Defragmenting Your Computer's Hard Drive

The hard drive is a critical component of your computer's operating system. A computer is a pretty resilient thing, but the hard drive consists of many moving parts and their proper functioning relies heavily on a healthy system. The hard drive must monitor and save data quickly and accurately. If your hard drive is full of disorganized files, it will not be able to run efficiently. It can cause your computer to move slowly. And everyone knows that a slow computer is a very frustrating thing.

Defragmentation (also commonly known as defrag) is one of the best solutions. As computers become bigger and faster and their hard drives become more powerful, defragmentation is a less favorable solution. But for most computers it's still the best choice for repairing your computer's hard drive and increasing the speed of your operating system. So what is the process of defragmentation? What is it and how does it work?

The defrag process is relatively easy but involves some of your computer's most important systems so you need to proceed with care. It's best to shut down all programs, even the ones that are constantly running (such as your screen saver). All versions of Windows come with a defrag tool.

Read the instructions below to learn how to run the Windows defragmentation software for any version of Windows XP.

1. Select "My Computer" from the Start menu.
2. Select the local disk volume that you want to defragment by right-clicking on it.
3. Select "Properties" from the menu that appears when you right-click.
4. Select the "Tools" tab and click on "Defragment Now."
5. Select "Defragment."

The defrag tool in Windows XP does not have a scheduling function and will only allow you to defrag one volume at a time. That being said, you can use the Windows Scheduler tool to defrag from the command list; however, this is a complicated process and it is only recommended for IT professionals. The regular defrag function is easy to use and you can control and schedule the defrag procedure without the help of an IT professional. Select the Start menu, click on search and type "defrag" in the search box.

Windows Vista has a much more simple and efficient defragmentation tool than Windows XP. It allows you to schedule the defragmentation process for whatever time that you want. That way you can schedule a convenient time, when you won't be using the computer, and when you return the process will be complete.

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