It sounds scary, but “defragging” (short for defragmenting) is an effective way to bring performance back to your slow PC or laptop. In this article, we’re going to explain how disk defragmentation works and why you should consider doing it.
How does defragmentation work?
Defragmentation is a process that reorganises the data stored on your computer's hard drive. It makes sure that related pieces of data are efficiently grouped together in ‘contiguous blocks’ (memory locations), which in turn, allows the drive to access them more quickly.
But how does this data become disorganised in the first place? Well — as files are created, modified, and deleted over time — the data on a hard drive can become scattered over different areas of the disk. Think of it like a library where the books haven’t been put back alphabetically.
Defragging your drive can help improve the speed of your computer by reducing the time it takes to read and write files. So, if you’re on the verge of buying a new desktop PC or laptop because yours has ground to a halt — give this a go first!
What are the benefits of regular defragmentation?
Defragging your computer on the reg will make sure that it remains fast and responsive. By consolidating and organising your files, it’ll help to improve boot times and speed up your system. But it’ll also reduce wear and tear on your hard drive too. That’s because it’ll lessen the amount of work that the drive needs to do to access and retrieve files.
Sounds great, but how else does defragmentation benefit my computer? Glad you asked. Fragmented files can take up more space on your drive, so defragmenting them will free up storage so you can save even more stuff. And fragmented files are more prone to corruption too, as they’re tougher for your computer to retrieve. So, defragging them also reduces the risk of data loss.
When should you defrag your hard drive?
It can depend on a few things. Like how often you use your computer, or if you just feel like things have slowed down recently. It can be a good idea to defragment your hard drive after installing or uninstalling software too, or even after a system update.
But a general rule of thumb is to defrag your computer when it reaches more than 10% fragmentation. There are some tools you can use to see the levels of drive fragmentation on your computer’s disk. But more on that in a bit…
Do I need to defragment hard drives?
Traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) are pretty susceptible to file fragmentation because of the way that data is stored on their disk platters. So, we’d recommend defragmenting HDDs regularly to keep your system’s performance nice and healthy. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the size of the drive and the amount of fragmentation.
Do I need to defragment solid-state drives?
Modern solid-state drives (SSDs) don’t need to be defragmented like hard disk drives. That’s because SSDs store data in blocks, so when a file’s deleted — the block it was in simply becomes available for use again. As SSDs don't have moving parts like HDDs, there's also no need to worry about physical read and write times being affected by file fragmentation. In fact, defragmenting a solid-state drive can actually decrease its lifespan by putting unnecessary stress on it.
Built-in defragmentation tools for Windows
Got a Windows laptop or PC? You’re in luck, as they come with a built-in defragmentation tool that’ll optimise the performance of your hard drive. And it’s super easy to find too, just follow these steps:
Open the ‘Start’ menu and type ‘defragment’ into the search box.
Click on ‘Defragment and Optimize Drives’ from the search results.
Select the hard drive that you want to defragment and click on the ‘Optimize’ button.
Built-in defragmentation tools for Mac
Unlike Windows computers, macOS for iMac and Macbook handles file fragmentation automatically using a feature called ‘Hot File Adaptive Clustering’ (HFAC). But if you still want to defrag your Mac’s drive or an external hard drive manually, use the built-in ‘Disk Utility’ tool. Here’s how to find it:
Open the ‘Utilities’ folder within ‘Applications’, then click on Disk Utility.
Select your hard drive from the list on the left-hand side.
Click on the ‘First Aid’ button at the top, then hit the ‘Run’ button.
Wait for the process to finish (which may take several minutes).
Third-party defragmentation software
There’s loads of great third-party defragmentation software out there too. And some of these have additional features that do more than the defrag PC software that came with your computer’s operating system.
Defraggler is a popular disk defragmenter for Windows computers, which lets you defragment an entire hard drive or just specific files. Auslogics Disk Defrag is another go-to choice that’s free, which has a really clear interface and even options to safely optimise solid-state drives.
But what if you’re into PC gaming? Try out iObit’s Smart Defrag program instead. This is another free piece of software that has a ‘Game Optimiser’ feature, which can really get your system up to scratch for gaming and streaming.
Advanced defragmentation techniques and tips
Basic defragmentation tools should make a noticeable difference to your computer’s performance and speed. But there are a few advanced techniques that can really take your system optimisation to the next level.
Try defragmenting a hard drive during off-hours, such as at night or on weekends. Defragging can take a while and use a lot of your computer’s processing power. So, this can help reduce the impact and prevent disruption to your daily work routine.
Defragmentation is also more effective when used with something like ‘Disk Cleanup’. By running a cleanup first, this’ll help remove unnecessary files and free up valuable space on the hard drive before the defrag process. It’s like giving your hard drive a really thorough clean.
Common misconceptions about defragging
Like we said right at the start, “defragging” can sound pretty frightening if you’re not familiar with it. And because of that, there are many misconceptions and myths about defragmentation that stops computer users from taking advantage of its benefits.
One misconception is that defragging is harmful to your hard drive. While it’s true that defragging can cause wear and tear, the benefits outweigh the potential harm. Hard drives are designed to handle a certain amount of read/write cycles, and modern defragging software can minimise the strain on the drive.
Another misconception is that solid-state drives don’t need to be defragged. This is mostly true as they access data differently to HDDs. But SSDs can still benefit from a process like "trimming", which frees up space and performs other small optimisations.
FAQs
How often should I defragment my computer?
It’s far better to defrag your computer’s hard drive on a regular basis, rather than waiting until it is severely fragmented. This will put less pressure on your hard drive in the long run, as a seriously fragmented drive will take much longer to sort out in one go.
What is file fragmentation, and why does it happen?
File fragmentation happens when a file is broken into pieces and scattered across different locations on a storage device, like a computer’s hard drive. This occurs over time as files are created, changed, and deleted. And as a result, the file system might not be able to allocate enough space for the file to be stored in a contiguous block. This is what leads to fragmentation.
What happens if I interrupt the defragmentation process?
If you interrupt the defrag process on your computer, it may result in incomplete defragmentation. Which can lead to slower performance over time. So, it’s highly recommended to let the defragmentation process run its course without interruption. Just be patient!
Any more questions?
Now that you know how to sort out your hard drive, why not learn even more to make the most of your computer? How about our what is a docking station? article, or maybe our guide on how to connect two monitors to a laptop?