Prepare Your Computer for Defragmentation
Before you defrag your computer, you must take several steps. Read this entire procedure before you use the defrag utility.
Open the Defrag Program
The Windows defrag program is accessible through Control Panel in all versions of Windows. Still, the procedure for getting there is slightly different depending on which version of Windows you use.
Analyze the Hard Drive
Before starting the defrag, analyze the drive first. This step checks the drive for fragments and reports how fragmented the drive really is, after which you can choose to defrag or skip the hard drive and not run a defrag.
Defrag the Hard Drive
If you chose to defrag the hard drive, it’s only a click away. However, the button for defragging the drive is called something different in some versions of Windows. It could take anywhere from several minutes to several hours to defrag a hard drive. The time it takes to run a defrag on your hard drive depends on the number of file fragments the tool identifies, the size of the hard drive, and the speed of the computer.
Should You Defrag Your Computer?
Files stored on a hard drive become fragmented over time, meaning that parts of the files are stored in separate areas of the drive instead of next to each other. When this happens, it can take longer for the OS to open the file. A defrag can fix this. While there are lots of free, third-party defragmenters, you can use the Windows disk defragmenter without having to download anything since it’s built into the operating system. The Windows defrag tool runs automatically once a week in Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7, so you probably don’t need to defrag on your own. Run the analyzer first, and if it’s less than 10 percent fragmented, the drive does not need to be defragged. If you want to defrag on your own time, open the program anytime you want and run a manual defrag. You can get to it by searching through Windows or by browsing through Administrative Tools via Control Panel.
