There is a lot of truth in the saying “you only get out of it what you put into it” when talking about the health of your computer and failing to “put in” the necessary safety measures to protect your computer can result in disastrous consequences. While many people take the precautionary steps of installing anti-virus software, downloading operating system updates, avoiding questionable sites, etc. they may neglect to address the one threat that can cause the greatest damage.
The reason so many people neglect to protect their drive from fragmentation may be because they are under the assumption that their computer is already protected. This assumption may come from the incorrect belief that the built-in defrag program provided by the operational system is enough to keep their drive healthy.
Fragmentation can quickly become an overwhelming problem, slowing the speed and reliability of a computer and eventually causing a crash. Relying on a built-in defrag program to solve the problem is similar to trying to stop a deep cut with a band aid, while it may slow the problem it certainly doesn’t solve it.
Solving the problem of fragmentation requires defragmentation software that is capable of not just plugging a leak but of repairing the damage; and the damage that is caused by fragmentation can be widespread. If you have noticed a significant slowdown in your computer’s performance including a slow boot up time, difficulty retrieving files and software, problems accessing and sending emails, sluggish Internet browsing, and lost information then chance are your drive is carrying a lot of fragmented files.
While it may not make much sense to a computer owner, fragmentation is a result of how a drive is designed. Because drives are made to maximize space they don’t take into account the practice of modifying existing files. When a file is originally saved it is placed directly behind the last file saved, with no space between the two. Recalling that saved file, modifying, and then resaving the file is where the problem begins. Unable to place the file back into its original space the drive is forced to cut the excess information and place it in the next available space, creating a fragmented file.
Each time that file is recalled, modified, and then resaved it only adds to the fragmentation, and because there is no limit to how many pieces a file can be fragmented into it is common for a drive to host hundreds if not thousands of these fragmented pieces, all belonging to a single file.
What this does is slow down a computer’s ability to operate at its intended speed. Each time a file is requested a drive has to sift through all of these fragmented pieces, gathering the ones that belong to the file you are trying to access. Not only does this take time but it also causes added stress to the drive and as the fragmentation mounts the workload become too much and the drive crashes.
An important fact to remember is that your computer is constantly saving files, regardless of whether you are saving them as a permanent file. Every time you turn on your computer there are temporary files being created and all of these add to the problem of fragmentation.
This is why it is imperative to install defragmentation software that can not only fix the damaged files but also prevent fragmentation from returning. Defrag software from companies like Diskeeper can repair fragmented files, joining the pieces together and saving them as a single unit, as well as monitor the drive to ensure future files aren’t fragmented.
By installing defragmentation software not only will a drive’s health, reliability, and speed be restored but its life will be extended as well. Defragmentation software enables a drive to operate at its optimal performance capabilities and when you provide your drive this luxury you’ll find your computer to be much more efficient.
Just as you install anti-virus software because you know it will protect your computer from viruses and prevent dangerous software from appearing on your computer, installing defragmentation software will protect your drive from the internal issues that pose threats to your computer’s health. Do the simple thing and install defrag today and keep fragmentation in check.
