• Disk defragmentation: all typical questions from A to Z. Disk defragmentation on Windows: why it is needed and how to do it

    Surely every user at least once in his life has encountered the mysterious inscription defragmentation in the start menu and perhaps even thought about what it is needed for. More advanced users have some idea about it, but do not consider it necessary to use it.

    So, disk defragmentation is a process during which, using special algorithms, the data on the hard disk is organized.

    How does defragmentation occur and why is it needed?

    Any user of a computer or laptop installs and uninstalls programs, as well as writes and erases various data, with a certain frequency. At the very beginning of using a new hard drive All data is stored sequentially, that is, data from one program is located next to each other. After any changes on the disk, new data begins to be written chaotically, that is, something ends up at the beginning, something at the end, and something ends up somewhere in the center.

    Thus, when reading this data, the entire disk is searched, which reduces performance and costs time. During the defragmentation process, the system finds pieces of one file and places them as close to each other as possible, in addition, it transfers all data to the initial sectors of the hard drive, which again reduces the time for reading information.

    The defragmentation process takes a long time, especially if it is performed infrequently. But after its completion, you can notice the system speeds up, data is copied faster, and you can also see an increase in performance in powerful 3D games. This is because the system does not need to search for data throughout hard drive, because they are in the same place.

    There are many defragmentation programs available - one of them is a built-in tool, others are created by third parties.

    Programs for defragmentation

    IN utilities In Windows you can find a built-in defragmenter, which is quite suitable for use, but it has a significant drawback. It cannot be used to efficiently carry out the procedure on a hard drive that is actively used. The native Windows program has weak algorithms that will help only novice computer users, as well as those people who do not store a lot of data on their hard drive. This program is not able to detect all the fragments and put them as close to each other as possible, so, as a rule, no special effect from its use is visible.

    Defraggler is a powerful free defragmentation utility. Has powerful algorithms for searching and transferring data. Allows you to work sequentially with different logical drives or defragments all hard disk. An additional advantage is the ability to work in background, allowing the user to continue using the PC without compromising performance.

    The program can be programmed to automatic shutdown after completion of work. Among other things, Defraggler provides the opportunity to conduct an analysis and draw conclusions about the feasibility of the procedure. Sometimes disk defragmentation is not at all necessary and the program will inform you about this. The defragmentation process is accompanied by a beautiful and visual graphic design, in which multi-colored cubes form groups. The program has a simple and intuitive interface, so special problems should not occur with its use.

    O&O Defrag Free– shareware English-language utility. Free for home use. It is one of the most powerful at work. Conducts high-quality data defragmentation and does not take up a lot of resources. The program has a large number of settings and add-ons that are quite difficult to understand without knowledge English language. Able to work in the background. O&O Defrag Free is a great tool for confident users.

    Small tricks related to disk defragmentation

    In general, the need to defragment the disk arises due to the fact that most users operate their system incorrectly. Almost everyone hard drive is divided into at least two logical drives. Many people believe that this is done so that if the system is reinstalled, important data remains intact, and this is partly correct. However, there is another reason for this division.

    The user can fragment his hard drive quite independently without any programs. So, if it is known for certain that data will be stored on the hard drive for short-term use, frequent storage, and many programs will be installed, then it is best to make not two, but three or four logical drives.

    The first, as you might guess, will be allocated for the system. You can install programs here, but it is better to allocate a separate disk for them, because none of them are used forever, which means that old ones will be periodically deleted and new ones installed. It’s best not to touch the disk with the system at all, then you won’t have to do any defragmentation on it. The second disk should be reserved for long-term storage data, which will be added to but not deleted.

    In this case, the data should be copied to it sequentially. For example, videos will come first, then music and then photos. File sizes also matter, because filling occurs from beginning to end, which means that smaller files should be placed at the end. In that case this logical drive will also not require defragmentation.

    The third disk will be reserved for programs and here sometimes you will have to use special programs. The last disk will be dedicated to temporary data. It can be combined with a software disc. This sequence was not chosen by chance. It turns out that permanent data will be recorded on the initial sectors, and those that are often deleted on the final ones.

    If the hard drive is already full, then defragmentation can be done by copying everything from the hard drive, and then filling it back in, observing the order of the data and its size.

    Watch the video for an even better description of the defragmentation process!

    Hello, dear friends! Many people have probably heard more than once about such a thing as defragmentation computer disk

    But according to own experience I know that almost no one or very few users do it. The reason is simple - they don’t know why this long and tedious process is needed, that is, what determines the need to use it in general.

    Today I will tell you why this defragmentation is needed and how (and with what programs) it can be performed, where and why.

