Disk defragmentation can be the perfect solution for your system when it starts to slow down. Many novice PC users, when similar problem, pay money to have their computer cleaned and optimized. In the worst case, they may even be offered to reinstall the operating system.

Although this may be true for some serious problems, there is a good chance that the problem of a slow computer can be solved by a simple defragmentation. hard drive.

Perhaps many of you have already noticed the difference when you defragmented when your computer slowed down. But have you ever wondered why hard drive defragmentation is so effective?

File fragmentation

Before answering this question, it is important to understand how your data is stored on a PC.

When data such as a file is stored on a hard drive, the operating system tries to store that file in one specific location in disk space—and that location must be large enough to accommodate it. Small files are easy to store because they can be placed next to each other efficiently.

Also, if you have a brand new HDD, data storage will not be a problem. However, as it is used, the amount of data increases, it is edited and deleted, small areas of space are created on the disk, which are called fragmented.

If the hard drive is heavily fragmented, there is a chance that there will not be enough space to store files, and therefore it will be broken up and stored in different places on the disk. This will cause the given file to become fragmented.

If you try to open a file that is divided into multiple parts on the hard drive, you will have to wait for the hard drive to find each part of it to put it back together before it can be opened. But if the file is written in one place, it takes much less time to open it.

In the same way, when one file is edited several times, its parts become scattered throughout the hard disk space. This is especially bad when installing new software on the computer because the program will now be installed in different locations on the disk.

Now at startup this application its performance will degrade as it has to be loaded from different locations.

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Fragmentation is a natural process that occurs every time data is written to or deleted from a hard drive, so there is no way to prevent fragmentation. But there is still a solution to the fragmentation problem.

Disk Defragmenter on Windows

To solve this problem, software manufacturers have developed hard drive defragmentation programs (defragmenters). A defragmenter is an application that reorganizes your disparate files into a cohesive whole.

The defragmenter optimizes the data in the hard disk partitions so that they are stored in as contiguous a space as possible. Defragmentation helps you rebuild files, keep them in the correct order and easy to find.

The defragmenter will look for a partition on the disk and move data from one location to another so that the files are stored in one contiguous chunk instead of scattered across multiple locations.

This allows programs and data to work more efficiently and quickly because the operating system does not have to read information from multiple places. Therefore, the most important result of defragmentation is to increase the speed of the computer.

Defragmenting your hard drive is a necessary task and should be done regularly to keep your computer running efficiently and also increase the lifespan of your hard drive.

Keep in mind that disk defragmentation can take some time depending on the size and number of files you manage (system speed is also an important factor), so be prepared to wait for your computer to organize your data in the most efficient way.

To speed up work personal computer, it is not necessary to go to the store to purchase new expensive components - you need to defragment the disk using a special utility that will help bring each fragmented file to an orderly state, transfer important system components to a faster partition, and much more. Inexperienced PC users neglect the necessary maintenance, considering the hard drive a secondary component, and in fact, the speed of access to various files, including Windows components, depends on optimization.

What is disk defragmentation

When deleting programs, games, movies and other large files, separate elements remain on the hard disk that occupy a certain space, i.e. fragmentation occurs. The next time the recording of a new file starts, the part will be written in one place, then the occupied space will be skipped, another part will be recorded, skipping, and so on in a circle. This will lead to the fact that in order to gain access, the HDD head will have to move from the beginning to the middle, then to the end, back, and this will significantly slow down the work.

What is needed for

The procedure is necessary to collect the file together - the parts will follow strictly one after another, being in successive clusters. So the read head will need to read only a small part, make a small movement to read the entire file. The use of such utilities is especially important for those users who often overwrite files, install games and programs, work with a large number of small documents, etc. Thanks to the sequential arrangement, the opening and launch speed will increase by up to 50%.

What is useful

The closer the elements of one file are to the initial part of the hard drive, the faster the opening will take place, and, in some cases, this becomes very noticeable. The same applies to system files - when they are located on the initial clusters, system loading is accelerated, as is the autorun of programs, and overall performance. SSD drive does not need defragmentation, but rather the opposite - the service life will be greatly reduced, tk. there is a limit on the number of write-rewrite cycles.

How to defragment a disk

Windows has a built-in disk defragmenter that does its job well. It is recommended to run it weekly to keep the PC hard disk in proper condition and prevent unnecessary clutter with small parts of files. You can set the automatic launch mode when the computer itself turns on the program at the right time. The speed of the program is directly affected by many factors, of which the following should be highlighted:

technical parameters of the iron component of the computer;
total hard disk space;
the amount of space occupied;
the number of completed write-rewrite cycles;
period since the last defragmentation.

