How to defragment a disk. Disk defragmentation: all typical questions from A to Z How to defragment the game folder

Our hard drive during use, it is filled evenly, one sector after another. But when we delete files or uninstall programs, the disk begins to fragment - filled areas alternate with empty ones. This leads to longer programs accessing the hard drive, and consequently to a decrease in system performance.

Defragmentation Tools hard drive there are a lot now. Of course, we will consider a free and very high-quality application, because it is definitely not worth buying a program for these purposes.

Program from the company Piriform Ltd , which brought us a well-known system cleaning product - .

Interface

The graphical shell of the program is very simple and not oversaturated with unnecessary elements. In order to start regular disk defragmentation you only need two clicks of the mouse. At the top of the window there is a list of all disks, and at the bottom there are three tabs with defragmentation options. The first tab contains information about the selected disk. The second tab, “File List,” is designed to defragment individual files on your hard drive that you need to find in advance. Well, the “Search” tab is used to select individual files and folders for defragmentation.

Functionality

Defragmentation of individual files and directories

The first thing that distinguishesfrom some other applications is the ability to defragment only individual directories and even files. This is done in order to save time that is spent on processing unnecessary areas of the hard drive. For example, if you have a permanent collection of music or videos stored on your hard drive, and you do not delete or move files from this collection, then we can say that there are no fragmented areas in these directories, therefore it is not worth spending time on processing them. Conversely, if some of the directories are actively performing operations to move and delete files, then these directories need to be defragmented first. The Search tab provides several options for searching for files to defragment. You can select files by size, or search for fragmented files only in a specific folder.

If you conduct several searches for files using different criteria, then all the results will be displayed in total on the “List of Files” tab and select necessary files you will be able to defragment them.

Defragmenting an individual folder or file can be easier. In the "Actions" menu, select "Defragment Folder" or "Defragment File", select the desired folder and individual file in Explorer, and defragmentation will begin automatically.

Such program features, in my opinion, are very useful. Typically, the process of defragmenting an entire disk takes a very long time, often several hours. At this time, the car may “slow down” very much and prevent it from working normally. Therefore, by selecting the very sections of the hard drive and defragmenting them in protected minutes, we are deprived of these problems.

Settings

Defragmentation has two modes - normal and fast. You can specify quick defragmentation parameters in the program settings, as well as set a schedule according to which defragmentation will start automatically.

Another useful program option is to automatically turn off the PC after defragmentation. If you decide to defragment the entire disk and, for example, leave it running at night, then after completion the computer will turn off itself.

Bottom line

One of the main advantages Piriform is the ability to defragment individual directories and files, which significantly saves time. Otherwise, it may seem too simple, but it does its job efficiently.

Good day!

Despite the fact that Windows has a built-in disk defragmenter, there are hundreds (if not more) of similar programs (that do it ten times better!).

The fact is that, in my opinion, Microsoft added it to Windows to have it, and its work is far from ideal (the algorithms are imperfect, there is no detailed schedule and settings, you cannot manually specify specific folders and files, etc.) ...

Addition!

If you don't know what defragmentation is and how to do it, I recommend reading this help article:

The best utilities for HDD defragmentation

❶

IObit Smart Defrag

A very powerful disk defragmenter, which, thanks to its unique algorithms, is capable of maximizing the performance of your disk subsystem!

The program not only defragments the files themselves, but also distributes them on the disk in a special way: according to how often they are used. All operations can be configured to be performed in automatic mode(which means you won’t be distracted and waste time optimizing the system every time).

Smart Defrag is the main window of the program: there are options for disk cleaning, game optimization, etc.

Advantages:

1. unique defragmentation algorithms (according to the developers, they are among the best in the World);
2. you can defragment individual folders or files;
3. game optimization;
4. it is possible to work according to a schedule;
5. high safety during operation (if suddenly the electricity goes out during defragmentation, everything will be fine with your data);
6. there is an option to defragment the disk before booting the system;
7. thoughtful and user-friendly interface;
8. The utility is free, and entirely in Russian (even the most “distant” menus with high-quality translation).

Defraggler

Defraggler is a simple, free program for quick evaluation and defragmentation hard drives. The utility has everything you need in its arsenal: assessing the state of the disk, analysis, defragmentation of individual files (it’s convenient to optimize folders with games), etc.

By the way, the utility automatically determines the type of media (HDD, SSD), which is very convenient if you have several media connected - there will be no need to remember which one is “which” (note: since SSD drives are not recommended to be defragmented).

