Want to speed up your laptop or computer? It is not always necessary to buy expensive components in the store. Disk defragmentation - this is what will significantly improve PC performance. In our material we will look at how to do this by computer or special utilities.
What is the process and what is it for?
Removing programs, games, files from a computer, many do not know that their small "pieces" still remain on the hard disk, occupying free space. This process is called fragmentation. The next time you record any files or programs, one part of them will be written into free space, the occupied disk space will be skipped, after which the second part of the program will be recorded.
All this will lead to the fact that the HDD head, where you give the "command" to access the files, will have to move unevenly, moving first to the beginning, then to the end, then to the middle. All this significantly slows down the laptop.
Performing defragmentation will allow to collect all the files together: they will be sequentially arranged one after the other.
Due to this, the rewriting head will not need to “strain” too much, since a little movement will be required to read the file. The use of special utilities and programs is important for those users who often install software, games, overwrite files, and work with a large number of documents. With a sequential arrangement, the speed of work will be increased on average by 50%.
There is one important point: SSD-drive does not need to carry out this procedure, even, on the contrary, it is better to forget about defragmentation, since this will lead to a decrease in service life.
We carry out disk defragmentation step by step
The Windows operating system has a built-in program that works quite well and efficiently. It is best to run the internal utility once a week, which will keep the state of the hard disk in a normal state, avoiding clutter with small remnants of files.
In order not to forget about defragmentation, configure the automatic startup program: the computer will start it at the designated time. Some factors will influence the speed of work:
- technical parameters of the device;
- hard disk capacity;
- occupied hard disk space;
- number of write cycles;
- time since the last moment of defragmentation.
Let's take a closer look at how to defragment for different versions of Windows OS.
Windows 7
This version has its own (internal) utility, it allows you to defragment only files, but the program does not touch clusters. Despite this, the performance will still be improved. You can configure the automatic mode, specifying not only the date and time, but also the frequency of operations.
Before you start defragmentation, we recommend that you clean your local disks of existing garbage, for which you can use any suitable utility, you should also check the registry.
To activate the function, you need to follow this path:
- Start.
- All programs.
- Standard.
- Service.
There is another way:
- Computer.
- Properties
- Service tab.
- Defragment
After that, a window will open where you can select one of the available items: setup, analysis, defragmentation. During the analysis, the sector will check for the presence of fragmented files, the report will be provided as a percentage. Best of all, if the hard drive is at least 18% free space - the smaller, the slower the check will be, and its effectiveness will decrease.
In addition, it is imperative to have unused free disk space. Otherwise, the entire PC will be slowed down.
Windows 8
In terms of its functionality, the internal program is practically no different from the version installed on the "seven". You can also set up a validation schedule.
To use the service, you need:
- Click Win + E.
- Click on the "logical disk".
- Manage tab;
- Item "Optimization".
Windows 10
This OS is installed on most computers and laptops today. As a carrier, the SSD is most often installed (as you remember, it does not need to be defragmented) or a small HDD. In the latter case, it is necessary to carry out cleaning, since the hard drives of a small volume quickly undergo fragmentation, which leads to a decrease in the speed of work.
On Windows 10, it is quite difficult to configure defragmentation, since the laptop is usually turned off when it is not needed, and the best option is to manually launch the program.
Instruction:
- Conductor.
- Computer.
- Properties
- Service.
- Item "Optimization".
It is best to first conduct an analysis, find out the percentage of fragmented files, after which you can immediately start the optimization process. And the more often you carry out this procedure, the faster and more efficient the defragmentation will be next time.
What programs can be used
If you think that the internal utilities of the computer are not enough, you can install the program and the utility on the PC. There are a large number of them, however, we will consider those that were the most effective.
Defraggler
The main advantage is that you can not only defragment the disk as a whole, but also individual folders or files. This will be very helpful if you need the speed of a program, and not the computer itself. And the program works with all versions of Windows. The utility allows you to transfer large and rarely used files to the end of the disk.
Ashampoo Magical Defrag
The utility attracts with its minimalist design - all elements are presented in one window, there are few settings. The program has no additional options, the work can be carried out only in the background. In some moments, this feature is very convenient, since far from always the resources of a PC are used up to 100%.
Auslogics Disk Defrag
This is one of the most famous programs, which distinguishes it from other utilities. With its help, you can not only defragment, but also organize disk space. Auslogics Disk Defrag also optimizes files, which greatly speeds up access to them.
It is possible to customize the program schedule or transfer it to work in the background.
MyDefrag
A characteristic feature of MyDefrag is that it can replace the screensaver. This means that the utility goes into standby mode when you need to defragment. It helps to optimize the computer, organizes the location of files. You just need to configure the application once, after which it will work according to a predetermined schedule.
Smart defrag
Not so long ago, the emerging company "IObit" released a utility, thanks to which you will be able to maintain all the files located on your hard disk, in perfect order. The program uses special algorithms that carry out partial procedures during system startup, and the computer slows down slightly. The utility has the ability to enable the smart distribution function when the most frequently used programs and files are moved to the beginning of the disk, which provides faster access to them.
As you can see, there are not only external, but also internal programs for defragmentation. Using them is quite simple, most of them are absolutely free.