For Windows 7

The built-in utility utility defragmenter for Windows 7 defragments hard disk partitions, but only files and free clusters remain intact, although computer performance will still be increased. Automatic mode is present and is configured by date, time and frequency. Before starting, it is recommended to clean the local drives of residual garbage, for which you can use the system or one of the free utilities and check the system registry.

The function can be activated along the path - Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools. The second way - Computer - right-click on the logical drive - Properties - tab Tools - Run defragmentation. After pressing the start button, the program window will open, where you can select one of the items:

set up a schedule;
analysis;
defragmentation.

The analysis will check hard disk sectors for fragmented files and report in percentage. It is recommended to have at least 15% free space on the hard drive, because. in its absence, defragmentation can take a very long time, and efficiency will be significantly reduced. Have some unoccupied space on system drive and used to store information is always necessary - scoring completely, you may encounter slow work of the entire computer.

For Windows 8

The program in Windows 8 practically does not differ in its functionality and capabilities from previous version. There is also the ability to set up a schedule, and the process takes a lot of time, much more than when using third-party quick utilities. To access it, you need to press Win + E, click on the logical drive with the left mouse button, at the top, the Management tab, the Optimize item.

For Windows 10

This operating system is installed on most modern laptops. As a carrier, either an SSD drive is installed here, which does not need to be defragmented, or a small HDD, where the situation is radically opposite. A small hard drive is subject to fragmentation much faster, which reduces the speed of performing any tasks. It is difficult to set up automatic defragmentation here, because the laptop turns off when it is not being worked on to save battery power, and the best option would be to start it manually every time.

To open Disk Optimizer, you must do the following - Explorer - This Computer - right-click on the disk - Properties - Tools - Optimize. Here, again, you can analyze the disk for fragmented files and their percentage, start the optimization process itself, or set up a schedule. The more often defragmentation-optimization is performed, the less time subsequent launches will take.

Disk defragmentation software

There are alternative programs with a more understandable and user-friendly interface and some additional features. The utilities are free, and to use them you only need to download the file and complete the installation. Some in automatic mode will replace the standard disk defragmenter, which is convenient, because. no need to turn it off by yourself Windows Services which is not for every beginner.

Defraggler

The utility can defragment the disk not only completely, but also individual folders and even files. This will help in cases where the speed of a particular application is important, and not the entire computer. The program works with any file systems. It is possible to automatically transfer large files closer to the end of the disk. The speed of work is very good, and all information about the hard drive is presented clearly.

Ashampoo Magical Defrag

The utility is made in a minimalist design - the elements are presented in a single window, with virtually no settings and with a small amount of information. There are no additional functions here, and the work takes place in the background, turning on during those periods when the computer is idle, in sleep mode, etc. At some points, this is very convenient, because. computer resources are not always used 100%, for example, when watching a movie or working in office programs, you can use the HDD and processor to service the disk.

Auslogics Disk Defrag

The program has several key features that distinguish it from other offers. It not only defragments files, but also organizes the available free space, which takes a lot of time. Able to optimize system files, speeding up access to them. It is possible to set up a schedule, or work in the background without loading all the resources of the computer.

MyDefrag

A distinctive feature of the program is that it replaces the screensaver, that is, when the computer goes into standby mode, if you need to defragment the hard drive, the process begins. The work will be optimized as much as possible, and the files will be in an orderly state. The program requires only initial configuration, after which it will operate in automatic mode.

Smart Defrag

IObit's product is able to keep the files on your hard drive in order at all times. The utility uses a special algorithm that performs partial defragmentation at system startup, and the boot time increases slightly and only if Windows is installed on it. There is a smart distribution function, when frequently used files are distributed closer to the beginning and access to them is faster. The speed of work is good, even with a large number of files and their fragmentation.

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All file systems store information in small clusters, so to accommodate any file, not one cluster is required, but rather a large number of them. When writing a file, the OS provides the required number of free clusters, but it is not at all necessary that the allocated clusters will be located sequentially. Of course, when you first copy files to a new hard drive, they will be written to adjacent clusters. But after some time, when the size of the files increases in the process of editing them (when at a certain stage the clusters allocated for a particular file will not be enough to write it) or when writing large files to an already fairly full disk, which simply does not have the required number of adjacent free clusters , the files will be fragmented. Over time, the number of fragmented files, as well as the degree of their fragmentation, increases. This process occurs most quickly when actively overwriting files (with frequent saving and deleting files, moving files and folders, actively installing / uninstalling applications), as well as when working with a disk that is more than half full. Fragmented files remain fully functional, but reading them slows down, because each time you open such files, the system is forced to search for all fragments of the file, which slows down its reaction time. In addition, severe disk fragmentation (due to the increased use of read heads, which require many moves across the disk to read all parts of fragmented files) can lead to a reduction in its service life. Therefore, periodically it is necessary to resort to the disk defragmentation process. To defragment disks, you can use the built-in Windows Disk Defragmenter utility, called by the command "Start" > "Programs" > "Accessories" > "Utilities" > "Disk Defragmenter". This program is based on an outdated commercial version of the Diskeeper package and allows you to defragment volumes formatted in FAT, FAT32 and NTFS file systems. The scanning depth during its operation is quite large, and most files are defragmented, but in terms of performance this solution is noticeably inferior to many alternative packages, and the range of settings in it is limited to the very minimum. In addition, Windows Disk Defragmenter requires at least 15% free disk space for its operation (and it can be much less) and places files without any optimization, while a number of similar solutions implement certain optimization technologies that allow you to get some gain in download speed. In addition, this defragmenter does not merge all the free space of the volume - as a result, the likelihood of a rapid increase in the level of disk fragmentation in the future remains. And the possibilities of automating the defragmentation process in this program are limited. Therefore, it is much more convenient to use other defragmenters, some of which we will consider in this article, but first we will dwell on several features of the defragmentation process itself.

