A zippy machine is a happy machine and a happy machine means a happy end user. We all love when our machines work quickly, but the trick to making that happen is making sure that your machine is running efficiently. Now, when your computer saves things into your hard drive, it does so in blocks. These blocks are ordered sequentially within the hard drive, but sometimes the blocks get confused and get a little misplaced. This is called “fragmentation” and it causes your machine to take longer to recall the blocks. Now, when you “defrag” your machine, you are defragmenting those blocks so that they can be recalled faster. This won’t slow you down quite as much as it used to, but keeping track of your machine’s efficiency can make a big difference in performance. 

Methods of Defragging

If you are using a solid state drive, then you will never need to defrag it. It operates in such a way that will not require this process, though they require their own maintenance. Now, if you don’t have a solid state drive then you will need to have your machine defragged periodically. If you are using Windows 7 or any newer version then your PC will do it on its own. If you’re still using Windows XP, then you will need to make sure that your machine is getting defragged. You can set your computer to do this on its own with Windows Task Scheduler. You can do this yourself if you like being in control by opening the start menu, clicking “Run,” and then typing “Dfrg.msc” into the prompt. This will allow you to defrag your machine drive by drive. Macs can also benefit from a good defragging, so make sure to keep your machine running efficiently. Most operating systems for Mac defrag themselves for smaller files, but keep an eye on how your machine is running.

Third-Party Defragging

If you’re interested in keeping a close eye on the defragging process then you can employ a third-party defragging software to get your PC back on track. These are particularly helpful if you’re trying to shrink a drive or figure out which files are getting fragmented. Don’t worry, these helpful programs are completely free.

At Working Nets, we know that handling the cybersecurity for a business while actually keeping that business running can seem impossible, especially in the daunting face of cyber-attacks against much larger businesses. Outsourcing your IT can give you peace of mind and allow you to take care of the things that are important for your company. Working Nets is a Maryland based IT Service and Security company that services small businesses nationwide. We’re always on top of emerging cybersecurity trends and threats so you don’t have to be. So talk to us about keeping your updates current.

To talk to someone about managed IT for your business, give us a call at (443) 992-7394. We’d be happy to assist you with your professional business networking needs.

You can also visit WorkingNets.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+