To regain lost speed on a computer, take the time to defrag the hard drive.  The Defrag Tool can be found on the computer itself and can even be scheduled for the user’s convenience.  As with any other machine, performing routine maintenance on a computer should be a regular occurrence.

File Fragmentation

When a computer is new, there is a lot of free space on the hard drive.  Programs are installed and files created, and the free space is used up on the disk.  As software preferences change, users delete programs they are no longer using.  This leaves open blocks of space on the disk between spaces that are still in use.

The disk then writes new files to this open space, but the new files do not often fit perfectly.  The computer then “fragments” (chops into pieces) a file and stores it in multiple places.

When the user asks for a certain “fragmented” file the disk may need to spin to several different places before being able to load then entire file.  This physically takes longer than if the file were stored in one place.

Defrag Process

Defragmentation is the process of gathering up the pieces of files stored all over the disk and reorganizing them into contiguous spaces.  This means that the hard drive does not have to work as hard to bring up files the user requests, and that the computer can load a file much faster.  If a PC is suffering from a loss of processing speed, defragging the hard drive is a good first step to faster performance.

The Disk Defragmentation Tool is already installed on Windows PCs (for somewhat faster Defrag Tools, search online).  Before beginning, it is a good idea to clean out temporary and unneeded files, to lessen the Defragmenter’s workload.  Also, plan to defrag overnight or another time when the computer is not in use, as trying to run other programs may interrupt the defragging process.

To Defrag, Simply:

• Click on Start and
• select Programs,
• then Accessories,
• and then System Tools,
• where you will find the Disk Defragmenter!

Follow instructions, and enjoy the results.

Defrag Follow-Up

Once the Defragmenter is complete, it’s a good idea to clean up after the process.  Research using a registry cleaning tool after a defrag session to fully optimize the computer’s speed. Running a registry cleaner will increase computer speed and will remove registry problems that cause PC errors.

Optimize-Your-PC can help you defrag . With its advanced registry cleaning technology, it will scan, diagnose, and fix all erroneous Windows registry entries, leaving you with nothing but a highly-optimized PC.

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