Features of hard drive defragmentation

Most defragmenters can reorganize files in the background, but it is still unlikely to use resource-intensive applications, so it is wiser to start the defragmentation process when there is no activity on the computer (for example, at the end of the working day) or at the time when operations are performed on the computer, do not require special system resources.
If the disks are more than 75% full, then in order to perform a full defragmentation, you need to turn to defragmenters that are less demanding on the amount of free space, and carry out the procedure in two stages - first, perform a quick partial defragmentation (this will allow you to get larger blocks of free space) and only then full.
As a rule, for daily (weekly) defragmentation, it is more reasonable to limit yourself to fast defragmentation methods - some files will remain fragmented, but in general, access to many of the files will be accelerated. But at the same time, sometimes (as needed) you should set aside time for a complete defragmentation, running it with a high priority - better at those moments when you are not using your computer. As for the continuous defragmentation mode offered in some defragmenters, its usefulness is a moot point. Of course, on the one hand, this approach can really reduce the need for frequent full defragmentation. On the other hand, continuous defragmentation leads to increased load on the hard drive, which can shorten the life of the drive.
It is wiser to remove from the computer before starting defragmentation junk files, as well as exclude from consideration the system files pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys, which are used by the system as temporary files and are recreated at the beginning of each Windows session.
In fact, not only user files are fragmented on the disk, but also service files of the operating system - system files and the main file table (MFT), which is a directory of all files on a particular partition and stores records about the location of each file, their attributes, etc. If the defragmenter has a built-in functionality for defragmenting the named service files, then, as a rule, the MFT is defragmented immediately after the corresponding option is enabled, and system files, access to which is blocked by the operating system, only through the so-called offline defragmentation performed after restarting the computer, but before starting Windows.

Programs for defragmenting hard drives

List of solutions on the market that can be used for defragmentation hard drives, wide enough. Among them, there are both paid packages with wide functionality, and free ones, but enough useful programs. All the utilities discussed in the article, with the exception of Paragon Total Defrag, are based on the API (Application Programming Interface, an application programming interface, which is a set of basic functions that a programmer can use to access the functionality of a software component). When using this technology, defragmentation is carried out in the background (this is convenient, since some access to the computer is preserved), but some small part of the files will remain fragmented (for example, some service files), which, however, in most cases is completely uncritical. Paragon Total Defrag, in addition to background defragmentation, can also perform full low-level defragmentation, which allows you to achieve almost zero fragmentation, but requires exclusive access to the system.

