Home/ Questions/Q 14788
Next
Answered
computing
  • 4
Asked: 2021-12-15T14:21:26+00:00 In:

Solved HDD Fragmentation Acceptable Level?

  • 4

Iam curious whats a acceptable level of fraggmatation on a 250G.B. 7200rpm H.D. ? Usally after I defragment my H.D. it will hover around 16-17% fraggmentation , I remember my previous PC had a 30G.B. Hard Drive and after defraggmenting it would be as low as 3% ! Now on my much larger drive when I start the process it would have as much as a 24% fragmented status. I use a freeware app called Defraggler or Windows built in defraggmenting utility. Anyone who’s familar with both of these is the Defraggler really much better the the Windows defragger ? Thanks in advance for any and all input on this subject !
Take Care ,Nick

Share

    1 Answer

    1. Best Answer
      Fragmentation is an unfortunate side of effect of how file systems work & data is stored. Ideally, all the data for a specific file/program should be stored contiguously so that the drive head doesn’t have to move all over the disk to read it. But very often, when programs are updated, the new data can’t be stored along with the original, so it is placed somewhere else on the drive. Also, if you constantly move or delete files/programs, it leaves blank spots all over the drive. So when new files/programs are added, they are broken up & stored in these blanks spots. In other words, fragmentation is partially caused by the technology, but it’s also caused by the user.

      All you need to do is run “analyze” using the Windows defrag tool…if it says “you do not need to defrag this volume”, you *should* be OK. But if you’re not happy with Windows giving you that message when the frag percentage is 16-17%, go ahead & defrag.

      BTW, if you use Defraggler, make sure to get the “slim” version which doesn’t have the spyware.

      • 0