What happens after you defragment your hard drive? General tips for defragmentation

Why is defragmentation needed? First, let's give a definition: - this is a process designed to speed up the operation of a computer. What does defragmentation do? With its help, the structure of the logical division of the contents of disk space, designed for storing files in a continuous sequence, is optimized. Once the process is complete, reading files hosted on clusters will be faster. Disk defragmentation is also necessary because it will make all programs recorded on the affected disk work much faster. Most often you have to carry out a similar operation on the d drive, since it contains all the necessary file accounts.

What is the purpose of this operation?

Why is defragmentation needed? The fact is that writing files to disk requires a certain amount of space. This place is divided into clusters, computer memory cells. If something has already been recorded on the computer, and now you need to add some voluminous information to these recordings, then there will not be a single space on the disk that can fit all the components of these files in a row. The computer will scatter them into separate cells that are not adjacent to each other.

To better understand why and why these operations are performed, let’s take a saucepan as an example. Place an object in it whose volume occupies about half the container, but does not touch its edges. The item itself will fit well, and there will be quite a lot of space left to fill the pan with other small things, their total volume being equal to the item already in the pan. But if we want to put something in it that is as big as what we have already put there, then we will not have enough space. We will be able to do this only if we divide a single object into several small ones. In computer parlance this would be called fragmentation.

This is exactly what happens when a large file is written to a disk that is almost full. The contents of the data being written will be scattered across separate clusters, and therefore when you run the installed program, it will run slower than it should. The fact is that the computer will be forced to search the entire disk for the required files. This is why it is needed and what (and below it will be explained how) disk defragmentation gives.

For the most part, programs that require such an operation are systems such as Windows and. The reason for this is that they do not have programs that prevent files from being scattered across separate clusters. You can stop the fragmentation process by recording special programs on your computer, but this is a separate topic. Now we need to help speed up the computer by correctly merging all the files scattered by the system.

In addition, it also happens that programs do not want to run on the computer at all, unless you defragment them. And here's the reason: some software requires the computer to ensure that some of the files are on the disk in exactly the order in which they were when recorded. If after this the sequence of finding information differs from the source code, then the program will hardly start. Thus, we may lose the opportunity to play some games, run a working program, or we may even ruin the operation of the computer if we install systems that change its structure.

For an example of a program that does not work without eliminating the scattering of information throughout the hard drive, we can cite the emulator built into the CD-ROM. It runs on a Zalman ve-200 drive and requires files to be found in the order in which they were written from the source. Even installing a solid-state drive, which is not capable of combining files into a single structure, does not help get rid of the problem. Here you should understand what it means that the emulator refuses to start. To solve the problem, you need to defragment the hard drive.

Another process of merging files is required for systems such as file allocation table, MS-DOS and . None of them have protection to help prevent file splitting. Moreover, it is quite possible for fragmented disks to appear even on an empty hard drive, including if you write small . The problem is the absence of the above programs that ensure the installation of files in a row.

The impact of fragmentation on computer performance and how to combat it

In addition to the fact that the computer will become much slower in file processes, fragmentation will have a very serious impact on the condition of the hard drive itself. It is quite possible that it will be damaged. This will happen due to its overload. The fact is that there are so-called positioning disk heads, which are responsible for reading and writing information installed on the computer. To cure this disease, you must either install a special defragmenter program, the main task of which will be to combine all the information scattered throughout the drive into a single segment. However, the problem will be that the system to eliminate fragmentation will be slow. It will take a lot of hours. It is possible that if there is a lot of information on the disk, then all day long.

Of course, no one wants to deal with long-term operation of programs designed to defragment a disk. You can carry out the entire operation manually, especially since this way you can speed up the process several times. Of course, you can find systems that work 2 times faster than others. But still, familiarize yourself with the order in which you should manually merge clusters:

1. Go to drive d and create a new file system partition on it.
2. Copy all the information you need and paste it into this section.
3. Since the disk is empty, fragmentation should not occur when writing to it (although there are exceptions).

That's all there is to it. Such operations will take you much less time than using a program that eliminates fragmentation.

How to merge files when using special programs?

Let's analyze the process of working of a defragmenter program using Windows XP as an example. To successfully complete the transaction you need to make sure there is enough free space on the disk. The fact is that after installing the program, at least 15% of the total memory available on the computer must remain free clusters.

After completing the installation of the program, you can begin the cleaning process. Right-click on the icon of the disk that you want to process. In our case, this is drive d. After this, a window will appear in which you will find the “properties” item. Select it. Now you will see the following window, which has a small tab called “service”. Go to it. In the “service” tab there is a button called “perform defragmentation”. If you don’t find it right away, it means that the program has a “disk defragmentation” sub-item. Click on it and you will see the button you are interested in. Now all that remains is to set the target hard drive to drive d. By right-clicking on it, you will see a window with an “analysis” button in it. It is necessary to carry out diagnostics of data located on the drive. After diagnostics, a new window pops up, which will contain a “defragmentation” button. Click on it and the rest of the process will happen automatically. When it ends, you will see a message pop up on the monitor indicating the completion of the operation.

