Defragmenting Files

Whenever you delete a file from your hard disk, you leave a space where another file can be stored. When you save a file, your PC stores as much of the file as possible in that empty space and stores the rest of the file in other empty spaces. The file is then said to be fragmented, because its parts are stored in different locations on the disk. This slows down your disk drive and makes it more likely that your PC will lose track of a portion of the file or the entire file. Every month or so, run Windows Disk Defragmenter to determine the fragmentation percent and defragment your files, if necessary.

Before you start Disk Defragmenter, it's a good idea to disable any power-management utilities that might interfere with Defragmenter and any antivirus programs you're using. It's also a good idea to run Disk Cleanup before defragmenting your drive, as discussed in "Eliminating Useless Files," earlier in this tutorial.

Save and close all open documents and exit any programs currently running. To disable an antivirus program, right-click its icon in the notification area (right end of the taskbar), and click the option to disable the security features or exit the program. When you're ready to have Disk Defragmenter defragment your files, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter. Disk Defragmenter appears. You can also run Disk Defragmenter by right-clicking the drive icon and then selecting Properties, Tools, Defragment now.
2. If your PC has more than one hard drive, click the icon for the drive you want to defragment.
3. (Optional) Click Analyze disk to display the percentage of file fragmentation on the disk and determine whether you need to defragment the disk.
4. When you're ready for Defragmenter to start working, click the Defragment disk button. Defragmenter starts defragmenting the files on the disk.

Wait until the defragmentation is complete. It's best to leave your PC alone during the process. Otherwise, you might change a file and cause Defragmenter to start over. Don't run any programs or play any PC games. When defragmentation is complete, Defragmenter displays a message telling you so.

Another issue that can significantly slow down your PC is having numerous programs and processes running in the background. Many programs install automatic update options, for example, that frequently check for updates on the Internet and download and install updates without notifying you. You can use the Windows System Configuration Utility to choose which programs are allowed to run on startup.