Perfect Disk 10

Developer: Raxco Software Inc.
Distribution size: 47.6 MB
Spreading: Shareware PerfectDisk is one of the best solutions for defragmenting hard drives. The package supports FAT16, FAT32, exFAT and NTFS file systems and can handle large volumes up to several terabytes. It provides defragmentation of entire disks (more than one disk can be selected), as well as individual most fragmented files. The latter is useful if you need to quickly optimize access to, say, a mail database, a video clip, etc. All files are processed, including large files, system files, and the MFT area, the latter can not only be defragmented, but also relocated, taking into account optimization. Thanks to the support of Space Restoration Technology, free disk space is also defragmented, which is done by combining free sectors into the largest possible blocks. For the utility to work, a minimum of free space (from 1%) is enough, and defragmentation of files and free areas is done in just one pass (and not two, as is done in many other defragmenters). PerfectDisk can defragment automatically and manually. In the first case, the utility will independently launch defragmentation according to the specified schedule or when the computer is not active - the latter can be implemented in two ways: through the StealthPatrol mode or the screensaver mode. The operation of the utility in automatic mode is configured using the wizard, and it itself works in the background rather imperceptibly for the user. Manual defragmentation allows the user to independently manage the defragmentation by specifying the scope of its implementation and the method used. The program is presented in several editions - for home users, the Home and Professional editions may be of interest. The professional edition has all the features of the Home edition and additionally includes the Space Explorer and Space Reports modules that provide disk space analysis, and tools for removing temporary and other junk files, as well as duplicate files. The demo version of the program (there is no Russian-language localization) is fully functional and operational for 30 days. The cost of the commercial version depends on the edition: Home - $ 29.99, Professional - $ 39.99. The program has a lot of settings, but it is intuitive clear interface allows you to quickly get used to this solution. The program window has three tabs - the "Defragmentation" tab combines tools for analyzing and defragmenting disks, system and user files. The "AutoPilot Schedulng" tab provides the ability to configure automatic defragmentation - on schedule, in screensaver mode or through StealthPatrol mode. The "Product Resources" tab provides access to various kinds of help information. Access to the properties of the utility is provided on any of these tabs. To run disk analysis in PerfectDisk, open the "Defragmentation" tab, select the required disk and click the "Analyze" button, or use the command of the same name from the context menu. Based on the results of the analysis, the program will provide very extensive information. For example, after analysis, you can see not only a fragmentation map, but also find out the level of fragmentation of files, directories, free space, MFT, etc., identify the most fragmented files with their size and paths, and get recommendations on the defragmentation strategy in this particular case . You can find out more about the number of files on the disk, as well as the most fragmented and "excluded" files (that is, files to which access is denied) To manually defragment disks in the "Defragmentation" tab, select a disk (or several disks), specify defragmentation method and click the "Start" button. There are three defragmentation methods available: Defragment Only Pass, SMARTPlacement defragmentation, and Consolidate Free Space. With simplified defragmentation, which requires a minimum of time, only those files are defragmented for which free blocks of the required size are found - all other files are skipped, and free areas are not combined into large blocks. When SMARTPlacement technology is connected, free blocks are merged, and files are placed in accordance with the activity of their update, which minimizes their re-fragmentation in the future. The "Consolidate Free Space" method defragments all files and free areas, but does not optimize the file layout. To speed up defragmentation, individual files can be excluded from consideration by creating a list of excluded files in the drive properties ("Drive Properties" command from the context menu, "Excluded Files" tab). You can also delete temporary files before starting defragmentation. If it is necessary to defragment individual files, click on the "Selected Files" button, in the "Defragment Selected Files" window that opens, indicate the files of interest and click on the "Defragment" button.

Defragmentation of system files, access to which is blocked by the operating system, is started by clicking on the "System Files" button and is performed after a reboot. First, in the drive properties ("Drive Properties" command from the context menu, the "Offline Defragmentation" tab), you need to specify which objects you want to defragment.

It is possible to carry out defragmentation without user intervention, in automatic mode. This is configured on the "AutoPilot Schedulng" tab, where you can, for example, enable defragmentation in screensaver mode, which will ensure that this process is carried out when the user is definitely not on the PC. It is not difficult to do this - you just need to specify the disk, select the defragmentation method and determine the frequency of this procedure.

There is functionality for setting a certain defragmentation threshold, upon reaching which defragmentation stops, and controlling the priority level - by changing it, it is easy to block the utility for a while, or vice versa - to provide it with large resources. All this is regulated through the program properties, which can be accessed on any of the tabs.

