How defragmentation works for the computers?
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Introduction\nIt's essential that an operating system be able to maintain your disks at peak levels of reliability and performance. The Windows® 2000 operating system does this through a built-in system tool called Disk Defragmenter. Disk Defragmenter was developed through a collaborative effort between Microsoft Corporation and Executive Software International. Read on to learn more about disk fragmentation and defragmentation, and how Disk Defragmenter supports the maintenance of disk efficiency.\n\nTop of page\nTypes of Fragmentation\nFragmentation is caused by creating and deleting files and folders, installing new software, and downloading files from the Internet. Computers do not necessarily save an entire file or folder in a single space on a disk; they're saved in the first available space. After a large portion of a disk has been used, most of the subsequent files and folders are saved in pieces across the volume. (In this discussion the terms disk and volume are used interchangeably.) When you delete files or folders, the empty spaces left behind are filled in randomly as you store new ones. This is how fragmentation occurs. The more fragmented the volume is, the slower the computer's file input and output performance will be. There are two main types of disk fragmentation: file fragmentation and free space fragmentation.\n\nFile Fragmentation\nA file with all its parts stored in one location on a disk is described as "contiguous." If a file is not contiguous, it's fragmented; broken into pieces that are scattered throughout the disk. All Windows NT® and Windows 2000 file types—File Allocation Table (FAT) and NTFS file system (NTFS)—are susceptible to fragmentation.\n\nFile fragmentation has a negative effect on disk performance because the disk head requires more time to move around to different points on the disk to read scattered file parts. This is a primary reason for the gradual degradation of system performance—and the specific cause of longer reads and extended reboots.\n\nFree Space Fragmentation\nA partially full disk contains unused space, known as free space. Ideally, this space would be available in a few contiguous portions of the disk. And while it's good to have free space, it's not good if it's fragmented. Free space fragmentation refers to file space that's broken into small pieces, rather than joined together. This type of fragmentation results in slowed performance because of the time it takes for the disk head to move to different points on the disk to find free space and then write the file. Fragmented free space also increases the possibility of file fragmentation; when a file is larger than the space it's being written to, the file fragments.\n\nTop of page\nAnalyzing Defragmentation\nDefragmentation is the process of rewriting non-contiguous parts of a file to contiguous sectors on a disk for the purpose of increasing data access and retrieval speeds. Because FAT and NTFS disks can deteriorate and become badly fragmented over time, defragmentation is vital for optimal system performance.\n\nFragmentation Analysis Study\nHow fragmented can a system get? In June 1999 the American Business Research Corporation of Irvine, California performed a fragmentation analysis and found that, out of 100 corporate offices that were not using a defragmenter, 50 percent of the respondents had server files with 2,000 to 10,000 fragments—and another 33 percent had files that were fragmented into 10,333 to 95,000 pieces. In all cases the results were the same: Servers and workstations experienced a significant degradation in performance.\n\nGood Housekeeping\nEven a new computer system will experience disk fragmentation because loading the operating system results in both file and free space fragmentation. You can test this by loading the operating system onto a new machine, and then run the analysis function of Disk Defragmenter (explained below).\n\nFor t
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If you run the Defrag program, it will overewrite "deleted" stuff with the files you want to keep.  If you really want to clean up the space, use a program like Webroot's Window Washer.  You can download a 30-day trial version from the Webroot website.  Set it to "bleach" the deleted area of your hard drive.  That makes it overwrite all the old stuff with 0's and 1's.
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defrag and do a disk cleanup
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For Windows XP\n\nBegin by first clicking on the Start Button.\n\nThen move your mouse over the All Programs icon to display all Start Menu folders.\n\nIf your Start Menu is set to the Classic View, move your mouse over the Programs folder instead.\n\nNow, move your mouse onto the Accessories menu folder until it expands.\n\nThen move your mouse onto the System Tools menu folder until it expands.\n\nNow Click on the Disk Defragmenter icon to launch the program.\n\nThen use your mouse to highlight the drive that you want to Defragment?\n\nThen click on the Defragment button located on the lower left hand center of the screen.\n\nWindows XP will analyze your drive first and then display a visual estimate of the final results.\n\nAnd Windows XP will continually show you a progress indicator bar depicting its progress.\n\nWhen Windows is finished it will ask you if you would like to quit the Defrag Program.\n\nSelect YES to quit the Disk Defragmenter Program and then reboot your computer.