    So, let's get started.

    Why is defragmentation of computer disks necessary?

    How often should you defragment hard drives?

    It all depends on how intensively you use the hard drive: copying, installing, deleting, transferring, etc., etc., information, but personally I recommend defragmenting it at least once a month.

    Sometimes this process should be set to use on a schedule, that is, a script (or program) defragments on the fly, say, once a day. This may be necessary on systems where there is frequent work with files, for example, file servers large companies.

    How to defragment a hard drive?

    In the most Windows There is a built-in defragmenter, which, in general, can also be used. However, I do not recommend doing this for the simple reason that it copes with defragmentation rather poorly, which is why the final performance suffers. Therefore, I recommend using third-party programs, and there are quite a few of them.

    What is the difference between defragmentation programs?

    IN different programs, different analysis algorithms and, accordingly, the quality of subsequent defragmentation. Due to sometimes weak algorithms, not all defragmenters (as well as the built-in one) are able to well identify the fragmentation of files, the location of fragments of these files, and also adequately put them in order, collecting them together.

    In general, it’s not a matter of third-party program capabilities (such as scheduled defragmentation, etc.), but rather the quality itself.

    Personally, I use a powerful defragmenter O&O Defrag Free, or, when you’re too lazy to install, something simpler, like Defraggler. I wrote about both in detail in the articles “Program for defragmentation” and “”.

    Afterword

    Now you know why defragmentation is needed and how to do it. I will touch on this topic more than once, telling you about good (especially Russian and free) defragmentation programs.

    As always, if you have questions, additions, or anything else like that, please write in the comments to this article.

    Stay with me ;)

    What's happened defragmentation of hard disk. You've probably heard the expression - disk defragmentation? What is it and what is it for? As you know, all information on a hard drive is recorded in so-called clusters. A cluster is a cell of a certain size in which some piece of a file is stored. Just a piece, because... the cluster is very small. The cluster size varies depending on the size of the hard drive and the type of file system used.

    At hard formatting disk is divided into clusters. Without this procedure you will not be able to install on it operating system, which means you won’t be able to work with such a disk either.

    Each cluster also has sectors. If the file is large, then it is written to clusters in parts. If the hard drive is new or just formatted, then writing to it occurs in a chain (in order).

    And if you have been working with this disk for a long time, installing programs or creating new files, and then deleting them, then the chain of clusters is broken. Where particles of a file have been deleted, holes (empty clusters) are formed.

    Therefore, the recording of the next file will be scattered across all these “holes”. One part of the file may be at the beginning of the disk, the second in the middle, and the third somewhere at the end of it. This state of the disk is called fragmentation .

    Not only does fragmentation begin to slow down the computer, but the hard drive is also not used rationally.

    In this case, when you open such a file, the hard disk head begins to intensively search for all parts of this file throughout the disk. Naturally, his work slows down, and permanent job in this mode leads to rapid wear of the read heads.

    All this work resembles a turntable with vinyl discs. Only there the head goes in a spiral and the disc (they used to be called records) is played gradually from the outer edge to the inner.

    And then the hard drive head jumps from one sector or turn to another, collecting the entire “song” in parts. And thus the head can move first to the beginning, then to the end, then to the middle of the disk until it collects the entire file in order.

    And if all the pieces of the file were in order, then the work would be much faster, and wear on the head would also be minimal. It turns out that as we delete, write and rewrite, our hard drive wears out, which has a very bad effect on its “health”.

    Is it possible to help the disk work faster and not get sick? Can! To do this, it is necessary to carry out preventive work with it at least once a month, i.e. defragmentation disk . When defragmenting, all parts of files are collected in order and moved to the beginning of the disk. Therefore, the heads will not have to search for them for a long time and strain.

    How to defragment a disk

    If you are a novice computer user, you can initially carry out this procedure using the utility built into Windows Defragmentation .

    INWindowsXP it is located at: Start – Programs – Accessories – System Tools – Disk Defragmentation .

    On Windows 7 this program is located at: Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools – Disk Defragmenter . The seven has the ability to set a time for automatic disk defragmentation.

    Open this program, select your hard drive and click the big button at the bottom Disk defragmentation . And wait for the result. If you have done a lot of bloat on your hard drive, the first procedure may last several hours. Still depends on the disk space and speed of your computer. It’s better to start this procedure at night or when you don’t need a computer for work. But this is at your discretion.

    In the future it is better to use it for defragmentation third party programs, because They “treat” your disc much better, which means it will “live” longer. There are a lot of such programs on the Internet. I can recommend Defraggler And O&O Defrag Free.

