Programs for disk defragmentation. The best free defragmenter for Windows

When writing any files to hard drive all information is distributed among clusters. If you decide to delete a particular file, the clusters with information will be erased, but instead of them there will be empty space. This disrupts the order of all files on the hard drive. As a result, when reading information, the hard drive spends much more time searching for the necessary clusters, since they are scattered throughout the media. This leads to a noticeable slowdown of the computer as a whole. This process is called fragmentation.

Defragmentation allows you to restore order in the internal space. This procedure organizes the location of all clusters on the media, moving them close to each other. After this, there is a noticeable increase in performance in resource-intensive applications and games. Let's figure out how to defragment a disk and in what cases it is necessary.

When should you defragment your drive?

If you notice that performance personal computer has fallen significantly, then in this case optimization is required. Long loading of programs, opening files, copying also hint that it’s time to optimize.

What programs are used to defragment a hard drive?

Operating systems XP, 7 and later have built-in software for defragmentation. If you want to perform the procedure one-time, you can use it. However, many note poor results during use standard utility. If you decide to use it, then follow these steps:

Let's look at how to defragment a disk using a built-in utility:

Let's look at an example of how to defragment a disk according to a schedule:

• The standard program allows you to set a regular schedule for defragmentation. In the previous window, click the button Set up a schedule....
• In the window that opens, select the frequency, day, time and partitions that need to be defragmented.
• Once the setup is complete, click OK.

Now the turned on computer at the appointed time will carry out automatic start optimization procedures.

During this period of time, there may be a drop in performance as the system is busy with a more important process.

According to the instructions presented, you can defragment your hard drive in Windows XP, 7, 8 and 10. Now let's figure out how to defragment your hard drive using a third-party program.

Optimization using defragmenters

Defragmentation programs system disk quite a few. Among them there are both options for advanced users and for beginners. For example, consider a simple utility Defragger, full free version which can be downloaded from the official website of the developers. Download the distribution, install the software and run it. The program cleans disks in OS 7, 8 and 10. To do this, follow the instructions:

By using Defraggler not only defragmentation of the system or external drive. You can also get information about the performance of the media, a list of files, or optimize each folder separately.

How to defragment a disk using Auslogics Disk Defrag

Another utility that allows you to quickly or completely defragment your hard drive. The main window of the program is very similar to Defraggler, so there should be no problems using it.

Let's look at the startup process:

Now you know how to defragment a hard drive, including an SSD, using standard means Windows or through third party software.

Video on the topic

All file systems store information in small clusters, so placing any file requires not just one cluster, but a fairly large number of them. When writing a file, the OS provides the required number of free clusters, but it is not at all necessary that the allocated clusters will be located sequentially. Of course, when initially copying files to new hard disk they will be written to adjacent clusters. But after some time, when the size of files increases during their editing (when at a certain stage the clusters allocated for a particular file for recording it will not be enough) or when recording large files on an already fairly full disk that simply does not have the required number of adjacent free clusters, the files will end up fragmented. Over time, the number of fragmented files, as well as the degree of their fragmentation, increases. This process occurs most quickly when files are actively overwritten (with frequent saving and deleting of files, moving files and folders, active installation/uninstallation of applications), as well as when working with a disk that is more than half full. Fragmented files remain fully functional, but they are slower to read because each time you open such files, the system is forced to search for all fragments of the file, which slows down its response time. In addition, severe disk fragmentation (due to the increased use of read heads, which require many movements across the disk to read all parts of fragmented files) can lead to a reduction in its service life. Therefore, it is periodically necessary to resort to the process of disk defragmentation. To defragment disks, you can use the built-in Windows utility program Windows Disk Defragmenter, called by the command "Start" > "Programs" > "Accessories" > "System" > "Disk Defragmenter". This program is based on an outdated commercial version of the Diskeeper package and allows you to defragment volumes formatted in file FAT systems, FAT32 and NTFS. The scanning depth during its operation is quite large, and most files are defragmented, but in terms of performance this solution is noticeably inferior to many alternative packages, and the range of settings in it is limited to the bare minimum. In addition, Windows Disk Defragmenter requires at least 15% free space on disk (and there may be much less of it) and places files without any optimization, while a number of similar solutions implement certain optimization technologies that allow some gain in file download speed. In addition, this defragmenter does not merge all the free space of the volume - as a result, the likelihood of a rapid increase in the level of disk fragmentation in the future remains. And the possibilities for automating the defragmentation process in this program are limited. Therefore, it is much more convenient to use other defragmenters, some of which we will consider in this article, but first we will dwell on several features of the defragmentation process itself.