That's all a person who decides to defragment a hard drive using an electronic program needs to know.

Now that you know what the process called “defragmentation” does, you can decide for yourself whether you need it. In any case, you should know that this is a very important step in speeding up your computer.

Defragmenting your hard drive is a great way to improve your computer's performance. Although the term "defragmentation" sounds very serious, it is actually a very simple and useful process in the event that your computer has started to behave suspiciously.

What is hard drive defragmentation

First, let's understand this term that is not clear to everyone " defragmentation».

If you believe the know-it-all, then the process in which the logical structure of a disk partition is optimized and updated in order to ensure the further storage of all files on your computer in a continuous sequence of clusters is defragmentation. Or another way - redistributing files on the disk for their further location in contiguous areas.

Imagine a huge library filled to the brim with different books in an absolutely chaotic order. And try to imagine that there is no librarian in this library at all! As visitors each day pick up books and do not put them back in their original place, they are placed further apart in a chaotic manner. Now imagine that you come to the library and want to take some “The Art of Programming” in 4 volumes, and all 4 books are located in different places in the library. And the search begins... You will spend a lot of time finding all the books. The same thing happens on your computer. We download some programs, and after a while we realize that we no longer need them and delete their. And in their place new information is recorded, which takes up less space on your hard drive. And then holes appear in which you can no longer write anything. This process is - fragmented data.

When running programs that contain hundreds of files, Fragmentation can slow down your computer's performance. Because the clusters(cells) of files on your hard drive are fragmented, they are located far from each other and the computer has to rush at cosmic speed through all the nooks and crannies of memory, like an idiot with a mortar, and collect them in parts. What immediately comes to mind is a game popular in the 80s and 90s, where a wolf runs around with a basket on the last level.

But for your computer this is a normal process, and the more you install programs, download files, the faster the number of these holes grows, and we get low performance and slow operating system.

What does hard drive defragmentation do and how does it happen?

To begin with, the operating system analyzes the disk for the presence of fragmented files and sends them to the buffer by sequentially rewriting them to a new location. Many people immediately have a question: “will data be lost after defragmentation”? The answer is no, don't confuse defragmentation with formatting. And there is also a very common misconception that you can also check on the disk using defragmentation. This is not true, there are many programs for this.

With the help of disk defragmentation, we have the opportunity to combine all parts of one file into one chain, i.e. all empty cells will be collected in one pile at the end of the disk, and all parts of the data files will become sequential and end up at the beginning. After defragmentation, the speed of access to all files and their parts increases significantly. Of course, after a certain period of time, fragmented files will appear again, but there is only one way out - you need to defragment again after some time.

Overview of hard drive defragmentation programs

There are a huge number of programs on the Internet that can be used to defragment your hard drive. Windows also has a built-in defragmenter, but its performance leaves much to be desired. Now I will list the most famous programs:
is a very fast defragmentation program; the program uses a number of algorithms that make the defragmentation process faster than using conventional utilities.

- a relative of the recently very popular JkDefrag. It can be called stable, productive and easy to work with.

- a successful program from the well-known company Piriform. Combines stability, security and ease of use.

— it is possible to work quite productively in graphical mode, and even through the console.

— works in automatic mode, and decides when to start defragmentation. It also helps prevent some failures in the operating system.

Try not to forget do defragmentation at least occasionally it is will extend the life of your computer and speed up its performance. Remember to leave 10-15% of free disk space for defragmentation. I advise you to do this operation at night, because it takes a lot of time. Most programs have a function that will shut down the computer after the defragmentation process is completed.

To speed up your personal computer, you don’t have to go to the store to purchase new expensive components - you need to defragment the disk using a special utility that will help bring each fragmented file to an orderly state, move important system components to a faster partition, and much more. Inexperienced PC users neglect the necessary maintenance, considering the hard drive to be a minor component, but the speed of access to various files, including Windows components, depends on optimization.

What is disk defragmentation

When deleting programs, games, movies and other large files, individual elements remain on the hard drive, 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, work with a large number of 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. An SSD drive does not need defragmentation, but rather the opposite - its 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 it weekly to keep the hard drive of your personal computer in good condition and to prevent unnecessary clutter with small parts of files. You can set up an automatic start mode, when the computer itself starts the program at the right time. The speed of the program is directly affected by many factors, of which the following are worth highlighting:

• technical parameters of the hardware component of the 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 utility defragmenter utility for Windows 7 defragments hard disk partitions, 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. Before starting, it is recommended to clean local disks of residual garbage, for which you can use the system or one of the free utilities and check the 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, hard drive sectors will be checked for the presence of fragmented files, and a report will be provided as a percentage. It is recommended to have at least 15% free space on your hard drive, because... in its absence, defragmentation can take a very long time, and efficiency will be significantly reduced. It is always necessary to have some unoccupied space on the system disk used for storing information - 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 the 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 is 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 would be to start it manually each time.