Peculiarities:

1. defragmentation of individual files (many similar programs allow you to optimize only the entire disk);
2. There is portable version, which does not require installation (the program can be copied to a flash drive/external HDD and used on any PC);
3. The utility supports all the latest Windows versions(including Windows 10);
4. supported file systems NTFS and FAT32;
5. automatic disk type detection;
6. After analysis, the utility shows a list of fragmented files (convenient when you do not want to defragment the entire disk).

Auslogics Disk Defrag

This defragmenter differs from others in its compactness and high speed. The program is rightfully considered one of the best in the World - more than 11,000,000 users have recognized this product!

Peculiarities:

1. It is possible to defragment both individual files/folders and free space;
2. allows you to defragment system files Windows (which affects overall performance);
3. there is an opportunity to work in background, as invisible as possible to the user (i.e. your system will always be in optimal condition);
4. the program is free for home users;
5. Supported by all popular OS Windows 7/8/10 (32, 64 bits).

Disk SpeedUp

This utility is from the famous Glary Soft PC optimization set. The utility optimizes disks for their maximum performance systems. Disk SpeedUp can work in automatic mode and on a schedule, without distracting the user (by the way, you can set at what CPU load the defragmenter will turn off background work. This option is not available in most other utilities of this kind).

Peculiarities:

1. automatic mode and work according to a predetermined schedule;
2. there are options to turn off the PC after defragmentation is complete;
3. setting the PC load level (CPU and hard drive) to disable background defragmentation;
4. support for all the most popular file systems: FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, NTFS5, NTFS EFS;
5. the program has pre-configured templates for work (suitable in most cases);
6. regular updates and improvements to the program;
7. support for all versions of Windows 7/8/10.

MyDefrag (old name: JkDefrag)

Despite the fact that this program was created not by any company, but by a single programmer, it is rightfully considered a leader in its segment.

Judge for yourself: it can work both in simple mode (for ordinary users) and provide complex and detailed settings for advanced. MyDefrag supports various scripts; you can create or edit them yourself), it can work according to a pre-configured schedule, analyze the HDD and defragment not only occupied space, but also free space.

There are silent settings - they are suitable for those users who do not want to deal with all this multi-functionality of the utility. By the way, it works in all versions of Windows (XP/7/8/10), fully supports the Russian language.

O&O Defrag

A very powerful and multifunctional utility for optimizing hard drives. Can work with many file systems (FAT, FAT32, NTFS, NTFS5), Volume/Stripe Sets arrays, supports background mode, scheduled work, etc.

Peculiarities:

1. There are 5 defragmentation modes: STEALTH (note: invisible in the background), SPACE (note: free space), COMPLETE/Name, COMPLETE/Date and COMPLETE/Access;
2. there is an option to start defragmentation when a certain percentage level of fragmentation is reached;
3. the ability to defragment system files that affect the performance of your system (swap file, registry, MFT, etc.);
4. availability of a schedule;
5. pleasant and intuitive interface (even completely novice users can figure it out);
6. support for all Windows file systems: FAT, FAT32, NTFS, NTFS5;
7. support for Russian and all modern OS Windows 7/8/10.

Puran Defrag

Free defragmenter India. It is distinguished primarily by its high-speed operation (it uses its own unique PIOZR algorithm). As for defragmentation, Puran Defrag can defragment the entire disk, as well as individual folders and files (including setting a schedule, with the ability to limit work during CPU load with extraneous tasks, prioritizing system files).

Puran Defrag - main program window

It will save those users who have little time to maintain the system (or for those who constantly forget about it). So to speak, once you configured Puran Defrag, your system will always be responsive and fast. Comfortable!

Peculiarities:

1. your own unique algorithm (high-speed and high-quality work);
2. separate priority for defragmenting system files;
3. command line support;
4. the ability to turn off the PC after completing the HDD optimization process;
5. it is possible to set a schedule for automatic and background defragmentation;
6. compressing directories to increase system boot speed;
7. you can defragment individual folders/files from the Explorer context menu;
8. support for all popular versions of Windows XP/7/8/10 (32 and 64 bits).

That's all.

For additions on the topic - a special merci!

Disk defragmentation allows you to optimize the file system, which has a positive effect on computer performance. Most Windows OS users prefer to defragment using a standard utility built into the operating system. However, the standard Windows defragmenter does not always cope with its task 100%, and then third-party programs, such as Auslogics Disk Defrag, come to the rescue.