Features of hard drive defragmentation

1. Most defragmenters can reorganize files into background, however, it is still unlikely to be possible to use resource-intensive applications, so it is wiser to run the defragmentation process when there is no activity on the computer (for example, at the end of the working day) or at a time when operations are performed on the computer that do not require special costs system resources.
2. If the disks are more than 75% full, then to carry out a full defragmentation you need to turn to defragmenters that are less demanding on the amount of free space, and carry out the procedure in two stages - first, carry out a quick partial defragmentation (this will allow you to get larger blocks of free space) and only then - full.
3. As a rule, for daily (weekly) defragmentation it is wiser to limit quick methods defragmentation - some files will remain fragmented, but in general, access to many of the files will be accelerated. But at the same time, sometimes (as necessary) you should set aside time for complete defragmentation, running it with high priority - better in those moments when you are not using the computer. As for the continuous defragmentation mode offered in some defragmenters, its usefulness is a controversial issue. Of course, on the one hand, this approach can actually reduce the need for frequent complete defragmentation. On the other hand, continuous defragmentation leads to increased load on the hard drive, which can shorten the life of the drive.
4. It is wiser to remove from the computer before defragmentation. junk files, and also exclude from consideration the system files pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys, which are used by the system as temporary files and are recreated at the beginning of each Windows session.
5. In fact, not only user files are fragmented on the disk, but also service files of the operating system - system files and the master file table (MFT), which is a directory of all files on a particular partition and stores records about the location of each file, their attributes, etc. If the defragmenter has built-in functionality for defragmenting the named service files, then, as a rule, MFT defragmentation is performed immediately after enabling the corresponding option, and system files, access to which is blocked by the operating system, only through the so-called offline defragmentation, performed after rebooting the computer, but before Windows starts.

Programs for defragmenting hard drives

PerfectDisk 10

Defragmentation system files, access to which is blocked by the operating system, is launched by clicking on the "System Files" button and is performed after a reboot. First, in the disk properties (the "Drive Properties" command from the context menu, the "Offline Defragmentation" tab), you need to specify which objects you want to defragment.

It is possible to carry out defragmentation without user intervention, in automatic mode. This is configured on the "AutoPilot Schedulng" tab, where you can, for example, enable defragmentation in screensaver mode, which will ensure this process when the user is definitely absent from the PC. This is not difficult to do - you just need to specify the disk, select the defragmentation method and determine the frequency of this procedure.

There is functionality for setting a certain defragmentation threshold, upon reaching which defragmentation stops, and managing the priority level - by changing it, it is easy to temporarily block the operation of the utility or, conversely, provide it with greater resources. All this is regulated through the program properties, which can be accessed on any of the tabs.

Diskeeper 2009

In terms of optimization, Diskeeper implements I-FAAST technology (Professional edition only), which takes into account the degree of activity in accessing files when placing files. In addition, the package provides the ability to more effectively defragment large files - this means their partial reorganization, after which the files remain fragmented, but to a lesser extent (possibly this option useful if the amount of free space is insufficient or there is very little time to carry out the process). An exception is allowed when defragmenting specified files and folders - say, temporary files that will soon be deleted. This is done through the list of exceptions (command "Action" > "Configure Diskeeper" > "Diskeeper Configuration Properties", tab "File Exclusion").

We continue to introduce readers to defragmenters for the Windows operating system. Let us recall that the hero of the last article was Defraggler, developed by the creators of CCleaner. It cannot be said that he was unique in any way, but he coped with his direct task with a bang.

Today we will not only study one more program, but also summarize the consideration of all three. And this series of articles will not end there, but will pause for a while. This decision was made in order to diversify the topics of published articles.

The new object of our attention is Auslogics Disk Defrag Pro, an Australian defragmenter released by a well-known developer of various applications for the Windows operating system. The program boasts speed and, like O&O Defrag, offers a premium version. True, there is also a free solution, but we will focus on the Pro edition in order to fully evaluate its capabilities and potential.

