Hi there,
I`ve been told that I need to defragment my hard drive, last time I tried to do something similar I managed to completely f#ck my computer. Can somebody give me an Idiots step by step guide on how to do it?

Thanks in anticipation
SCOOP

 

Depends on the operating system, but here goes:

Double Click on 'My computer'
Right Click on the drive you want to defrag and select 'Properties'.
Go to 'Tools'

And there should be an option to defrag you PC.

 

You could also download diskeeper, I think it gives you a months trial free. Run this and your disk drive should be defragged. I find it a lot better than the built in defragger with windows.

 

bootup in dos, and type scandisk C:

or do it in a command prompt!

 

Windows95 Scandisk only checks the disk it doesn't defrag

 

Spray it with liquid nitrogen, then hit it with a hammer.

Disclaimer: Any damaged caused by this post is not my responsibility.

 

What does defragmenting do? Forgive the kindy question but I must learn somewhere.

Cheers,

WREXY

 

OK "defrag" is an IBM expression for squashing (or consolidating) a disk drive.

Picture a disk. It gets filled from scratch in a sequential process. It is written to in "blocks" or chunks like a chocolate bar. BUT when you start deleting stuff, chunks get reused. A "checkerboard" effect starts to take place. The longer you leave it the worse it gets.

Chunks of the same file are not physically contiguous and empty chunks are all over the shop.

Defrag consolidates the empty chunks tot he "end" of the physicak disk, and if it can will consolidate contiguous chunks of files.

It is however not very sophisticated so each time you run it, run it again a few times and the net effect gets better. It is also very slow, even on a mainframe, all relative of course.

In windows 98 you'll find it under accessories, system tools.

They recommend you back up before you start, but that's hokum. Make sure you are not online, switch off your screen saver and Anti Virus software before you do it.

And switch them all back on when it's finished. Do not interfere with it and don't do anything else on your PC until it's finished.

 

Cheers Barry,

That's a top explanation. Easy to understand .

Kind regards,
WREXY

[This message has been edited by WREXY (edited 08 August 2001).]

 

Thanks for the advice guys, I `ve done it now, took about 2hours, got mesmerised watching it,sad eh!

lol @ DazV, cheers m8 I`ve felt like doin that a few times

Thanks again

SCOOP