by James Kanata

Created on: August 05, 2010

One of the simplest and most beneficial pieces of computer maintenance is the defragmenting of the hard disk. A heavily fragmented hard disk is not only frustrating but also a needless waste of time and computer resources. By optimizing a hard disk, not only can you increase the speed at which the computer can access files but also reduce wear, helping your hard disk last longer.

File fragmentation is an inevitable byproduct of all Windows file systems, and occurs as data is constantly reorganized by the Operating System to the point where it fragments into different parts. In essence, a fragmented file is one that is not stored all together in the same physical space on the drive, but scattered in different places. It is perfectly possible for large files to be fragmented several times. The inevitable result of this is that it takes the machine longer to access all the required pieces of a file. This is why file fragmentation reduces computer speed. 

Ever since Windows 95, Microsoft has included a defragmentation program with every version. This is quite an adequate solution, though there are a few shortcomings with the Windows supplied program. Firstly it is incredibly slow, with some drives taking hours to finish. Secondly, while it can defragment a drive, Windows Disk Defragmenter does not organize or collate defragmented files at the start of the disk, leaving them spread out across the disk partition. In fact, Windows Disk Defragmenter is actually a basic version of a program called Diskeeper, developed by an outside company. As such, not all disk optimizing features are enabled in the Windows supplied version.

Why is this a problem? The answer is due to the way that most computer hard disks access data. Hard disks are based upon round, spinning platters that are accessed by a magnetic head placed on an arm (similar to how a CD is played). To access a file, the head needs to move across the platter to read the data. Therefore, data access is faster not only when the disk is defragmented (reducing the time spent searching across the platter) but also when all the data is collated in one continuous block starting from the inside edge. The best defragmentation programs do both of these. 

Fortunately, there is a useful alternative to the standard tool. A group of developers who were disappointed with the features of the Windows Disk Defragmenter produced a free program called MyDefrag (formerly JKDefrag). This tool is compatible with all current

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