What is defragmentation? Why is it good for PCs? How do you do it on Windows XP?

Answer 1

Defragmentation is when the computer takes bits of data that have been split and saved to different portions of the disk and puts them all together in order.

The reason it is good is pretty much self explanatory. If the file is split up into several different "fragments" stored on different parts of the drive, then it is obvious that it will take longer to access that complete file.

To do it on windows XP, just go to "my computer" and right click on the drive you want to defragment. Then go to "properties" then "tools".

Answer 2

As you use your computer, it is always writing and deleting files. Whenever Windows writes a file, it starts at the center of the hard drive and moves out until it finds an empty space in which to write the file. If the space is too small, it will write part there, and then write the rest (or more) in the next location. Over time, files can get split up (fragmented) all over your hard drive. The more split up a file is, the longer it takes Windows to read it, and the slower your PC runs.

A defrag takes all the parts of a file and moves them together. It puts the ones Windows uses the most at the center of the hard drive, where it can find them faster, and the others further out. This helps the computer to run faster.

To defrag your hard drive, go into My Computer and find the drive you want to defrag (usually your C: drive - hard drive). Right click on the drive and select Properties from the menu that appears.

Go to the Tools tab, and you will see a button to "Defragment Now". Clicking that will start the defrag process.

If you have not done it in a while (or ever) it can take several hours to complete. It is recommended that you start it before you go to bed and night (or away to school/work for the day). You should not have any other programs running. If they change the hard drive, then the defrag has to start all over. And also should not be connected to the Internet or a network. Again, either can change the content of the hard drive making it start all over.

Answer 3

Over time, the available space on the hard drive becomes fragmented. This usually occurs when a file doesn't completely fill an available space and leaves a little behind. So over time you end up with all these little slices of space scattered about the hard drive that the file manager tries to fill to not waste space. Consequently, what happens is that you have a file that will not completely fit into one (or several) of theses slices and is therefore broken up into smaller pieces in order to fit. It can also occur in a "growing" file where the file manager may receive a request for additional space to grow a file and it just finds the next available slice which may or not be contiguous. De-fragmentation coalesces these small slices into a contiguous block thus reducing the number of disk reads in order to get a file. Remember that disks are read a block at a time not bit by bit. You can have many slices on a block.

In XP, if you just right click on the desired disk, select "Properties" and then the "Tools" tab, you will see a "De-fragment Now" button. Just hit it and then hit the "De-fragment" button in the Disk Defragmenter.

Good Luck

Answer 4

Hello Aquilino P,

Defragging a drive helps keep your programs into one place.

Just imagine that you have a filing cabinet and in those folders you have all these papers.
Now you take one folder out and look at all the papers and lay them out all over the floor. (Installing, coping, making files)

Now you want to organize all those papers and put them back in the folder in alpha order. (defragging)

Hence.
When you install, copy, create files, your system saves these programs, files all over the place.
Now you have a mess, what defrag does it find all those pieces and files and puts the pieces of file together and puts the files by their respective program(s) so that it doesn't have to work harder to find these piece of file that goes with this piece of file etc... etc..

Doing this in XP -
Open My Computer
Right click the drive that you want to defrag
Click on Properties
Click on the TOOLS tab at the top
You should see Defragmentation -- click Defragment Now

Your on your way

Answer 5

Defragment a disk drives moves files arounf so they can be accessed quicker. It makes the PC run a little faster and gives more room on the disk. It can take a while though. Find it here:

Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools

Answer 6

go to start-control panel and click on performance and maintenance. Then click on "rearrange items on your hard disk to make programs run faster". Highlight the NTFS and start defrag. It will probably say you do not need to defrag at this time, ignore this and start it anyway.
Another thing to do on a regular basis is to click on is "free up space on your hard disk".

Answer 7

It cleans your harddrive to place everything that should be together in the same place--organizes your files and it opens space on your harddrive, so if you are running out of space, it will help things run quicker and more efficiently.