Defragging the C: Drive

gnolan

As someone who knows very little about this, i'm hoping some people can tell me the benefits of defragging my C: drive.

I have numerous questions about it:

• Why do it?
• What effects will it have on performance?
• Will it effect my remaining disk space (which is limited)?
• Are there any occasions where defragging is a bad idea?
• Is it a process which should be done regularly?

Thanks

Diddy Kong

In the context of administering computer systems, defragmentation is a process that reduces the amount of fragmentation in file systems. It does this by physically organizing the contents of the disk to store the pieces of each file close together and contiguously. It also attempts to create larger regions of free space using compaction to impede the return of fragmentation. Some defragmenters also try to keep smaller files within a single directory together, as they are often accessed in sequence.

Wiki here with some nice graphics.

gnolan

And is there any situation where it wouldn't be suitable? Also wondering is there a more efficient defragger than the Windows Defrag program?

Auvers

gnolan wrote: »

Also wondering is there a more efficient defragger than the Windows Defrag program?

O&O Defrag great app but its not free

daftdave

i use a program called defraggler ..... does the job nicely...and its free

labrinth

gnolan wrote: »

And is there any situation where it wouldn't be suitable? Also wondering is there a more efficient defragger than the Windows Defrag program?

I find Diskkeeper09 to be the best, fully automatic and fast:)

kierank01

Jkdefrag is a very good free defragger for windows, there are lots of settings, but they are run from the command line only.

The only time that a defrag would be a bad idea is if you had a SSD (solid state disk) drive, and you would not have one of these if you do not have a new expensive pc, or netbook.

If you havn't done a defrag in a long time, I would definately do one, but doing one every week or month would be overkill imho.

ITDept

gnolan wrote: »

As someone who knows very little about this, i'm hoping some people can tell me the benefits of defragging my C: drive.

I have numerous questions about it:

• Why do it?
• What effects will it have on performance?
• Will it effect my remaining disk space (which is limited)?
• Are there any occasions where defragging is a bad idea?
• Is it a process which should be done regularly?

Thanks

Answers as I see them:

• It keeps the files on your disk in an order that is slightly easier for the computer to locate
• It should speed up loading of files / programs on the drive, but often the difference isn't huge
• It does compact / compress some files when it needs to so you might gain a small amount of free space. Incidentally it tends to run best when there is at least 15% free space on the drive.
• If you're using a laptop that isn't plugged into the mains (ie working on battery) then it's a bad idea. It uses a fair amount of power and could cause problems if you run out of juice while it's running.
• I would generally recommend running it about once a month

In general it doesn't make a huge difference most of the time, but it's not a bad idea.

redox

• Why do it?
  - Fragmentation can lead to poorer filesystem performance, since a separate seek request is required for accessing each fragment as opposed to a single request for a contiguous file. The HDD is the slowest component of the PC and already a performance bottleneck; fragmentation has the potential to make it worse.
  
  
• What effects will it have on performance?
  - If the files that used frequently are moderately/heavily fragmented (esp the MFT), then filesystem performance can suffer. Proper defragging can restore filesystem performance in these cases. Defragging free space (making it contiguous) can improve write performance.
  
  
• Will it effect my remaining disk space (which is limited)?
  - No defrag should have no effect on existing disk space; there is only a rearrangement of files/fragments. However, most defraggers refuse to defrag fully under low space conditions i.e. < 15-20% free space.
  
  
• Are there any occasions where defragging is a bad idea?
  - As IT dept said above, defragging on batteries is not a good idea since drive activity consumes a lot of power. Defragging while using the system for other tasks is not a good idea since the defragger will compete with other apps for resources. However, newer auto defraggers like Diskeeper 2007 onwards (I use DK 2009 Pro ATM) are designed to auto defrag in the background without interrupting other processes, and using only idle resources.
  
  
• Is it a process which should be done regularly?
  - Frequency of defrag depends on your usage patterns, but doing it regularly is always good. It does not cause harm in anyway, and it's a good idea to keep the filesystem in shape.

gnolan

Thanks for the replies. Downloaded a trial version of O&O Defrag. Does actually seems like a great application. Did a SPACE defrag, which was recommended for the initial defragmentation. All in all took about 3.5 hours. Might take me a while to notice any change in performance, seemed a little quicker on startup this morning...i think.

Once again though, thanks for the help