    If you use third-party programs, you will be asked to indicate the cluster size. For file system NTFS is better specify size 4 kb.

    It is forbidden!

    Defragment flash media (flash drives), memory cards and SSD drives. This procedure is disastrous for them.

    Video on the topic What is hard drive defragmentation:

    I hope that I was able to convey to you the necessary information.

    Good morning! Whether you want it or not, in order for the computer to work faster, you need to carry out preventive measures from time to time (clean it of temporary and junk files, carry out defragmentation).

    In general, I can say that most users very rarely carry out defragmentation, and in general, do not pay due attention to it (either out of ignorance, or simply because of laziness)…

    Meanwhile, by doing it regularly, you can not only speed up your computer a little, but also increase the service life of the disk! Since there are always a lot of questions regarding defragmentation, in this article I will try to collect all the main things that I myself encounter quite often. So …

    FAQ. Questions about defragmentation: why do it, how often, etc.

    1) What is defragmentation, what is the process? Why do it?

    All files on your disk, while being written to it, are written sequentially in pieces onto its surface, often called clusters (many have probably already heard this word). So, while the hard drive is empty, file clusters can be nearby, but when there is more and more information, the scattering of these pieces of one file also increases.

    Because of this, when accessing such a file, your disk has to spend more time reading the information. By the way, this scattering of pieces is called fragmentation.

    Defragmentation is aimed precisely at collecting these pieces compactly in one place. As a result, the speed of your disk and, accordingly, the computer as a whole increases. If you have not defragmented for a long time, this may affect the performance of your PC, for example, when opening some files or folders, it will begin to “think” for a while...

    2) How often should you defragment the disk?

    Enough frequently asked question, but it’s difficult to give a definite answer. It all depends on how often you use your computer, how it is used, what drives it uses, what file system it has. In Windows 7 (and higher), by the way, there is a good analyzer that will tell you what to do defragmentation , or not (there are also separate special utilities that can analyze and notify you in time that it’s time... But about such utilities - below in the article).

    To do this you need to go to control Panel, V search bar enter “defragmentation”, and Windows will find the desired link (see screenshot below).

    3) Should I defragment? solid state SSD disks?

    No need! And even Windows itself (at least new Windows 10, in Windows 7 - this can be done) disables the analysis and defragmentation button for such disks.

    The fact is that an SSD disk has a limited number of write cycles. This means that with each defragmentation, you reduce the life of your disk. Moreover, in SSD drives there are no mechanics, and after defragmenting, you will not notice any increase in work speed.

    4) Is it necessary to defragment the disk if it contains files? NTFS system?

    In fact, there is an opinion that the NTFS file system practically does not need defragmentation. This is not entirely true, although it is partly true. It’s just that this file system is designed in such a way that defragmenting a hard drive under its control is required much less frequently.

    In addition, the speed of operation does not drop as much due to strong fragmentation as if it were on FAT (FAT 32).

    5) Is it necessary to clean the disk of junk files before defragmentation?

    If you clean up the disk before defragmenting, then:

    • speed up the process itself (after all, you will have to work with fewer files, which means the process will complete earlier);
    • you will do more fast work Windows.

    6) How to defragment a disk?

    It is advisable (but not necessary!) to install a separate special. a utility that will deal with this process (about such utilities below in the article). Firstly, it will do it faster than the built-in Windows utility, secondly, some utilities can defragment in automatic mode without distracting you from work (for example, you started watching a movie, the utility, without disturbing you, defragmented the disk at this time).

    But, in principle, even the standard one, built into Windows program, does defragmentation quite well (although it does not have some of the “goodies” that third-party developers have).

    7) Should defragmentation be done not on system disk(i.e. on one that does not have Windows installed)?

    Good question! It all depends again on how you use this disk. If you only store movies and music on it, then there is not much point in defragmenting it.

    It's another matter if you install, say, games on this disk - and during the game, some files are loaded. In this case, the game may even begin to slow down if the disk does not respond to it in time. As it should be, with this option, it is advisable to defragment such a disk!

    How to defragment a disk - step by step steps

    By the way, there is universal programs(I would call them “harvesters”) that can carry out complex actions to clean your PC of junk, remove erroneous registry entries, configure your Windows OS and defragment (for maximum acceleration!). You can talk about one of them .

    1) Cleaning the disk from debris

    Programs for Windows cleaning -

    For example, I can recommend CCleaner. Firstly, it is free, and secondly, it is very easy to use and there is nothing superfluous in it. All that is required from the user is to click the analyze button, and then clean the disk from the found garbage (screen below).

    2) Removing unnecessary files and programs

    By the way, it is advisable to remove programs through special utilities: (by the way, you can use the same CCleaner utility - it also has a tab for removing programs).

