We have made some references to the disk defrag tool, and it’s again time that we explain the whys and wherefores.  In short, doing a defrag session on your PC will increase speed and decrease processing time for your PC.

Fragmentation: Why It Happens

Files get fragmented, or saved in multiple places, because there just often isn’t enough space on the hard drive to save files in contiguous blocks.  You delete old programs, and then you install a new program or save another file, but the new content is usually a different size from what was deleted.  So the computer breaks up the program or file on the hard drive over several different “chunks” of space.

The effects of this are seen when it takes a long time to call up that file.  The disk is forced to spin to several different places in order to load all of the file.  This just takes longer than if the file were all in one place.

Make a Defrag Date with Your PC

Fixing file fragmentation is called, appropriately, defragmentation.  Windows PCs come with a Disk Defragmenter Tool already installed.  It can be a lengthy process, so plan to do this when your computer won’t be needed for a while.

The defrag tool is found by going to Start, then Programs, then Accessories.  Click on System Tools and choose Disk Defragmenter.  Follow the instructions, do not disturb your machine, and enjoy a faster PC when the process is through.

A Defrag Duo

A great accompaniment to defragging your PC is to also run your registry cleaner.  It will clean up old registry entries and fix corrupted ones, which will also boost the computer’s speed.  The dynamic duo of computer speed and efficiency is to run a registry cleaning tool in conjunction with the defrag tool.

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