To begin with, what is a fragmented disk? A fragmented disk is the scattering of parts of a file throughout a disk, as when the operating system breaks up the file and fits it into the spaces left vacant by previously deleted files.
On a Microsoft Windows operating PC there is a hard disk utility that you can run right now that will help enhance your computers performance. It is the disk defragment. The common analogy for disk defragment would be like a standard filing cabinet. The filing cabinet contains folders with documents in those folders. Sometimes documents get placed in the wrong folders. Sometimes the folders get arranged in a haphazard way to where it takes time to find the folder and even more time to find the document in the folders. When you take the time to manually go through each folder ensuring that the right documents are in the proper folders, then organize the folders in the cabinet in some logical fashion to where you can easily find the folders with the proper documents in them, you have done what disk defragment does. Fortunately you do not have to exert any physical effort to organize the “filing cabinet” in your computer that is called your hard drive.
By having a properly organized filing cabinet, you save time in searching for the documents you need. The same holds true for your PC. By running a defragment on your disk you organize the files on the disk so that the computer does not expend more effort than necessary in trying to find all the parts of the document you want when you go to get it.
Performing a disk defragment on any Microsoft Windows PC is easy. The Disk Defragment tool is found by going to:
start>all programs>accessories>system tools
A tip that I have learned about using this utility is to run it when you are not going to be using the computer for a while. You might want to run this before you go to bed at night. The reason I recommend this is that if you have not run this in a while, or ever, it may take several hours for the computer to organize the data.
When you run this utility you will have started on a system we call normal computer hygiene. Computer hygiene is preventive maintenance much like changing the oil in your car. If you maintain your car with an oil change service your car will serve you well for many years. If you do not your car may break down sooner than you expect. The same holds true with the computer you have invested your hard-earned money.