Benefits of Auslogics Disk Defrag

Auslogics Disk Defrag utility is an excellent defragmentation tool and has several significant advantages.

• The program carries out a deep and thorough defragmentation of the logical structure of the file system and optimizes the operation of the hard drive.
• Auslogics Disk Defrag has a built-in scheduler, which allows the program to start and work automatically.
• The program can work with disks of any size without any restrictions.
• Auslogics Disk Defrag has the ability to selectively defragment individual folders or even files on your hard drive.
• In addition to defragmentation itself, Auslogics Disk Defrag can also optimize and consolidate free disk space.

Download and Install

Auslogics Disk Defrag is a completely free program, you can download it from the official website of the developer, which is located at: Auslogics.com

At the end of the program installation process, the installer will offer to install Hamster Free ZIP Archiver, so if you do not need an archiver, do not forget to uncheck the corresponding box.

Working with Disk Defrag

Auslogics Disk Defrag has an English-language interface, but since there are not so many functions in this utility, it will not be difficult to understand it. At the top of the program window there is a list of logical partitions on the computer indicating the size, free space and file system type. By checking the box necessary disks, you should select the desired action in the menu located just below: analysis, defragmentation, defragmentation and optimization, or quick defragmentation. You can also, if desired, check the box to turn off the computer after the defragmentation process is complete (this can be especially useful if you decide to defragment late at night).

After this, the specified task will be completed. By the way, before defragmenting disks, it is always advisable to first carry out an analysis - the program will analyze the disk and create a map of the file system indicating the level of file fragmentation. Then you can decide whether it’s time to defragment or not yet. The defragmentation process itself looks like this:

Auslogics Disk Defrag Settings

To go to the settings of the Auslogics Disk Defrag program, you need to open the menu Settings and go to point Program settings.

General settings of the Auslogics Disk Defrag utility are located in the section General. Here you can specify whether the program is minimized to the system tray, whether to launch along with operating system, you can also add the Disk Defrag item to context menu Windows.

Several more useful options can be found in the section Algorithms. Here you can configure automatic deletion of temporary files (delete temporary files before defragmenting), skip fragments larger than specified (skip fragments larger than), move system files to the beginning of the disk (move system files to the beginning of the disk) and defragmentation in VSS -compatible mode (defragment in VSS compatible mode).

Scheduled defragmentation

The Auslogics Disk Defrag program allows you to defragment not only manually, but also automatically, according to a schedule. To configure the automatic defragmenter schedule, go to the menu Settings and go to Sheduler.

Check the box Defragment automatically and select the time when defragmentation will run:

• When the computer is idle.
• Daily.
• Weekly.
• Monthly.

You should also specify which disk partitions should be defragmented on a schedule, whether to defragment when the laptop is running on battery power, and whether to create a report on the defragmentation performed.

Defragmentation of individual files and folders

If you want to defragment only some folders and files on the disk of your computer, then you need to go to the menu Action, go to section Advanced and select the desired action: Defrag file (defragment a file) or Defrag folder (defragment a folder). Then in the window that opens, specify the location of the folder or file and click OK.

Good afternoon!

Whether you want it or not, to make your computer work faster, you need to carry out preventive measures from time to time (clean it of temporary and junk files, defragment it).

In general, I can download that most users very rarely carry out defragmentation, and in general, do not pay due attention to it (either out of ignorance, or simply because of laziness)...

Meanwhile, by doing it regularly, you can not only speed up your computer a little, but also increase the service life of the disk! Since there are always a lot of questions regarding defragmentation, in this article I will try to collect all the main things that I myself encounter quite often. So...

FAQ. Questions about defragmentation: why do it, how often, etc.

1) What is defragmentation, what is the process? Why do it?

All files on your disk, while being written to it, are written sequentially in pieces onto its surface, often called clusters (many have probably already heard this word). So, while the hard drive is empty, file clusters can be nearby, but when there is more and more information, the scattering of these pieces of one file also increases.

Because of this, when accessing such a file, your disk has to spend more time reading the information. By the way, this scattering of pieces is called fragmentation.

Defragmentation is aimed precisely at collecting these pieces compactly in one place. As a result, the speed of your disk and, accordingly, the computer as a whole increases. If you have not defragmented for a long time, this may affect the performance of your PC, for example, when opening some files or folders, it will begin to “think” for a while...

2) How often should you defragment the disk?

