Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 08/27/2009 08:34 AM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 08/27/2009 08:35 AM
Expires: 01/01/2014 12:00 AM
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Are You Defragmenting?~by Mark Kirkendall of Calaveras IT
About the time people start getting frustrated with that once lightning fast computer that has become slower and slower, the question comes up about whether or not it's time to get a new one. Did you know disk fragmentation is one of the primary causes of poor performance?....
Fragmentation is the scattering of bits of data on the hard drive from normal writing, deleting and changing of information. The more you use your computer, the more bits of data get scattered on the drive. This causes the computer to take longer to piece these bits back together when retrieving file data.
Many of the newer "All In One" Virus and Computer protection programs include automatic defragmentation as part of their software. Fortunately, if you don't have one of these programs, it's pretty easy to do it yourself. On most computers you can go to START or the Windows Button >> PROGRAMS >> ACCESSORIES >> SYSTEM TOOLS and select "Disk Defragmenter". In Vista it is even easier, just press the Windows Button and type "defragment" into the Start Search field and press enter. You're set - just press Defragment. It may take a few of hours to run depending on how fragmented the drive is. It 's a good idea to do this at least once every couple of months to keep things running smoothly.
So, before going out and spending a lot of money on that new computer, give defragmenting a try.
If you have a technology question or topic you would like to see posted here, email mark@calaverasit.com.
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