Defragmentation

Computer maintenance

Wait...what?
yes, the computer requires maintenance to keep running in perfect order.

One of the things that should be done monthly is defraging the hard disk.
First, we should know what fragmentation (the opposite for DEfragmentation) is...

You should image your hard disk as a flat.
Each apartment in said flat is a block of data (for instance a folder, or a big file).
Now, the OS will do it's best to never have empty apartment. It will store files in such a way, that gaps should never appear.
If we would let the OS have his way, the hard disk would never require defragmentation.
However, we delete files from time to time, or we uninstall a program  and files are left on your hard disk.

This creates empty spaces, fragments the hard disk.
The images below illustrate a fragmented and a defragmented hard disk

Fragmented:
notice the gaps between the rectangles?

 

Windows hates these gaps:P

It makes your OS get to the data harder.

In some cases, the fragmentation can cause a part of a folder to be in one corner of the hard disk while the other in the opposite corner.

That is bad.

Now, this is how a defragmented hard disk looks like

Ok, how do we do it?

Start> All(my) Programs>Accessories> System tools>Disk defragmenter

Your windows should look like this:

As you can see, the hard disk is split by partitions.

For each partition we should analyze first to make sure there is fragmentation.

Should there be any fragmentation, click "Defragment disk"

Remember, the bigger the partition is, the more it will take to analyze and defrag.