Diskeeper 2009

Developer: Diskeeper Corporation
Distribution size: 28.5 MB
Spreading: Shareware Diskeeper is one of the most popular hard drive defragmentation solutions. The package supports NTFS, FAT16 and FAT32 file systems, can work with volumes up to 1 TB and provides defragmentation of various file types, including large files, system files and MFTs, as well as very fragmented files containing millions of fragments. However, it is slower than many other solutions. According to the developers, it can defragment disks with only about 1% of free space, but in practice, with such a small volume, the utility usually ignores large files. Diskeeper allows you to defragment a disk in automatic or manual modes. In the first case, the utility works as a background application, without interfering with the user's normal work (this is implemented thanks to continuous monitoring using InvisiTasking technology), and independently decides on the defragmentation method, the process time (taking into account the degree of fragmentation) and its priority. You can also set the program to run defragmentation according to a specific schedule. With manual defragmentation, launched on demand, the choice of the defragmentation method and the priority of this process is carried out by the user. If necessary, at certain intervals, the defragmentation process in manual mode is easy to block, and at others (if you are not working at a computer), on the contrary, set a high priority for the process. Manual defragmentation can be performed in parallel with other activities on the computer, because thanks to I/O Smart technology, the defragmentation process is paused during disk I/O operations. It is possible to simultaneously run analysis / defragmentation not only for one, but also for several disks at once, but there is no defragmentation of folders and files. There is also Boot-Time Defragmentation, designed to defragment the MFT and the swap file. The program is presented in several editions - for home users, the Home and Professional editions may be of interest. The professional edition has all the features of the Home edition and can already work with volumes up to 2 TB. It also additionally has support for I-FAAST (Intelligent File Access Acceleration Sequencing Technology) optimization technology and FragShield 2.0 tools (reduce the degree of fragmentation of critical system files and help configure paging files in such a way that future fragmentation is less likely). The demo version of the program (partial Russian-language localization) is fully functional and operational for 30 days. The cost of the commercial version depends on the edition: Home - $29.95, Professional - $59.95 does not provide. By default, the program window has three panels - two basic horizontal and one additional vertical ("Quick Launch" panel), which can be easily disabled through the "View" menu. The horizontal panels display disks and operations with them, while the vertical one contains tabs with help information. To start analyzing disks, just select one of them (or several at once) and select the "Action" > "Analyze" command from the main menu or the "Analyze" command from the context menu. Based on the results of the analysis, very detailed reports are generated, according to which you can not only identify the initial state of the disk and its fragmentation level after the files were reorganized, but also, for example, find out what the performance loss was due to the fragmentation level that took place. By default, the program enables automatic defragmentation for all disks found in the system - to disable it, click on the "Properties" button and uncheck the "Enable automatic defragmentation on the selected volumes" item. Manual defragmentation is started using the "Defragment" command (from the "Action" menu or the context menu). Two methods of defragmentation are offered - Quick and Recommended, the choice of the desired method is carried out through the properties of manual defragmentation ("Manual Defragmentation Properties" button). When using the first method (this method is not available in the Home Edition), the time spent on defragmentation is less, but its effectiveness is lower, since free areas are not merged in this case. In the case of the Recommended method, which is set by default, the defragmentation process is longer and includes not only file defragmentation, but also partial consolidation of free disk space. In the same window, you can also activate the function to automatically reduce the priority of defragmentation during disk I / O operations ("Enable I/O Smart" checkbox).

In terms of optimization, Diskeeper implemented I-FAAST technology (Professional edition only), which takes into account the degree of activity of accessing files when placing files. In addition, the package provides for the possibility of more efficient defragmentation of large files - this means their partial reorganization, after which the files remain fragmented, but to a lesser extent (perhaps this option is useful if there is not enough free space or there is very little time to complete the process) . An exception is allowed when defragmenting specified files and folders - say, temporary files that will be deleted soon. This is done through the list of exclusions (command "Action" > "Configure Diskeeper" > "Diskeeper Configuration Properties", tab "File Exclusion").

Disk defragmentation on Windows 7,8,10 is a mandatory and simple operation. Read and how it will help speed up your computer. The methods using built-in OS functions and third-party utilities are described below.

What is disk fragmentation and defragmentation?

Many Windows users have probably heard that defragmenting your hard drive will speed up your computer. Let's take a closer look at what fragmentation and defragmentation means and why you should start this process on your PC now.

Fragmentation is the breaking up of disk space into fragments. In simple words, when data is written to a new HDD, all information is divided sequentially (in clusters). After some time, the user copies, deletes, moves the data. This provokes the release of space by some clusters and their replacement by others.

The data recorded on the disk can be distributed in “pieces” in different sectors of the drive. This happens, as a rule, with various executable files, videos and other media files. After deleting an object or moving it, the disk sector is freed. Over time, different types of information accumulate in neighboring sectors:

As a result, various types of data are randomly scattered throughout the HDD. Reading files slows down, which affects the overall performance of the system. Also, a fragmented disk can cause deterioration in the performance of the hard drive.

You can fix the problem using the reverse process - defragmentation. The task of the operation is to match all parts of the same type of data and add them to common clusters. All hard disk data is distributed “on the shelves” and it becomes “easier” for the HDD reading head to find information.

What does disk defragmentation do?

Programs and files open faster;
Frees up space on the hard drive;
Improves the overall performance of the OS.

When and how often to defrag?

Disk defragmentation on Windows is a process that takes quite a long time. It should not be performed frequently, as this may adversely affect the performance of the hard drive.

The frequency of the process also depends on how often and how you use your computer. For example, if you constantly install new programs, download information, use disk space, it is recommended to defragment the Windows disk once every 1-2 months. This will help maintain a good level of OS performance.

If you rarely run games, applications, do not store a large amount of data on the disk, you should start the process no more than once every 3-4 months.

Note that there is a concept of fast disk defragmentation on Windows. It works only "on the surface" of the HDD, that is, with those directories and partitions that you use most often. You can run such a defragmentation using third-party utilities. They will run the operation every time the computer is turned on. This does not harm the device and allows you to keep it running fast.

Defragmentation methods

There are two ways to start defragmenting hard disk partitions:

Using Windows services;
With the help of third party applications.

The first case is the safest, but long. Special programs allow you to defragment faster or run it every time you turn on the system. Before installing defragmentation utilities, we recommend scanning executable file antivirus.

