Benefits of Optimized Disk Space

Most of us have dealt with a computer that started running more slowly as it got older. One of the biggest reasons for a slow-running computer is a fragmented hard disk.

 

Fragmented disks are impossible to avoid because they occur as a natural result of everyday, basic computer use, such as the processes of adding and deleting files. Fortunately, they're relatively easy to fix. Proper hard drive organization does wonders for making your computer run as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

When you save data to your computer, it stores the file in the first available hard drive space it can find. When you later need to bring up that file, mechanical heads called "readers" fly above the disk surface, locate the file you need and bring it up for you.

Computer hard drives store files in a sequential order. Every time you save a file, the computer indiscriminately selects free space on the hard drive. As the hard drive fills, it ends up with small pockets on the disk that have no data. If you try to save a particularly large file and the hard drive can't keep it all in one spot, it divides the file into "chunks" and scatters these "chunks" in the empty pockets of free space on hard drive.

 

The next time you need to retrieve that file, the readers have to retrieve all the different parts of the file. This can take a long time, and it's why a computer with a fragmented hard drive runs so slowly.

Think of the reader as the arm on a record player, and the disk drive as a record. It would make the most sense to have all the data on a hard drive organized next to each other, like the grooves on a record. When a disk is fragmented, the reader has to travel all over the hard drive to find bits of data to retrieve a file. This results in a lot of wasted movement and time.

 

When you defragment your hard drive, you're basically creating optimized hard drive space at the beginning of your hard drive. Then the defragmentation program locates any disassembled files, reunites them and arranges them together in this new empty space. It continues to do this over and over again until all the files are reassembled.

 

Once your hard drive is defragmented, the reader can locate an entire file at once. Your computer doesn't have to work as hard to locate all the pieces of fragmented files. As a result, it runs more efficiently and you notice overall improved hard drive performance. Plus, you free up hard drive space for future data storage.

Disk defrag software is available via three different avenues. First, Windows has built-in software called Disk Defrag. However, this program can be slow and inefficient. At best, it takes 30 minutes to an hour to run. At worst, it can take half the night. Some users also complain that it doesn't seem to defrag their entire drive.

 

The second option is to organize your hard drive using disk defragmenting freeware. Freeware is available for download on the Internet. As its name suggests, it doesn't cost anything. If you choose to use freeware, be very careful and do lots of research before downloading. Some kinds of freeware can contain viruses that will leave your computer in worse shape than it was to start. Freeware also doesn't provide you with customer service representatives or a support number to call if something goes wrong.

 

Finally, many companies – such as Perfect Disk and Ashampoo - offer their own versions of disk defragmenting software. This is often the best way to go, since these programs are often more efficient than the Windows Disk Defrag and there's no risk of downloading viruses. Plus, when you buy software, you have the added benefit of customer service and tech support in case you have any questions or problems while defragging your hard drive.

 

 

Johanson, P. (2008). Organize your hard drive. Retrieved March 29, 2009, from the Guadalajara Reporter Web site: http://guadalajarareporter.com/content/view/23292/94/.

 

My Digital Life. (2009). Optimize and speed up Windows disk defragmentation with Disk Defrag. Retrieved March 29, 2009, from the My Digital Life Web site: http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/02/24/optimize-and-speed-up-windows-disk-defragmentation-with-disk-defrag/.

 

WebMediaBrands, Inc. (2008). How to defrag a hard drive. Retrieved March 29, 2009, from the Webopedia Web site: http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Computer_Science/
2008/disk_defragmentation.asp.