This is where a defragmentation software kicks in and takes care of the clumps of data that have formed. Fragmentation usually occurs when data is deleted or kept in the same place for a long period of time. This effect causes the reading head of the hard disk to take a longer time finding each sector of data. A scheduled defragmentation can make a huge difference on how your computer behaves and it can make it run faster and access files much more quickly.
Defragmentation Makes Your Hard Drive Faster?
In short: YES! Defragmenting your HDD once in a while can help it run faster and it helps with the overall health of your drive. Also, preventing fragmentation helps you keep the response time of your HDD at a minimum.
How often do you have to defragment?
There is no magic formula to this. Depending on how often you delete or add files to your computer, an average would be once a month. I defragment my hard drive once every two weeks, for example. I find it to work perfect for me and it keeps my PC running smooth.
Do you have to buy a special defragmenting software?
Well, not really. But for those that really care about speed, I advise you to try them out. I use the Windows Defragmentation tool and a few other free programs and they work great. I can’t say I wouldn’t recommend buying a defrag tool, but I find that the free stuff works just as fine. Also, some programs (like Norton AntiVirus, for example) have a built-in defrag tool that can help you keep fragmentation under control. If you have such a program, it wouldn’t make sense to buy another one. They basically do the same thing.
Does defrag help your PC run faster?
Yes, based on my own computers, I noticed an increase in overall speed of 20% – 30%. It might not seem that much, but it tops most other utilities that claim to speed up your PC. Access time for files and folders increase by a matter of seconds and it helps your PC run smooth and it keeps your HDD healthy and it gives it a longer life.
Top 5 Defragmentation Software
Based on how user friendly the programs are and how good they do their job, factoring in how many resources they eat and what features they offer, we mustered up a top list of the best defragmentation software to help you speed up your PC or your laptop.
5. MyDefrag
Maybe not as easy on the eye at the others, MyDefrag does a great job at defragmenting your hard drive without getting in your way. It runs as a screensaver when your computer is idle and it does not consume too many resources. Also, it keeps a portion of the hard drive free for temp files, where they can be easily found and read. This will make your computer run faster and it will slice a few seconds from the access time of various files.
4. Norton Utilities
Norton has made a name for itself in the last years, by being a great antivirus, offering many features and top of the line protection. Now, Norton can take care of your PC even more, with an army of utilities that it puts at your disposal. From defragmenting to registry cleaner, Norton has them all and. Although it has such a nice toolbox of utilities and gives you lots of toys to play with, Norton still has one disadvantage: it consumes more resources than any other software in our top. So if you don’t have a pretty powerful computer, better stick with something else.
3. Defraggler
Defraggler is a quick way to get rid of fragmentation. The Quick Defrag option helps you defragment your HDD on the go and it also gives you information about the health of your hard drive. The biggest plus is the user friendly interface that lets you get up and going in a few seconds. I have tried it on a 1TB hard drive and the process was quick and without any major effect on the resources of my computer. Also, the feature for defragmenting only certain files is great!
2. O&O Defrag
Top notch performance in one simple package. O&O Defrag is a simple and intuitive program that can take care of most of your fragmentation issues. It can analyze your drive for problems and let you know when something is not in order. Also, a great feature is that it can scan multiple drives at the same time. A great plus for those who want to get rid of fragmentation quick and painless.
1. Diskeeper
In the battle against fragmentation, Diskeeper is the most powerful ally you could want at your side. With a battery of features and tools at your disposal, Diskeeper offers users complete control of their hard drives, with lots of information about how their computer works, health or access speed for different files or regions of the hard drive. Also, it lets you do your job while the defragmentation process runs in the background. Although it might not be free, the investment is worth it. Related Article: [How to] Automatically Update Drivers Of course, you have the Windows Defragmentation Tool at your disposal. Use it with confidence because it does a pretty good job. Although it might lack the features of the other programs in our top, it still does a pretty decent job and it can help you quite a lot! Keep in mind, defragmentation is not a life saver. Though it improves the overall performance of your system, there are other factors to consider and other methods that will help you. Bottom line is that only one solution will not give your computer lightning speeds. Look at other methods and find a formula that will satisfy you the most. But for now, you can start with defragmentation and then move on to other solutions. Cheers!