Enough frequently asked question, but it’s difficult to give a definite answer. It all depends on how often you use your computer, how it is used, what drives it uses, what file system it has. In Windows 7 (and higher), by the way, there is a good analyzer that will tell you what to do defragmentation, or not (there are also separate special utilities that can analyze and notify you in time that it’s time... But about such utilities - below in the article).

To do this, you need to go to the control panel, enter “defragmentation” in the search bar, and Windows will find the required link (see screenshot below).

3) Should I defragment? solid state SSD disks?

No need! And even Windows itself (at least new Windows 10, in Windows 7 - this can be done) disables the analysis and defragmentation button for such disks.

The fact is that an SSD disk has a limited number of write cycles. This means that with each defragmentation, you reduce the life of your disk. In addition, SSD drives do not have mechanics, and after defragmenting, you will not notice any increase in operating speed.

4) Is it necessary to defragment the disk if it contains files? NTFS system?

In fact, there is an opinion that the NTFS file system practically does not need defragmentation. This is not entirely true, although it is partly true. It’s just that this file system is designed in such a way that defragmenting a hard drive under its control is required much less frequently.

In addition, the speed of operation does not drop as much due to strong fragmentation as if it were on FAT (FAT 32).

5) Is it necessary to clean the disk of junk files before defragmentation?

It is highly advisable to do this. Moreover, not only clean from “garbage” (temporary files, browser cache, etc.), but also from unnecessary files(movies, games, programs, etc.).

If you clean up the disk before defragmenting, then:

• speed up the process itself (after all, you will have to work with fewer files, which means the process will complete earlier);
• you will do more fast work Windows.

6) How to defragment a disk?

It is advisable (but not necessary!) to install a separate special. a utility that will deal with this process (about such utilities below in the article). Firstly, it will do it faster than the built-in Windows utility, secondly, some utilities can perform defragmentation automatically, without distracting you from your work (for example, you started watching a movie, the utility, without disturbing you, defragmented the disk at this time).

But, in principle, even the standard one, built into Windows program, does defragmentation quite well (although it does not have some of the “goodies” that third-party developers have).

7) Should defragmentation be done not on system disk(i.e. on one that does not have Windows installed)?

Good question! It all depends again on how you use this disk. If you only store movies and music on it, then there is not much point in defragmenting it.

It's another matter if you install, say, games on this disk - and during the game, some files are loaded. In this case, the game may even begin to slow down if the disk does not respond to it in time. As it should be, with this option, it is advisable to defragment such a disk!

How to defragment a disk - step by step steps

By the way, there is universal programs(I would call them “harvesters”) that can carry out complex actions to clean your PC of junk, remove erroneous registry entries, configure your Windows OS and defragment it (for maximum speed!).

1) Cleaning the disk from debris

For example, I can recommend CCleaner. Firstly, it is free, and secondly, it is very easy to use and there is nothing superfluous in it. All that is required from the user is to click the analyze button, and then clean the disk from the found garbage (screen below).

2) Removing unnecessary files and programs

At worst, you can use the standard utility built into Windows (to open it, use the control panel, see screenshot below).

3) Start defragmentation

Let's consider running the disk defragmenter built into Windows (since it eats me by default for everyone who has Windows).

First you need to open the Control Panel, then the System and Security section. Next, next to the “Administration” tab there will be a link “Defragmentation and optimization of your disks” - click on it (see screenshot below).

An alternative way to run defragmentation in Windows

1. Open “My Computer” (or “This Computer”).

3. Then in the disk properties, open the “Service” section.

4. In the service section, click the “Optimize disk” button (everything is illustrated in the screenshot below).

Important! The defragmentation process can take quite a long time (depending on the size of your disk and the degree of fragmentation). At this time, it is better not to touch the computer, not to run resource-intensive tasks: games, video encoding, etc.

The best programs and utilities for disk defragmentation

Note! This subsection of the article will not reveal to you all the capabilities of the programs presented here. Here I will focus on the most interesting and convenient utilities (in my opinion) and describe their main differences, why I chose them and why I recommend trying them...

1) Defraggler

A simple, free, fast and convenient disk defragmenter. The program supports all new versions of Windows (32/64 bit), can work with entire disk partitions and individual files, supports all popular file systems (including NTFS and FAT 32).

By the way, regarding defragmentation of individual files - this is, in general, a unique thing! Not many programs can allow you to defragment something specific...

2) Ashampoo Magical Defrag

To be honest, I like products from Ashampoo- and this utility is no exception. Its main difference from similar ones of its kind is that it can defragment a disk in the background (when the computer is not busy with resource-intensive tasks, which means that the program is running and will not hamper or disturb the user in any way).

