How To Defrag

By Sandy Berger

Want to keep your computer running smoothly? Would you like to possibly speed it up at the same time? There is a simple little utility program built into Windows that will help you do just that. It is called Disk Defragmenter.

Don't be put off by the name. It sounds a bit complicated, but defragmenting your hard disk is easy. You just need a little knowledge about how a computer works to understand what disk defragmentation is and how it works.

Defrag Explained

When you add a file or a new program to a brand new computer, the hard disk is relatively empty so new data is written to the hard disk in one contiguous block. When you need to use that information, the computer can quickly access it because it is all in one place.

As you use your computer adding files and programs, the hard disk begins to fill up. Deleting files or removing programs creates small empty areas among the other data that the computer will reuse. After awhile, the computer is no longer saving information in large blocks. Instead, it stores information in the many little empty nooks and crannies of your hard disk. The result is that one program or file is broken up, or fragmented, into little pieces and stored in many different areas of the hard disk. The computer ingeniously keeps track of the addresses of each piece of data and puts it all together when it is needed. Yet, obviously, the more broken up the information is, the longer it takes to access the data and the slower the computer becomes.

Finding the Defrag Utility

The solution is a simple one. Your Windows computer comes with a program that will defragment your hard disk. This process reunites all the data into large blocks and gathers all the free space on the hard disk into one block making data retrieval faster and easier for the computer. Most of you will be able to find the disk defrag program by clicking on the Start button, then choosing (All) Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and finally clicking on the Disk Defragmenter. If you have any trouble finding it, simply click on Start, then Help. Click on the Search tab and type in the word "defragment." The computer will give you a link to the defrag program.

Depending on your computer and your hard disk, defragmenting the hard disk can take a bit of time. After you defrag, you will see no difference in your computer, except for a little faster speed if the disk was very fragmented. Yet, getting into the routine of defragging every now and then is a good habit to form since it keeps your computer running smoothly. Some programs, like video editing software, will crash if the disk is too fragmented.

Trouble Shooting Defrag

Before you start the defrag process you will want to turn off any programs that you are running, including those running in the background like firewalls and anti-virus programs. If you try to defrag when these programs are running, the defrag process will constantly be stopped.

If you turn off the major programs that you have running and still find that the defrag routine is constantly interrupted, you can defrag from safe mode. Safe mode is a troubleshooting mode for Windows. In normal Windows operations, many individual programs may be automatically started along with the Windows operating system. In safe mode, only the operating system and drivers are loaded. Since no other programs are loaded, there is nothing running in the background to interfere with the defrag process.

To start your computer in safe mode, simply turn the computer off, and when it starts to reboot, press the F8 key. The exact time that you should press the F8 key varies with different Windows versions and it is always difficult to pinpoint. Sometimes pressing the F8 key and holding it down during the boot process will work. Continuously tapping the F8 key during the boot process seems to work the best for most computers. Once the safe mode screen comes up, use the arrow key to choose "Safe Mode". You can verify that you are in safe mode by noting that the computer screen says "safe mode" in each corner. You may notice that the screen looks different, perhaps grainy or pixilated. That is normal for safe mode. Once in safe mode, start the defrag process as noted above. When the process is complete, click Start/Shutdown to restart the computer.

How often you defrag your computer depends on the size of your hard drive, the amount you use your computer, and type of use you give it. Once a month is a good practice for most average users. Whether you decide to defrag once a month or just a few times a year, defragging can help your computer run smoother and faster.