The following equipment was used during testing:

• Lenovo G50-70 laptop (OS Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit; Dual Core AMD E1-6010, 1347 MHz; AMD Radeon R2; 2 GB DDR3-1600 DDR3 SDRAM, WDC WD25 00LPCX-24C6HT0 (250 GB, 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gbit/s).
• Desktop OEM build (Windows 10 Pro 64-bit; Gigabyte GA-970-Gaming; AMD FX-6300 (4200 MHz); Sapphire RX 460, 4 GB; Kingston HyperX Fury DDR3-1800, 8 GB; SSD Kingston, 128 GB, WDC, 1 TB).

Auslogics Disk Defrag Pro

The application is small in size and works with all popular file systems, including the ancient FAT 16, and in its work uses a certain proprietary algorithm that prevents further file fragmentation. Work with solid-state drives in the form of their optimization has also been implemented. Not without VSS mode.

Main features:

• Defragmentation of locked system files;
• Four ways to optimize file placement;
• Special algorithms for SSD drives and VSS mode;
• Preventing file fragmentation;
• Disk performance monitoring.

Interface

First of all, Auslogics Disk Defrag Pro offers pre-setting. You can indicate in what capacity you use the computer - for various everyday tasks, like workstation, for games or as a server. The defragmentation method will depend on this. And depending on your choice, the application will offer to clarify, for example, how often you work with documents and use the Internet.

Next, we indicate the free days, thanks to which you can set up auto-optimization and scheduling. This creates a schedule for the program: quick defragmentation after 15 minutes of inactivity and complete defragmentation on weekends. Everything is simple and clear.

If we talk about the Disk Defrag Pro interface itself, then this corporate design Auslogics, inherent in all developer software. It consists of several windows with tabs, so initially the eyes run wide, but upon closer examination everything becomes clear.

Previously, defragmenting a hard drive was a completely ordinary procedure, even if it was not clear how to do it. The only thing everyone knew was that it somehow speeds up the computer. In the past, I have written many articles about defragmenting the hard drive, page file, and registry. During the popularity of Windows XP, defragmentation was important and it made significant changes to performance.

Over time, many companies began selling third-party defragmenters that supposedly did the job faster and more thoroughly. Some programs were quite good, but for the most part, they did everything the same as the built-in Windows defragmenters or even worse. Sometimes, after installing a third-party defragmenter, there was no need to be surprised that the computer was running slower than before.

Third party defragmentation procedure

The only time I could really recommend using third-party defragmenters is when your computer is completely loaded with different data stored in different places. For example, if you have four different hard drives installed on the computer, each of which contains different types data such as music, videos, operating system files, etc. In this case, third-party programs allow you to defragment each disk in a specific way.

If one disk contains large number small files that are frequently used, you can use third-party programs to defragment the disk so that all files are sorted according to the last date they were used or the date they were created. For discs that have huge music and video files that are not frequently used, the disc can be sorted according to folder size or file size.

Optionally, you can also defragment only certain files or folders instead of the entire disk. Obviously, as you can see, only individual cases are beneficial, and the time and effort spent on this do not lead to serious consequences.

Another case where a third-party defragmenter would be useful is a client whose hard drive was almost full. I needed to use third party program in order to move all data to the beginning of the disk. This helped free up some space and speed up the computer.

The built-in Windows defragmenter is the best

For 99 percent of people reading this article, built-in Windows defragmenter ideal for good work hard disk.

A group of people went through the trouble of testing various defragmenters such as Defraggler, MyDefrag, etc., and found that in Windows 7 and above, these programs do not speed up reading and writing data on the hard drive by a noticeable amount.

This happens because modern hard drives much more and thus have more free space. Because of the extra space, Windows does not fragment files in large quantities.

In addition to large hard drives, modern computers and hard drives give you access to data much faster than before. Thus, if your hard drive is partially fragmented, you will not feel much difference in the speed of data access. Only if your hard drive is highly fragmented will you see some slowdowns, but this is almost impossible to track due to Windows' built-in defragmenters.

In Windows 7 it is called Disk Defragmenter, and in Windows 8 and above it is now called Optimize Drives. By default, it automatically runs this program once a week, trying to keep your disk close to 0% fragmentation.

