Now almost every version of Windows includes a disk defragmenter utility but the problem with these built-in tools is that that will defragment the entire hard-drive at once and they’ll ignore files that are smaller than 64 MB. Alternate Windows Disk Defragmenter from MicrosoftĪ Disk Defragmenter program helps because it will pre-arrange all the “fragmented” pieces of a file close together thus reducing the time it takes to open files or load programs on your computer.
And fragmentation is not just an issue with your computer’s hard disk but even removable devices like the USB Flash Drive or your external drives can also become fragmented with time. When you load a program or open a file, the computer will have to first assemble these “fragmented” pieces thus decreasing the performance. Like an artist who breaks a tile into multiple pieces to form a mosaic, your computer will break these file into chunks (or fragments) and store them in different places across your hard drive.
Now what’s that? Disk Fragmentation for Non-TechiesĪs you start filling your hard-drive with new programs, documents, and other files, the operating system tries to find vacant places on the hard-drive to place these files. One of the reasons why your computer may become slow over time is because the files on the hard drive can become fragmented.