Instructions for Windows 7, 8, 10

Defragmentation process:

After the process completes, close the command prompt and restart your computer.

Using the Defragger utility (free)

Defragger is a handy disk defragmenter. Suitable for all versions of Windows.

Immediately after launch, the utility will scan hard drives. To start defragmentation, select a disk from the list and click on the "Defrag" button at the bottom of the main window. The main feature of the application is the ability to visualize the process of fixing disk space.

The program is distributed free of charge. Other features of Defragger:

Simultaneous scanning of several disks;
Analysis of folders, files and individual applications;
Choice of batch or regular optimization;
Disk defragmentation in Russian. You can change the application interface language in the Settings tab.

AusLogics Disc Defrag (Free)

Auslogics Disk Defrag is another popular freeware defragmenter. Windows disk. With its help, you can simultaneously start defragmenting several disks connected to the computer.

Also, you can set the priority in scanning and optimizing disks or set automatic defragmentation. If you are using old version Windows 7, we recommend that you check the box "Turn off the PC after the task is completed". As a rule, defragmentation of old versions of the OS can take several hours and it is better not to leave such a system turned on all night or while the user is away.

Diskeeper utility (paid)

Diskeeper is a paid defragmentation utility with more features and options for disk optimization.

Program features:

Accelerated data processing;
Defragmentation without loading the operating system. This is possible due to the use of special program code algorithms;
Creating reports on the operation of the HDD and viewing the history of error reporting;
Automatic removal of temporary files and other "garbage" to speed up the operating system;
Ability to optimize the work of connected USB and CD drives;
Troubleshooting defragmentation issues.

Why can't you defragment SSD drives?

If your computer does not work with an HDD, but with an SDD, you do not need to defragment. The file processing speed of a solid state drive does not depend on how data is written to it.

We advise you to disable defragmentation for such drives. This can be done in the "Optimize disks" window, the work with which is described in detail above. If the process is not disabled, the SSD will quickly fail, as such disks have a limit on the number of write cycles. Each defragmentation constantly overwrites partitions.

Solving Defragmentation Errors

If you are unable to start defragmentation, or if you receive error messages while executing a task, do the following:

Open command prompt as system administrator;
Enter the CHKDSK /С command (change the letter to the one you need);
Press Enter to execute. The scan may take several minutes. As a result, a detailed report on the parameters of the drive and detected errors in its operation will appear on the screen. Processing and elimination of errors will start automatically.

Also, a defragmentation error may appear due to lack of free disk space. We recommend that you delete unnecessary files and applications, and then restart the process again. The HDD must have at least 1 GB of free space for normal operation.

Scan the file system with an antivirus or boot the OS in safe mode and try defragmenting again.

Another type of error does not manifest itself in stopping the process, but in the disappearance of files from the disk. This happens when several files are placed in the same cluster at once. The problem is typical for older versions of Windows 7. In this case, the system simply deletes all copies of the files and frees up memory. It is not possible to return the data.

Outcome

For constant control hard state disk, check the "Optimize disks" window. Keep in mind that the lower the percentage of fragmentation displayed in the window, the better the performance of your HDD. Also, before defragmenting the disk, scan it for errors using the "Analyze" button or using a third-party program.

Ashampoo® WinOptimizer Free

Ashampoo ® WinOptimizer Free designed to improve computer performance for operating systemsWindows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 . You can see the installation stages. After installing the program, an icon will appear on the desktop with which you can start the program.

Computer scan

After starting the program (not the first one after installation), the following window will appear on the screen.

Let's press the buttonFull Scan.

A list of programs that performed the scan will appear and, to the right of them, the number of errors that can be corrected. These are the following programs:start up- Tuner(analysis of programs that run when the computer is turned on),Tweaking(analysis of operating system parameters),Internet cleaner(search for unnecessary files that occur when working with the Internet),Registry Optimizer(checking the computer registry) andDrive cleaner(removing temporary files). After the computer analysis is completed, the Start optimization button will turn orange, click on it.

The removal of unnecessary files, registry optimization, etc. will begin. For the normal operation of the computer, from time to time it is necessary to carry out such optimization and, in addition to it, disk defragmentation, which we will discuss below.

Modules

At the top of the window are a number of modes. Let's press the button Modules and a list of sections will appear on the left side of the window.

For System Cleanup a list of programs that relate to it will appear on the right.

These programs are also used when scanning a computer, described earlier.

File defragmentation

From time to time, you need to defragment files, as described in the description of operating systems in the section Personal computer tutorial. Before this operation, it is recommended to check the integrity of the file system. To do this, you can use the standard tools of the operating system, that is, right-click on the name of the logical drive, in the panel that appears, select the mode Properties . Next go to the tab Service where to select the mode Check disk . Or you can use the disk check program, which we will discuss later in this article.

