Disk Defragmentation why , how and what
Here are some questions about disk defragmentation :
what is the use of disk defragmentation?
How defragmentation work?
Should I use disk defragmenter?
How and why do u use a disk defragmenter in a laptop computer?
What exactly does the Disk Defragmenter do?
Does disk defrag utility help to free up disk space?
So lets look at the disk defragmentation in detail:
Why Disk Defragmentation Is Necessary :
Before taking look at why disk defragmentation is necessary, we need to check how hard disk works.
Hard disks store data in chunks or groups called sectors. The surface of the disk divided into rings, a sector is one pie-slice on one ring. Each sector holds a fixed amount of data, like 512 bytes. The hard disk has one part like a small arm which moves from ring to ring on the surface of the disk to read the data. Hard disks are quite slow compared to other parts of computer , the arm takes lot of time to move from ring to ring.
So now lets consider you are installing new programs on your computer, computer stores the files of the application into sequential sectors on sequential rings. But if you delete / uninstall some programs from the harddisk., the information/data becomes scattered. Now suppose you load a new application or some large file onto the disk, it ends up storing in hundreds or thousands of these scattered pockets of space Now what happens to the disk’s arm, the disk’s arm has to move all over the surface and it takes forever to load the scattered pieces of data.
So considering above facts we need to minimize arm movement as much as possible, and seriously want data to be stored in sequential segments on the disk.
Disk defragmenting process sorts through all the scattered data on the hard disk and determine the most efficient way to reorganize it. So Disk Defragmentation is needed.
How Defragmenting Works
SO disk defragmenter’s main task is to move all files so that every file is stored on sequential sectors on sequential rings of the disk. It may also place all applications close to the OS on the disk to minimize movement when an application loads.
Defragmentation can take hours to complete. Running a disk defragmentation overnight be a better idea. For the disk defragmenter to properly run, we need to make sure that no application is running, disable the screensaver etc. To do the disk fragmentation go to My Computer, right click on the drive on which you want to run defrag. Then select Properties then select the Tools tab, click on Defragment Now button and Defragmentation dialog will open with defrag options. Also you can schedule the defragmentation.
For computer to run optimally, defragmentation must be part of routine maintenance program of your PC.