what does defragmenting your computer do and why is it helpful???

Question

i want to defragment my computer because i heard it cleans the c drive up but what does it really do????

Answer 1

Here's a basic way to think about it. You have the empty space on your HD to store things. Over time as you add files, programs, etc to your computer, they are stored in that empty space one right after another.

When you remove/ delete files, it creates "gaps" in that used space. New files can be added to anywhere there is empty space, and spread across memory locations (ie a big file can be added to a gap, the gap is filled, then the rest of the file is written to another location).

End result is you can have gaps and not a continuous "used memory" area, and you can have a singluar file that is "spread out" in separate locations (hence a "fragmented" file).

Defragging the drive consolidates everything back together. Basically, file fragments that are spread out are consolidated in the same area, and files are moved to reduce the storage gaps.

Having no gaps and contiguous files reduces read times to locate and load files and programs.

Answer 2

As data is stored on your hard drive, the system tries to keep all of the data for a given file in contiguous areas on the disk. This is fairly easy to do for small files, but as more data is added to the hard drive and as larger files change, it becomes more difficult. The system can put parts of a file on different areas on the disk and keeps track of where those parts are. This is called file fragmentation.

This isn't really noticeable to you with one a few files being fragmented. But fragmentation can cause the system to take longer to retrieve data from the drive because it has to go to several areas to read the entire file. As more and more files become fragmented, data retrieval becomes slower and this then becomes noticeable.

Defragmenting the drive reorganizes the files (or most of them anyway) into contiguous areas so that access to those files occurs as quick as possible. Defragmenting doesn't move files that have been deleted - that data may still be laying around, but the system doesn't care about it anymore.

Answer 3

*agrees with all previous answers* what happens is the programs on the computer use thier files to run and as such they separate into pieces of the file all over like puzzle pieces spead all over the family game room for example. defragmenting the had drive collects all those little pieces and puts them all back in the box and puts the box back on the shelf in the closet. in my old computer after a defragmenting session my programs would load in about 1/2 the "normal time" because the hard drive was then better organized.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

In short it takes random file bits and left overs of old files and just everything that kind gets thrown about and organizes them.. You can get a little space and possibly speed, sometimes doing so... All in all its a positive not a bad thing at all.

Answer 6

a computer treats it files like a child treats their toys. they throw them all over the place. this makes them hard to find and takes longer to find them.

the defragmenter puts the files and scraps of files back where they belong