When a computer has been in use for a long time, many files and folders that are stored therein break down. It is called fragmentation. The result is that the entire file system gets disorganized and it becomes difficult to get hold of a file anytime you want as it may be in a wrong place. The ultimate result is that the computer becomes slow with lower efficiency and will exhibit processing problems. Defragmentation is a program that has been designed for gathering the entire file and organizes them in an orderly fashion. After defragmentation, the overall performance improves making retrieving time very much less.
Defragmentation for improving efficiency of the computer
What happens in a computer over a period of time is that the different files that are stored get placed at different places in the hard drive in a disorderly manner. It may so happen that two connected files may be stored at opposite ends of the drive. Access time is much more because of the time taken to collect the file from different locations where they are stored. If this disorganized is not corrected through defragmentation, some of the programs in the computer may stop totally from functioning. Defragmentation is method reorganizing the hard drive.
It enables related data to be grouped together so that files get organized contiguously. When it is done, the computer will start operating more efficiently and you can access files quickly. By properly organizing the files on the hard drive, valuable storage space is created in one lot. This in turn will help in saving of files in a systematic fashion. When it happens and is overseen regularly, it may not be necessary for further defragmentation. In that respect the computer user also plays a large part by organizing his work in a proper fashion. Defragmentation helps in increasing the lifespan of the computer even as disc drives are getting larger.
Frequency of defragmentation
Defragmentation has to be carried out when symptoms of slowing down appear and access time to files gets increased. The frequency of usage will entirely depend on how organized is the work done on the computer. Present day computers come with one or the other defragmentation program. As such, the organization of files in the hard drive may go on smoothly. Generally, for computer users who have been working on it for a long time find that defragmentation done on a bimonthly basis gets good results. The frequency of usage depends entirely on loss of efficiency of the computer.
Even otherwise computer users are advised to defragment their system at regular intervals. Some computer experts are of the opinion that present day operating systems are quite efficient and good enough to see that no defragmentation is needed at all. It is a matter of opinion and the use of defragmentation will depend entirely on the performance of the computer. Present day defragmentation tools have analysis feature incorporated in them. This feature helps the user to know whether the computer needs defragging. Defragmentation discs are available online and can be used whenever required.