Basic Computer Maintenance - Scan Disk and Defragmenting

When data is saved to your computer, it is not necessarily saved in one contiguous location. It is based on available spots. For example, you may delete a document from your computer, making that space on the hard drive available to be used. The next document or program you save may use that newly empty space. If it is not big enough for all the data to be stored, it will save part of the data in that available location and the rest in another location on the hard drive. As you delete and add documents and programs over time, this process occurs over and over again, leading to fragmented files.

Effect of Fragmented Files

When you run a program or open a document, your computer goes out and grabs all the necessary pieces of data from all of the different locations. The more fragmented your data, the longer this takes. If you notice that your computer is running slower, running the defragmenter may help.

For optimal computer performance, defragment once a month. If you have not run one in a long time, the process could take hours! The following are instructions for Windows XP:

Before defragmenting, you should clean up your disk and remove temporary and old files.

1. Go to Start / All Programs / Accessories / System Tools  / Disk Cleanup
   • Your hard drive will be scanned as your system identifies temporary and other files that can be deleted.
   • A pop-up will display with options.
     
   • If you do not want your trash bin emptied, be sure to uncheck that box.
   • Click OK.

Go to Start / All Programs / Accessories / System Tools / Disk Defragmenter

1. Click the Analyze button if you want to see how fragmented your hard drive before moving forward.
   Below is a sample. Blue lines indicate contiguous files. Red lines are fragments files. The time it takes to perform a defrag will depend on how much red is present.
2. Click the DEFRAGMENT button to start the process.
3. Allow this to run until complete. You should not use or run other programs on your computer during this time. You may pause the deframent process and restart if needed.

If your report indicated a large majority of fragmented data, the defrag process should result in an improvement in performance. If you had very little red, the defrag will allow your computer to continue performing well.