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 alternative programs with a clearer and more convenient interface and some additional functions. 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... you don’t need to disable it yourself through 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 the speed of a specific application is important, and not the entire computer. The program works with any file systems. It is possible to automatically transfer large files closer to 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 here, and 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... The computer's 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 that set it apart from other offerings. It not only defragments files, but also organizes the available 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

A distinctive feature of the program is that it replaces a 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 requires only 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, when frequently used files are distributed closer to the beginning and are accessed faster. The performance speed is good, even with a large number of files and their fragmentation.

Video

Good morning! Whether you want it or not, to make your computer work faster, you need to carry out preventive measures from time to time (clean it of temporary and junk files, defragment it).

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?

Quite a common 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, enter “defragmentation” in the search bar, and Windows will find the desired link (see screenshot below).

3) Do I need to defragment SSD drives?

No need! And even Windows itself (at least the new Windows 10; this can be done in Windows 7) 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. In addition, SSD drives do not have mechanics, and after defragmenting, you will not notice any increase in operating speed.

4) Do I need to defragment the disk if it has an NTFS file 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);
• make Windows run faster.

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 utility built into Windows, and secondly, some utilities can defragment automatically, without distracting you from your 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 program built into Windows does defragmentation quite well (although it does not have some of the “goodies” that third-party developers have).

7) Should I defragment a disk other than the system disk (i.e., the one on which Windows is not 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 are 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 perform defragmentation (for maximum speed!). You can talk about one of them .

1) Cleaning the disk from debris

Windows cleaning programs -

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

3) Start defragmentation

Let's consider running the disk defragmenter built into Windows (since by default it eats me of everyone who has Windows :)).

First you need to open control Panel, then section system and safety. 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 long time (depending on the size of your disk and the degree of fragmentation). 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 versions of Windows (32/64 bit), can work with entire disk partitions and 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 interfere with 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 move system files (which need to be the fastest) to the fastest part of the disk, thereby speeding up your Windows operating system somewhat. 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 individual 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, USB external 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 launch settings. 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 during defragmentation some system error occurs, 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!

In this material you will become familiar with such an important maintenance operation as defragmentation. Many novice users (and not only) often neglect this function, which over time leads to an increase in read/write time and, accordingly, a decrease in computer performance. But before answering the question, what is disk defragmentation and how to do it, let's look at the principle of writing files to disk.

How are files written to the hard drive?

To put it simply, it is not written to the disk in its entirety, but is “folded out” into cluster cells, which represent the minimum space for storing information on the hard disk. Those. the file is split into pieces corresponding to the cluster size.

Disk structure: (A) track (B) geometric sector (C) track sector (D) cluster

Initially, as long as there is enough free space on the disk, the file is written to the clusters sequentially - one after the other. As the storage medium fills up, there may be a shortage of sequential clusters (especially in the case of recording large files), in which case the system begins to look for free cells and distribute parts of the file among them, which takes more time. The same is true when reading a file written in scattered clusters - it takes time to find all parts of the file on the disk and assemble it. It turns out that fragments of the file are scattered here and there - it is fragmented, and there can be many such files. When you delete a fragmented file, empty scattered clusters remain in its place, into which other files will again be scattered when they are written. All this significantly reduces computer performance and hard drive resource.

What is disk defragmentation?

Disk defragmentation is designed to collect scattered parts of files into continuous, sequential clusters as much as possible. We can say that the system will try to assemble the fragmented file into a single whole. Empty scattered clusters will also be connected into serial chains during this process. In addition, defragmentation will move most of the data closer to the beginning of the disk. The defragmentation operation speeds up program launches and data loading. It is recommended to remove unused programs and data before starting the process.

How often should you defragment?

The frequency of defragmentation depends on the size of your hard drive, how much you use it, how full it is, and how often you install and uninstall programs.

How to defragment a disk?

Let's look at the defragmentation process using Windows 7 as an example, as the most common operating system at the time of publication of the article. The Windows system has a standard program with which you can analyze the selected local disk to determine the need to defragment it and directly start the process itself. The fastest way to run it is:

Open folder " Computer" Start—>Computer.

Select local disk. By clicking on it with the right mouse button, call up the context menu, in which select the item “ Properties" At the top of the properties window, select the " Service" and click on the button " Run defragmentation»

In the defragmenter window that opens, click on the “ Analyze disk", after which the process of checking the disk for the degree of fragmentation will begin. After finishing the analysis, the program will show how fragmented the disk is. If the degree of fragmentation is above 15%, you must press the “ Disk Defragmenter" and wait for the program to finish.

The defragmentation program can also be launched using the Main Menu. To do this, click on the button " Start", select from the menu " All programs«, « Standard«, « Service" and left-click on the icon " Disk Defragmenter»

Don't forget to carry out this procedure regularly, and your hard drive will be pleased with its speed. In conclusion, it should be noted that for high-speed solid-state SSD drives, defragmentation is not needed, because they have a different principle of storing information. SSD drives will be discussed in the following materials.