A recent study showed that 42 percent of PC users neglect to defragment their computers. Vizu, the company that administered the poll, reminds us that failure to conduct routine computer maintenance can adversely affect system performance for both home and enterprise users, slowing operations such as bootup, file retrieval, Web browsing, backups, and anti-virus and spyware scans as well as contributing to system crashes. What worries me, is the fact that nearly 16 percent of those who answered the poll said they had "no idea" what disk defragmentation is, while more than 26 precent said they never defrag their machines.
For the record, defragmentation is a process that reduces the amount of fragmentation in file systems. Your Windows computer comes with a program that will defragment your hard disk and reunites all the broken data into large blocks. Gathering all the free space on the hard disk into one block makes data retrieval faster and easier for the computer. For help defragging your computer check out the Microsoft guide.
Source
Y-3
Erickson Beamon
Napo Shop
When I remember to, so maybe once every 3 months or so.
1I have my computer set to defrag once a week overnight. It also runs my antivirus scan twice a week overnight. I run anti-spyware software once a week or so.
2I update my antivirus software programs at least twice a week and run them both once a week, run Windows Cleanup every so often, and defrag every few months.
3Yup, notice a real difference when I don't do normal maintenance.
4hands up those who went to defrag while reading this post.
5hahaha, I can't even lie. I totally did.
6System Sweep is a great program. I ran it every Friday on my office computer.
7Huh? That's for Geeksquad or the IT dept to worry about! Just kidding. It's part of the weekly overnight maintenance.
8i do when the thing pops up and tells me to ha
9This is pretty much strictly a PC thing. Even though you can buy defrag programs for Apple. As a Macintosh Professional it is NEVER recommended.
10Yep, I defrag often. Or at least analyze to see if I need to defrag.
11yupp, every month or 2
12My hands raised, shini.
13Well, I certainly will now!
14I remember how I used to only defrag my computer when I remembered, which was about every 6 months.
15Now I do it weekly and it helps my old computer bunches!
lol macgirl...i came hear just to see what folks said about defragging (sounds kinda naughty) a mac!
16Every once in a while. It's not really necessary to do it on a weekly basis, or even a monthly basis - I probably do it every three months or so, if I remember.
The first defrag usually has a big impact and then subsequent defrags seem to have diminishing returns.
17i should do this more on a reg basis
18doing it now!
19Can anyone let me know how to defrag my computer - I just got a new one, it's Windows Vista and I still have to learn how to do the basics. Does anyone have a link or something from that Microsoft site, cause I tried searching for it and I couldn't find it
20Actually, nevermind I just figured it out. Heehee.
21I do normally, honest - it's just that my harddrive is full up at the moment - and the defrag won't run without at least 15% space left. Methinks as soon as I can bear it I'm going to have to go on a deleting spree - or give in and buy an external harddrive!
22As macgirl and macsugar said: defrag is good for your hard drive life.
23Windows is bad for you and your computer.
nope - not since i bought a mac 6 years ago.
24Windows users are not immune to this disease of the HDD, an average file size is so huge nowadays that after a couple of downloading sessions, one ends up wondering "why is my system so slow and why does it hang when i open this program?" Fragmentation has to be keot under check on a regular basis, though the frequency will depend on individual usage patterns.
25Did mine a couple of months ago. Thanks for the reminder. I will have to do it today.
26i've been thinking about doing it for a few weeks now and always seem to forget when i'm around the computer. i'll have to do it tonight - thanks for the reminder
27Where is the "No, I have a Mac" choice?
28I try to remember to do it somewhat regularly --- usually when I back up my photos and music to my external --- but I'm shamefully neglectful!
29Ha I don't have to remember to defrag. I use Diskeeper Pro, and it defrags automatically for me in the background when fragmentation becomes an issue. I don't have to do anything. Diskeeper is cool!
30Ha, I have an Apple; defrags aren't necessary because the OS actually installs things in an intelligent manner. Ha ha ha ha (sorry, the smug Apple user in me got out of control for a second).
31People still do that?
32I use a Mac.
What? =)
I run Yasu periodically, and use Disk Utility to repair my permissions.
33I usually do, but I haven't in a long while, so while I'm making this post, I'm also defragging my hard drive in the background. Thanks for the reminder.
34I do on my desktop, and my laptop does it automatically. I'll do it manually on occasion there as well.
35My laptop reminds me but I have been trying to get into the habit of defraging my desktop every month.
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