the files on a computer hard drive, organizing the files in a way that makes it easier for Windows to retrieve the files as needed. You can instruct a computer or laptop to run disk defragmenter on a scheduled basis, or you can choose to defragment a disk drive immediately. Read below to learn how to defragment a computer hard drive.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Click on the Start menu and then go to Settings. From Settings, click on Control Panel.

2. Scroll down to the link or icon that reads “Scheduled Tasks.” Double click on the icon.

3. Choose “Disk Defragmenter” from the Scheduled Tasks menu. You should see three tabs: Task, Schedule, and Settings. Click on the Schedule tab, and select a time for the operating system to perform the deframenting task.

4. You can instruct the computer to run a disk defragment on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Choose a time and day that you would like the defrag to occur. Monthly defrags are recommended for most computers.

5. To run a disk defrag immediately, go to the Start menu and click on Programs. Select Accessories from the menu. Scroll down to System Tools and then choose Disk Defragmenter. Choose which drive you would like to defragment (the “C” drive is the hard drive). Click the Analyze button to find out how long the defrag process will take. The Analyze option will also recommend whether or not the drive should be defragmented. Click the Defragment button if you are ready to start the defrag process. Once the process is complete, you can click “View Report” to get a detailed report on the results. Article text © 2009 by urbandill. All rights reserved

Tips & Warnings

• If you continue to experience computer or laptop problems, consider seeking professional assistance for your computer problems.
• Always save important data files and folders in multiple places within and without the computer. Make sure to store data on a removable disk drive (such as a flash drive) or CD-ROM prior to undertaking computer, system, or program scans and prior to performing computer, system, or program repairs, updates, and restoration activities.