The question may arise: why use given by the program, because the operating system has a defragmentation program. The fact is that the program that comes with the operating system works for quite a long time. For example, if you use the system program for a disk of about 40 gigabytes, then it can work for about an hour, and the program Defrag 3 performs defragmentation in five to ten minutes (depending on the percentage of fragmentation) and does it no less qualitatively.

Then we call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Work optimization Defrag 3 .

In the window that appears, select the logical drive that needs to be defragmented by clicking on its name with the left mouse button (in the figure - C:).

The defrag operation will begin. In the window you can see how the disk is full. In the right part of the window there is a legend, that is, the colors and what they stand for. For example, white means unused disk space. Note that even if there is a white color, this does not necessarily mean that there is free space. The fact is that the disk is divided into clusters, of which there are quite a lot. Therefore, one square means not one cluster, but several. If one cluster is occupied and the rest are free for that square, then it will be identified as free space. That is, the color indicates what type of clusters are more in this area. During defragmentation, some squares change their color, which is quite beautiful.

Pause button allows you to pause the defragmentation process in order to continue it later. Button Stop allows you to stop the defragmentation process. The line at the bottom of the window shows the progress bar. As soon as the green rectangles fill the line, the program will end. Above this line is the name of the file for which defragmentation is being carried out.

After the program ends, a window will appear on the screen about it.

Note that the buttonDefragmentation Analysisallows you to determine how fragmented the disk is in percentage, in order to find out which disks need to be defragmented.

On the left, there are two modes that can be enabled.

Proactive defragmentation allows you to defragment files in the background, while startup defragmentation allows you to defragment system files after you turn on the computer that cannot be defragmented after the operating system boots.

After finishing the program, press the button Close .

Enable / disable programs at computer startup

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Work optimizationand on the right click on the name of the program - Start Up Tuner.

Click on the inscription -Edit autostart entries.

A list of programs will appear. If there is a checkmark in the box on the left, then this program starts after turning on the computer. The figure shows that the following programs are launched:AVG_ UI(antivirus program) , bigdog305 (video camera) , SunJavaUpdateShed(Java language for viewing elements in the browser) andvProt(antivirus program). In order to disable the program, you need to click on the square to the left of the name and the checkmark will disappear. If you click a second time, the checkmark will appear again. Thus, you can change the list of programs that are loaded after turning on the computer. In order to see what the module is for, you can see on the right where it is located. In addition, you can view the properties if you click (highlight) a line and click on the button Properties which is activated.

After finishing working with the mode, you need to click on the button Introduction.

There are other features of this program - the removal of programs, plug-ins and unnecessary services. You can see the list of programs, plugins. These modes are also available in the operating system (via the control panel). It is better to use the system uninstall mode, since the program Start Up Tuner removes the program from the operating system, but does not remove all files of the program being removed. And the Add/Remove Programs program, which is located in the control panel, also removes files.

Process management

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Work optimizationand on the right click on the name of the program - process manager.

This program is similar to the program Task Manager , which is available in every operating system windows. Description Task Managergiven in the description of the operating system in the Personal Computer Tutorial on this site.

Internet acceleration

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Work optimizationand on the right click on the name of the program - Internet Tuner . It is not clear what kind of acceleration occurs in this case. But in practice it is difficult to determine if files are not downloaded more in volume. After I tried to use this program, the pages in the browser began to load much faster.

A list of modes will appear. Editing by hand is not recommended, as you need to have experience in working with a computer. Therefore, we choose the mode Autotune .

The next step is to select the type of connection. If the connection type is selected incorrectly, then there may be problems with connecting to the Internet. Therefore, continue only when you are sure of the correct choice.

After selecting the type of connection, click on the buttonAuto optimization. A warning window will appear, if you are sure of the correct choice, then click on the button YES .

A window will then appear informing you that the changes will take effect after the reboot. Let's reboot and check how the Internet works.

Disabling spyware

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Privacy and Securityand on the right click on the name of the program - Internet tuner.

A list of modes will appear.

If you click on the labelOptimize settings automatically, the following warning will appear.

If you press the button Yes , the following message will appear.

This program allows you to disable time synchronization on your computer via the Internet, but in manual adjustment mode. Why do you need to do this? The fact is that our country has refused to switch to from winter to summer time and vice versa, but in the West they have not refused. Therefore, at the end of autumn, in winter and at the beginning of spring, the computer, when synchronized, will show the time one hour less than the actual one.

There are two ways to change this state of affairs: either by disabling the ability to synchronize, or using system tools. Click on the time, which is located at the bottom left of the screen, go to the Time Zone tab and uncheck the radio buttonAutomatic daylight savings time and back.