    At worst, you can use standard utility, built into Windows (to open it, use the control panel, see screenshot below).

    3) Start defragmentation

    Consider running the built-in Windows defragmenter disk (because by default it eats me of everyone who has Windows :)).

    First you need to open control Panel, then section system and security. Next, next to the tab “ Administration" there will be a link " Defragmentation and optimization of your disks"- go over it (see screenshot below).

    An alternative way to run defragmentation in Windows

    1. Open “My computer” (or “This computer”).

    3. Then in the disk properties, open the “Service” section.

    4. In the service section, click the button “ Optimize disk"(everything is illustrated in the screenshot below).

    Important! The defragmentation process can take quite a while long time(depending on the size of your disk and how fragmented it is). At this time, it is better not to touch the computer, not to run resource-intensive tasks: games, video encoding, etc.

    The best programs and utilities for disk defragmentation

    Note! This subsection of the article will not reveal to you all the capabilities of the programs presented here. Here I will focus on the most interesting and convenient utilities (in my opinion) and describe their main differences, why I chose them and why I recommend trying them...

    1) Defraggler

    A simple, free, fast and convenient disk defragmenter. The program supports all new Windows versions(32/64 bit), can work both with entire disk partitions and with individual files, supports all popular file systems (including NTFS and FAT 32).

    By the way, regarding defragmentation of individual files - this is, in general, a unique thing! Not many programs can allow you to defragment something specific...

    2) Ashampoo Magical Defrag

    To be honest, I like products from Ashampoo- and this utility is no exception. Its main difference from similar ones of its kind is that it can defragment a disk in the background (when the computer is not busy with resource-intensive tasks, which means that the program is running and will not hamper or disturb the user in any way).

    What is called - once installed and forgotten this problem! In general, I recommend paying attention to it to everyone who is tired of remembering defragmentation and doing it manually...

    3) Auslogics Disk Defrag

    This program can carry system files(which need to provide the greatest performance) to the fastest part of the disk, due to which your Windows OS will run somewhat faster. In addition, this program is free (for normal home use) and can be configured to start automatically when the PC is idle (i.e., similar to the previous utility).

    I also want to note that the program allows you to defragment not only a specific disk, but also separate files and folders on it.

    The program is supported by all new Windows OS: 7, 8, 10 (32/64 bits).

    4) MyDefrag

    Developer's website: http://www.mydefrag.com/

    MyDefrag is a small but convenient utility for defragmenting disks, floppy disks, and USB external devices. hard drives, memory cards and other media. Perhaps that’s the only reason I added this program to the list.

    The program also has a scheduler for detailed settings launch. There are also versions that do not require installation (it is convenient to carry with you on a flash drive).

    5) Smart Defrag

    This is one of the fastest disk defragmenters! Moreover, this does not affect the quality of defragmentation. Apparently, the program developers managed to find some unique algorithms. In addition, the utility is completely free for home use.

    It is also worth noting that the program treats data very carefully, even if something happens during defragmentation. system error, a power outage or something else... - then nothing should happen to your files, they will still be read and opened. The only thing is that you will have to start the defragmentation process again.

    The utility also provides two operating modes: automatic (very convenient - set it up once and forget it) and manual.

    It is also worth noting that the program is optimized to work on Windows 7, 8, 10. I recommend it for use!

    To speed up your work personal computer, it is not necessary to go to the store to purchase new expensive components - you need to defragment the disk using special utility, which will help bring each fragmented file to an orderly state, move important system components to a more quick section and much more. Inexperienced users PCs neglect necessary maintenance, considering the hard drive a secondary component, but the speed of access depends on optimization. various files, including Windows components.

    What is disk defragmentation

    When you delete programs, games, movies and other large files, they remain on your hard drive. individual elements, occupying a certain space, i.e. fragmentation occurs. The next time a new file starts recording, part of it will be written in one place, then the occupied space will be skipped, another part will be recorded, skipped, and so on in a circle. This will lead to the fact that to gain access, the HDD head will have to move from the beginning to the middle, then to the end, and back, and this significantly slows down the work.

    What is it for?

    Performing the procedure is necessary to assemble the file together - the parts will follow strictly one after another, being in sequential clusters. So the read head only needs to read a small part, making a small movement to read the entire file. The use of such utilities is especially important for those users who often overwrite files, install games and programs, and work with a large number small documents, etc. Thanks to the sequential arrangement, the opening and starting speed will increase by up to 50%.

    Why is it useful?

