Disk
Defragmentation
OK you have been
told to do it. You know it supposed to be good from your computer. Would you
like to really understand why you should Defrag your hard drive.
If you are going
to defragment something it must have been fragmented to begin with.
So first we'll take a
look at what Disk Fragmentation is and why it is a bad thing.
Files or Pineapples It’s Basically the Same
Lets pretend that you are an apprentice chef.
-
The boss tells you to go into the walk- in cooler and get him a pineapple.
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If the pineapple was in one piece it would be an easy job.
-
If the pineapple was cut in to 20 slices and each
slice stored in a different container, with the containers spread
throughout the cooler the job would be harder.
-
Imagine how difficult it would be if the pineapple
was diced and stored in 300 different containers.
-
It's much the same with files. It is easer to open a
complete file than one that is sliced or diced.
-
With a fragmented pineapple it could take hours to make a couple of
pineapple cakes.
What is
Fragmentation
Webster's
dictionary defines fragmented as being broken down to small bits.
Computer wise,
fragmentation is when the files on your disk are broken up into
small bits and stored in different locations on your drive
What Causes
Fragmentation
Disk
Fragmentation is caused by creating, deleting or editing files. It is
caused by adding or removing software. It is caused by downloading files
from the internet.
Computers do
not necessarily save an entire file or folder in a single space. They are
saved in the first available space. If the file doesn't fit in that space
it is broken up with the broken pieces spread throughout the drive.
Fragmentation
is a natural process. It cannot be avoided. If you bought a brand new
computer it would be fragmented because of the Operating System and basic
programs installed.
Why is a
Fragmented Disk a Problem
Firstly, it
will slow your computer down. The slow down can be
dramatic.
Other problems
would include longer boot times, frequent crashes and freezes.
A fragmented
disk could actually prevent your computer from booting at all.
The constant
searching a drive must do when it is fragmented also leads to the
premature failure of the hard drive.
We have had
calls from customers so desperate they were going to buy a new computer. If
we could boot the computer and defragment the drive we were able to
save them the expense of a new computer or hard drive.
How Often
Should You Defrag Your Drive
Good
Question. It depends upon how you use your computer and in what
state you wish to preserve it.
Defragging takes a long time so to be practical I guess you could feel pretty good
doing it once a month.
Most versions of
Windows have a Defragmentation Utility included. Regular defrags can save a
lot of heart ache.
To Start the
disk Defragger
-
Click
Start
-
Click
All Programs
-
Click
Accessories
-
Click
System Tools
-
Click
Disk Defragmenter
-
Follow
the programs prompts
The Windows
Defrag Utility is a limited performance version of Diskeeper
Software.
Info from Microsoft's
website
Disk
Defragmenter is based on the full retail version of Diskeeper. The
version included with Windows XP and later provides limited
functionality in maintaining disk performance.
Diskeeper
Software
Our thought are
that using the free limited version offered in windows is better than
nothing, but a better job would be done if you used the full version.
We have used
previous versions of Diskeeper Software and have been very pleased with the
results.
Diskeeper is
faster than the Windows Defrager and seems to do a better job. It is
also "set and forget".
We will be
testing the latest version of Diskeeper over the next few weeks and report
results on our website.
In the meantime
with a price of US $29.95* for the Home Version you can't go
wrong with Diskeeper.
Operating
System Requirements:
-
Windows 2000
Professional
-
Windows XP
Home or Windows XP Pro
-
Windows
Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate
-
If you have
Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Enterprise you will have to use
Diskeeper 2008 Professional (US $49.95*) or Pro Primier (US $99.95*)
*Price
current as of 22 April 2008
To purchase
Diskeeper Click the Link Below
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