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If you have a very large hard drive and lots of fragmented files on that drive, then it could take a *very long* time to complete defragmentation.\n\nSometimes it is best just to let the defragmenter run overnight instead, it can take several hours in a very bad case of fragmentation.
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Defrag in "Safe Mode".
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go to start---All Prog.---Accessories---System tools---Schedule tasks.\nIn that go to file--New---Task\nIn that task go to its properties, locate Run, click browse\nGo to your Windows folder, System 32, Defrag.exe.\nClick OK\nSet the time as u want, it'll run as u'll schedule.
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For user eyes its stored in Folders.\n\nFor system, its stored in sectors and tracks. You can view the same when you run Defrag Tool.
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Simply, when you install and delete programs and files, you create blank spaces in the hard drive.  Programs that are installed are placed in available spaces, not contiguously. which can cause the hard drive to work harder, and slower.\n\nDefragmenting the hard drive takes all your files and programs and puts them back together so the hard drive can work faster and more efficiently.\n\nYou can run a defrag every couple of months, or specifically when you want to install or have just deleted a big program.
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It depends.  If you move a lot of files around, install and uninstall things a lot and if your hard drive is small (40 Gbs or less) you will need to defrag more often.  Large drives don't really need it too often.  The purpose is to put the "fragments" of your files and programs back into a continuous "string" thereby loading a bit quicker.  It is not a magic bullet to gain any perceived speed.  The PC just runs more efficiently.  Windows XP will give you a recommendation when you run the defrag program.  I guess it never hurts, but remember, hard drives have a lifespan, and no need to make the drive work harder than it has to.
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Defragging,\nOne should do a  disk cleanup everyday and defrag two or three times a week if the computer is used moderately. Try this. \nYou may need to do a Disk Cleanup..and be sure you have all the boxes checked.... \nDefrafg your C drive or what ever is your \nmain harddrive... Make sure you have selected the C Drive.... This is called a Disk Defragmenter... \nGo to : Start... \nprograms.. \naccessories... \nsystem tools..\nDo this often... \nRemove all that is Not necessary from the start up.  Go to... \nStart \nRun\nType in .. msconfig\nin the general tab.. choose selective start\nthen choose the start up tab\nand remove all that you dont need.  \nE
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Here you can find links to implementations of Deflate (page down to "DEFLATE" heading) and JPEG ("JPEG Hardware Compressor" heading) algorithms.\n\nHope it will help.
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Keep in mind that defraging the IS .edb file is NOT going to defrag the IS internally.  On a properly designed system, the IS is on a drive (or partition) by itself, so fragmentation should not become a significant issue.\n\nThe temp files are deleted at each backup, so I'd suggest running Diskeeper on a scheduled basis after each backup to keep the .edb and .stm files as tidy as possible.  Do this during off-peak hours.
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I agree with Redsoxer.\nIn layman terms, it is the same as when we clean n organise our wardrobes so that the next time we want a dressing set, we don't have to waste time searching the entire wardrobe for the different pieces of clothing. The entire set will be easily found at one place.\nIn normal functioning, the computer pulls up a file from the hard drive to the RAM when you open it and then dumps it back on the drive in fragments as and where free space is available at that point of time, when u close the file. So the next time you open it, the process will be slower since the drive has to be searched thoroughly to open all the parts (fragments) of the file. Defragmenting will put all the logical fragments together so that the access time is faster the next time and also there is more effective free space.\n* An important note\nDefragmenting is good to speed up the computer but should be done not more than once in 2 weeks, cos too frequent defragmenting could also scratch n crash the hard drive.
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Do it in safe mode.\nRestart and press F8..you will get a screen asking and select "Safe Mode"\n\nNow do the defrag.
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Are you running other programs while you defrag?  If you haven't done it for a long long time, it can take up to a day or so...but you're right. That does sound awfully slow.\n\nI'd try freeing up as much space on your hard drive as you can, deleting temporary files and the like, then restarting and running the degrag program by itself.\n\nOh, and also, sometimes anti-virus programs running in the background can screw with it. Good luck.
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The first answer was good advice, but you could also try to defagment your hard drive.\n\nto My computer right click on your hard drive go to properties, click on disck cleanup and defragment.\n\nGOOD LUCK!