Solid State Drive (SSD) does not need to be defragmented

The days of automatic defragmentation are gone thanks to the SSD (Solid State Drive). This type of drive does not read or write data like a traditional hard drive and does not need to be defragmented. Apparently Windows automatically disables disk defragmentation for solid state drives, since defragmentation wears out this drive.

If you are looking for a performance boost when data is read and written, you need to purchase an SSD. Even the cheapest and slowest SSD is much faster than a traditional hard drive.

My computer boot time from Windows system 7 took over 40 seconds and now takes less than 5 seconds after I changed the 7200 rpm hard drive to a 256 GB Samsung SSD. SSDs are usually smaller in size due to their higher price, but just loading an operating system on an SSD can make a big difference, even if you store all other data on a separate, slow hard drive.

Conclusion

I hope that everything I said above is clear, but if not, then I will summarize what I said. If you're using Windows XP on an old computer, you really need to upgrade. If you are deprived of this opportunity, then manually enable the built-in defragmentation. If you are using Windows Vista or higher, you don't need to upgrade anything because Windows will automatically defragment any traditional hard drive and eliminate SSD defragmentation.

If you are a tech freak and want to squeeze the last drop out of your computer, then install a decent third-party defragmenter and set the settings accordingly. Otherwise, relax and enjoy your already optimized hard drive. Another way to improve your computer's speed is to uninstall unused or unlicensed software.

If your computer thinks for a long time when accessing any files on your computer, you need to defragment hard drive.

Defragmentation- the process of updating and optimizing the logical structure of a disk partition in order to ensure that files are stored in a continuous sequence of clusters. After defragmentation, reading and writing files speeds up, and, consequently, the work of programs, due to the fact that sequential read and write operations are performed faster than random accesses (for example, a hard disk does not require head movement). Another definition of defragmentation is: redistributing files on a disk so that they are located in contiguous areas.

Okay, it has become clear that defragmentation is needed to speed up reading and writing files, but what program should I use? Which one is more effective? These are the questions this article will answer. 5 best programs to defragment the hard drive.

Auslogics Disk Defrag (free)

Auslogics Disk Defrag This simple program disk defragmentation. You can defragment multiple drives or select individual files or folders to defragment. Auslogics allows you to set application priority and can turn off your computer after defragmentation is complete if you want to defrag your hard drives while you sleep but don't want to leave your computer on all night. Auslogics Disk Defrag is a free and portable application.

MyDefrag (Formerly JKDefrag) (free)

is effective tool to defragment disks. You can run it in default mode and get not only a defragmented disk, but also an optimized file placement; or you can configure it via scripts and further enhance your disk optimization for your specific tasks. Even without setting up a script, MyDefrag does an excellent job of defragmenting files and moving them to get the optimal location on your hard drive. Files that are frequently used are grouped to improve performance. MyDefrag scans the space allocated for the system and moves files from that space back to more suitable locations.

PerfectDisk Enterprise Suite (paid)

PerfectDisk One of PerfectDisk's biggest claims is its "Space Restoration Technology" feature. In addition to optimizing disks during defragmentation, PerfectDisk controls disk writes to ensure that files are subsequently written in the most efficient manner to reduce subsequent disk defragmentations. PerfectDisk also analyzes your data usage and creates templates that are optimized for your file usage and work style. Can be scheduled or configured to run the program when the computer is in standby mode for continuous defragmentation.

(for free)

From the same company that produces popular apps CCleaner and Recuva, is a portable defragmentation tool. It can scan multiple drives, as well as individual drives, folders, or individual files for some quick, specific defragments. When Defraggler scans a drive, it shows you all the fragmented files and allows you to either choose normal defragmentation or batch defragmentation.

Diskeeper (paid)

Like PerfectDisk, Diskeeper is equipped additional functions, as a rule, for which you will need to pay. In addition to basic defragmentation functions, Diskeeper can quickly defragment system files at boot without burdening the operating system. Diskeeper, like PerfectDisk, has a system for continuously defragmenting files and optimizing new files for disk memory while working. When defragmenting multiple hard drives, Diskeeper chooses different algorithms based on the drive, such as optimizing the operating system in ways other than storage.

Order in the computer and in life, friends!