What is called - once installed and forgotten this problem! In general, I recommend paying attention to it to everyone who is tired of remembering defragmentation and doing it manually...

3) Auslogics Disk Defrag

This program can move system files (which need to be the fastest) to the fastest part of the disk, thereby speeding up your Windows operating system somewhat. In addition, this program is free (for general home use) and can be configured to automatic start during PC downtime (i.e., by analogy with the previous utility).

I also want to note that the program allows you to defragment not only a specific disk, but also separate files and folders on it.

The program is supported by all new Windows OS: 7, 8, 10 (32/64 bits).

This is one of the fastest disk defragmenters! Moreover, this does not affect the quality of defragmentation. Apparently, the program developers managed to find some unique algorithms. In addition, the utility is completely free for home use.

It is also worth noting that the program treats data very carefully, even if during defragmentation some system error occurs, a power outage or something else... - then nothing should happen to your files, they will still be read and opened . The only thing is that you will have to start the defragmentation process again.

The utility also provides two operating modes: automatic (very convenient - set it up once and forget it) and manual.

It is also worth noting that the program is optimized to work on Windows 7, 8, 10. I recommend it for use!

This is a process during which the location of files on the disk is optimized. This optimization allows you to increase the speed of working with files, and therefore improve the performance of your computer as a whole. In this material we will talk about how to defragment a disk using tools built into Windows, as well as using third-party programs.

Tips for performing defragmentation:

• Do not defragment drives. For SSD drives, defragmentation is absolutely useless. It only reduces the resource SSD operation disk, but does not provide any gain in operating speed.
• To perform defragmentation, you need free disk space. The more free space, the faster and better the disk defragmentation will be performed. The minimum amount of available space is considered to be 15 percent of the entire disk.
• If you want to get consistently high speed, then use scheduled defragmentation.
• Avoid using a drive that is being defragmented.

How to defragment a disk using Windows

operating room Windows system has a built-in mechanism for disk defragmentation. To use it, open “My Computer” and call the properties of the partition that you want to fragment.

In the window that opens, go to the “Services” tab and click on the “Run defragmentation” button.

After this, the “Disk Defragmenter” window will open in front of you. Here you need to select the disk that you want to fragment and click on the “Analyze disk” button.

After the analysis of the selected disk is completed, you will see the percentage of fragmented data on the disk. If this percentage is significant, then you need to defragment. For example, I analyzed the “E” drive and the percentage of fragmented data on it is zero. There is no need to defragment this disk. But after analyzing the “C” drive, it turned out that it was fragmented by 36 percent, which means it needs to be defragmented.

In order to defragment the “C” drive, select it in the list of drives and click on the “Disk Defragmentation” button.

After this, the defragmentation process will begin. The time it takes to defragment a disk depends on the amount of data defragmented and the speed of the disk itself. As a rule, this takes at least several hours.

In addition to manually starting defragmentation, you can use scheduled startup. To do this, in the “Disk Defragmentation” window, click on the “Enable Schedule” button.

After this, a small window “Disk defragmentation: change schedule” will appear in front of you. Here you need to enable the “Run on schedule” function and configure the schedule.

Defragmentation can be performed daily, weekly, or monthly. After setting the schedule, close all windows by clicking on the “OK” button.

Disk defragmentation using third-party programs

You can also defragment the disk using third party programs. Now there are many quality ones. The most popular free ones are Piriform Defragger, Auslogics Disk Defrag, MyDefrag, IObit Smart Defrag. Paid programs much more, the most famous of them are: O&O Defrag, Ashampoo Magical Defrag, Raxco PerfectDisk, Auslogics Disk Defrag Professional.

For example, consider the process of disk defragmentation using free program Auslogics Disk Defrag Free.

After launching the program, check the boxes next to the disks that you want to defragment and start analyzing them.

After analysis, the program showed that drive “C” was 46 percent fragmented. In order to defragment this disk, check the box and click on the “Defrag” button.

This is all that needs to be done, all that remains is to wait for the defragmentation process to complete.

Like a built-in defragmentation utility, Auslogics Disk Defrag Free allows you to defragment disks on a schedule. To do this, open the “Settings” menu and select “Scheduler”.

After this, a window with a defragmentation schedule will open. Here you need to enable the “Defragment automaticaly” function, select the defragmentation time and disks.

After this, Auslogics Disk Defrag Free will defragment automatically at the specified time.