It is easy to ignore defragmenting the system files, but
the consequences are something you might not forget. I remember the first time I defragmented my hard drive. I used my PC for almost two years before defragmenting it for the first time. Nonetheless, I wiped everything and reinstalled windows.
Why do you want to defragment a hard drive? Because the reduced fragmentation and free space results in easier access to file systems. A typical defragmentation tool organize the content in the hard drive to store files in a contiguous region for easier access.
The read/write heads in the hard drive
slows down when it reads fragmented data. This results in slow down. Unless a user wants to know how it feels to have frequent slow downs, it’s best to use a good defragmenter.
1. What causes fragmentation?: Fragmentation occurs when an operating system fails to give enough contiguous space or puts gaps in between files. These gaps might or might not be created by a deleted file. Large files and great number of small files can lead to fragmentation. This is why most experts recommend a user to defragment the hard disk after installing a heavy program.
2. Faster loading times: I know that faster loading time is just one of the benefits of defragmentation. There is a reason why I specifically mention this point. Most users forget that even browsers can benefit from a defragmented hard disk; frequent defragmentation reduce loading time and time to open files. New defragmenters have an option to move frequently accessed files to the beginning of the hard disk, this can give you more speed as well.
3. Other benefits: Other that reducing loading time and better access to the files, defragmentaion can protect the hard disk from reading all unnecessary files and overworking. Did I forget to mention that defragmentation can protect other hardware too? This is why, most experts agree that after installing hardware such as video cards, defragmentation is necessary.
4. Problems with defragmentation: Files such as a pagefile (swap file) can delay defragmentation. Some normal defrag tools cannot move these files. Some users said that different file systems can conflict with defragmentation as well. File systems such as NTFS are designed specifically to reduce defragmentation and this might conflict with some defrag tools. Some Windows users complain that certain defrag tools delete their system restore data. Sorry, but I am not aware of such issues.
5. Defragmenter performance: It is difficult to defragment a seriously fragmented file system like the one in my first computer. Also, partitioned hard disks with a single drive for operating system files can reduce defragmentation time. I store different categories of programs in different drives with only one drive left for Windows files. Many users say that defragmentation time is lower in drives with small programs. Large files like videos can be ignored as you do not need to access it everyday; most defragmenters have an option to ignore certain files.
6. Popular defrag tools: I think that Auslogics Free Defragmenter is the best you can get for free. Piriform had created a new tool called defraggler that is free and handy as well. Both are lightweight programs and can easily be downloaded. I prefer Auslogics, their premium edition is very useful too.
I know that most people do not think of defragmentation as a big deal when they start out. It depends upon what the user wants out of his computer.
A user who love PC games need to defragment the hard disk for better game play and speed. Writers and bloggers have no need for defragmention as they only use programs such as browsers and word processors.
It is recommended that all computer users use defrag tools, even if there are no heavy programs. It is very important.
