Defrag, Defragging and Why should I waste my time doing it.
INTRODUCTION
Microsoft defrag, or disk defragmenter, is a software utility designed to help chronologically order the data on the hard disk drive. The theory behind defrag is to place each program together instead of scattered throughout the hard disk drive, allowing the read-write head to access the data faster on the hard disk drive. Windows 98 includes an improved version of defrag that is said to place the most commonly accessed data at the beginning of the drive, allowing the read-write head a shorter distance to access the data, making the computer faster. Generally, unless the hard disk drive is seriously fragmented, you will not notice a significant difference after defragging the hard disk drive.
Defrag was first available in MS-DOS 6.0 and was available ever since. If you are running MS-DOS 6.0+ and would like to run defrag, follow the below steps.
- If you are in Windows 3.x, click File and then Exit to get to the MS-DOS prompt.
- From MS-DOS type CD\DOS and press enter.
- From the C:\DOS> type defrag and press enter which should begin running defrag on the computer.
Finally, some computer manufacturers have changed the installation directory of where defrag is located if you are unable to run defrag from DOS directory, go to the WINDOWS directory by typing CD\WINDOWS.
WINDOWS 95/98 DEFRAG
Windows 95 improved the functionality of defrag as did Windows 98; to run defrag from Windows, follow the below steps.
- Click Start
- Click Run and type defrag in the run box
- Click ok
- Within the defrag window, select the drive that you wish to be checked and click ok.
Just as in Windows 95 and Windows 98, Windows ME includes the same steps to run defrag.
- Click Start
- Click Run and type defrag in the run box
- Click ok
- Within the defrag window, select the drive that you wish to be checked and click ok.
WINDOWS 2000 / XP DEFRAG
Keep in mind that Windows 2000 and XP are network operating systems, and that if you are a user using Windows 2000 or XP on a network, your network administrator may have restricted users from running defrag or from having any direct disk access. To run defrag, we recommend you follow the below steps.
- Double-click My Computer
- Highlight a local hard disk drive by clicking on it once.
- Right click the highlighted local drive
- Click properties
- Click the tools tab and click the defragment now button.
My personal favourite is Perfectdisk. I think it does its' job faster and better.
I prefer to run a disk defragmenter every month or two.
Disk defragmenter shouldn't be running when you use the computer with other applications. For the best experience shutdown all programs and disable any anti-virus program.
I'm usually using the night to run it, when I'm not on the computer, because it takes a lot of time to defrag 200GB :)
1 comment:
Drives tend to get affected by fragmentation pretty soon nowadays. Mine needed to be after 7 months of purchase, the partition that i store my digital snaps and pictures was completely fragmented. Thumbnails would take a long time to open and its very frutrating to have to wait at every command as if the system is afflicted with a neural disease. All the more if one is used to a lightning fast response.
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