Disk Defrag?

[Timmy]

What exactly does a Disk Defrag do? I run them every few weeks or so, and they definetly make my computer run faster or smoother, but I have never known how.
It seems to me that they move your files around so they can be accessed easier. Is this anywhere near the truth?

[Lyte]

Morning!

Here's a good definiting from wikipedia..

"In the context of administering computer systems, defragmentation (or defragging) is a process that eliminates fragmentation in file systems. It does this by physically reorganizing the disk's contents in order to store the pieces of each files close together and in order (contiguously*). It also attempts to create large regions of free space using compaction, to impede the return of fragmentation."

How's that sound?

Lyte

*contiguous = Immediately adjacent. For example, contiguous sectors on a disk are sectors that come one after the other. Frequently, a file stored on disk can become fragmented, which means that it is stored on non-contiguous sectors.

[dr911]

Timmy
What exactly does a Disk Defrag do? I run them every few weeks or so, and they definetly make my computer run faster or smoother, but I have never known how.
It seems to me that they move your files around so they can be accessed easier. Is this anywhere near the truth?

Hey All,

Timmy.....basically..."Windows"....doesn't always put back files (Open up an program, then another program, shut the first program down) it finds to operate a certain program back in it's original place. Windows sometimes just puts the files in other "spots" on your had-drive. (Like my office after a month.....I have to organize it back.) When you "defrag" your HD.......basically, Windows is organizing itself.

I run "defrag" once a month.

[Timmy]

Ahh, I see.
That makes sense. I think I'll continue my monthly defrag. If only Windows didn't need it.