    The closer to the initial part of the hard drive the elements of one file are, the faster the opening will occur, and, in some cases, this becomes very noticeable. The same applies to system files - when they are located on the initial clusters, system loading is accelerated, as is the startup of programs, and overall performance. SSD drive does not need defragmentation, but rather the opposite - the service life will be greatly reduced, because There is a limit on the number of write-rewrite cycles.

    How to defragment a disk

    Windows OS has a built-in disk defragmenter, which does its job well. It is recommended to run weekly to maintain state of hard the disk of the personal computer is in good condition and does not allow unnecessary clutter with small parts of files. You can customize the mode automatic start when the computer itself turns on the program in right time. The speed of the program is directly affected by many factors, of which the following are worth highlighting:

    • technical parameters hardware components of a computer;
    • total hard drive capacity;
    • amount of occupied space;
    • number of write-rewrite cycles performed;
    • period since the last defragmentation.

    For Windows 7

    The built-in defragmenter utility utility for Windows 7 performs defragmentation hard sections disk, but only files, and free clusters remain untouched, although computer performance will still be increased. Automatic mode is present and configured by date, time and frequency. It is recommended to clean before starting local disks from residual debris, for which you can use the system or one of free utilities and check system registry.

    The function can be activated by following the path – Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools. The second method is Computer – right-click on the logical drive – Properties – Tools tab – Defragment. After clicking the start button, a program window will open where you can select one of the following:

    • set up a schedule;
    • analysis;
    • defragmentation.

    During the analysis they will be checked sectors of hard disk for the presence of fragmented files, and the report will be provided as a percentage. It is recommended to have at least 15% on the hard drive free space, because in its absence, defragmentation can take a very long time for a long time, and the efficiency will decrease significantly. Have some busy place on the system disk and used for storing information is always necessary - if you fill it completely, you may encounter slower operation of the entire computer.

    For Windows 8

    The program in Windows 8 is practically no different in its functionality and capabilities from previous version. There is also the ability to set up a schedule, and the process takes a lot of time, much more than when using third-party quick utilities. To access it, you need to press Win+E, left-click on the logical drive, select the Management tab at the top, and select Optimize.

    For Windows 10

    This operating system installed on most modern laptops. The storage medium used here is either an SSD drive, which does not need to be defragmented, or a small HDD, where the situation is completely opposite. A small hard drive undergoes fragmentation much more quickly, which reduces the speed of performing any tasks. It is difficult to set up automatic defragmentation here, because the laptop turns off when it is not being used to save battery power, and the best option will launch it every time manually.

    To open Disk Optimization, you must do the following - Explorer - This Computer - right-click on the disk - Properties - Tools - Optimize. Here, again, you can analyze the disk for the presence of fragmented files and their percentage, start the optimization process itself, or set up a schedule. The more often defragmentation-optimization is performed, the less time subsequent runs will take.

    Disk defragmentation programs

    There are also alternative programs with a more understandable and user-friendly interface and some additional features. The utilities are free, and to use them you only need to download the file and install. Some will automatically replace the standard disk defragmenter, which is convenient because... no need to turn it off yourself Windows Services, which not every beginner can do.

    Defraggler

    The utility can defragment not only the entire disk, but also individual folders and even files. This will help in cases where speed is important specific application, and not the entire computer. The program works with any file systems. There is a possibility of automatic transfer large files towards the end of the disk. The operating speed is very good, and all information about the hard drive is presented clearly.

    Ashampoo Magical Defrag

    The utility has a minimalist design - the elements are presented in a single window, with virtually no settings and with a small amount of information. There are no additional functions, and the work occurs in the background, turning on during those periods when the computer is idle, in sleep mode, etc. In some cases this is very convenient, because... computer resources are not always used 100%, for example, when watching a movie or working in office programs, you can use the HDD and processor to service the disk.

    Auslogics Disk Defrag

    The program has several key features, which distinguishes it favorably from other proposals. It not only defragments files, but also organizes existing free space, which takes a lot of time. It can optimize system files itself, speeding up access to them. It is possible to configure a schedule or work in the background without loading all computer resources.

    MyDefrag

    Distinctive feature program - it replaces the screensaver, i.e., when the computer goes into standby mode, if the hard drive needs to be defragmented, the process begins. The work will be optimized as much as possible, and the files will be in an orderly state. The program only requires initial setup, after which it will function automatically.

    Smart Defrag

    IObit's product is able to always maintain order in the files on your hard drive. The utility uses a special algorithm that performs partial defragmentation at system startup, and the boot time increases slightly and only if Windows is installed on it. There is a smart distribution function, where frequently used files are distributed closer to the beginning and are accessed faster. The work speed is good, even with large quantities files and their fragmentation.

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