Permanently erasing folders and files

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Privacy and Securityand on the right click on the name of the program - File Wiper . Normal deletion places files in the trash. If files are removed from the recycle bin, the file name in the volume's table of contents is usually removed. There are programs that allow you to recover data. Program File Wiper allows them to be destroyed by overwriting the clusters with arbitrary data in which the file was located.

A list of modes will appear on the screen.

Click on the caption Erase files . A window will appear in which we will add files by transferring them from the explorer, or by clicking on the button Add and select the necessary files (you can have several at a time).

To delete files, click on the button Delete .

Using the mode Erase folders similarly, you can permanently erase them on your hard drive.

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Privacy and Securityand on the right click on the name of the program - File Encrypter @ Decrypter .

A list of modes will appear on the screen.

Click on the captionEncrypt file.

In the next window in the fieldSelect the file you want to encryptfile must be specified. To do this, click on the search button (). Then we specify the password, re-enter the password, check the box next to the switchDelete original file after successful encryptionand press the button Start .

The original file will be deleted and a file will appear in the folder that cannot be opened by other programs. In order to decrypt the file, click on the inscriptionDecrypt encrypted file.

We also specify the file to be decrypted by clicking on the button - . Enter the password and click on the button Start . The file will be decrypted and will be in the folder where it was and you can continue to work with it.

System Setup

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Configuring System Settings Tweaking.

Let's choose a mode Optimize system settings automatically.

A confirmation window will appear, click on the button YES .

Another window will appear.

The manual setting mode will contain several sections.

Each section contains its own tabs.

The main window will contain parameters that can be changed.

Change icons

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Configuring System Settingsand on the right click on the name of the program - visual styler.

When launched, a window with modes will appear on the screen.

These modes allow you to change the icons (the icons are taken from the system libraries Windows ), as well as change the size of the icons and the spacing between them.

Restoring icon positions

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Configuring System Settingsand on the right click on the name of the program - Icon Saver.

With this program, you can remember the location of the icons on the desktop and restore them after a failure. ModeEdit icon restore pointsallows you to save the location of icons in the computer's memory, andRestore icons- restore the position of icons on the desktop.

Changing the context menu

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Configuring System Settingsand on the right click on the name of the program - Contex Menu Manager .

The context menu is a panel with modes that appears when you right-click on an object. You can right-click on a filename in File Explorer, you can click on the Recycle Bin, and so on. Some programs, after installing them, insert their modes into the context menu. For example, let's right-click on a file on the computer where this article is being written.

As you can see, it contains, in addition to the standard, new installed modes:

7-zip – installed by the archiving program 7- zip and contains the modes of this program;

Scan with AVG - installed by an antivirus program AVG ;

Bulk Rename Here – installed by file renaming utility – Bulk ;

Several modes starting with Add to - TUGZip archiving program;

Three modes with the text in the name: " with Ashampoo WinOptimizer ” – inserted by the program optimizer Ashampoo WinOptimizer ;

These modes can be removed. Enter the program and click on the name -Edit context menu entries.

By clearing the checkboxes, you can remove the modes from the context menu.

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Diagnosis and information DiskSpace Explorer.

This module allows you to find out: what is on the disk. When you start working, a list of devices will appear on the screen.

Select the disk and click on the inscriptionCreate a message for the selected drive.

A list of folders will appear with the number of files in it and the size. Below is a list of main files (by size) and folders.

Information about hardware and software

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Diagnosis and informationand on the right click on the name of the program - System Information.

After entering the program, a window with a description of the central processor will appear.

There are tabs where you can view information about motherboard, monitor, network, USB . Sections are on the left.

As you can see from the figure, there are additional sections about disks and programs installed on the computer.

Computer test

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section Diagnosis and informationand on the right click on the name of the program - System Benchmark.

After starting the program, two modes will appear on the screen.

Let's run the test.

If you press the buttonCompare results online, then you can compare the performance of this computer with others (according to the company Ashampoo).

Recovering deleted files

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section File Utilitiesand on the right click on the name of the program - Undeleter.

Select a disk and click on the inscriptionSelect drive to search for deleted files. Select a disk and click on the button Start .

Mark the necessary files by checking the box to the left of the file name, select the folder where you want to place the recovered file in the fieldPlace resultand press the button Reestablish . It is usually advised to select the folder where the restore operation will be performed on another drive, otherwise, if several files are restored, the original images may be corrupted.

Splitting/joining files

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section File Utilitiesand on the right click on the name of the program - File Splitter & Joiner .

Typically, this operation is performed for large files that need to be split in order to be written to several optical discs, several floppy disks, etc. The program also allows you to merge files after they have been transferred to another computer.

Hard disk check

Let's call the programAshampoo ® WinOptimizer Free, go to tab Modules, select a section File Utilitiesand on the right click on the name of the program - Windows Standard Tools.

The program allows you to call three system programs of the operating system: disk check, defragmentation and system restore. These modes can be called without using this program.