DEFRAGMENTATION:  

Why does my machine seem to be running slower than before?

Your computer needs a tune up every once in a while to run at its optimum much like tuning up an automobile.  However, a computer tune up is much less expensive and time consuming than one for you car.  One of the most important things you can do to keep you computer running at its optimum is to DEFRAG on a regular basis. 

The constant deleting and adding of files, emails etc can quickly put your computer hard disk in a fragmented state!

Defrag
Defrag or Defragmentation is the process of rewriting parts of a file to contiguous sectors on a hard disk to increase the speed of access and retrieval.  Just as an oil change is probably the single most import, simplest and inexpensive maintenance for you vehicle providing the greatest return......so is DEFRAG for your computer.  When files are updated, the computer tends to save these updates on the largest continuous space on the hard disk, which is often on a different sector than the other parts of the file.  When files are thus "fragmented", the computer must search the hard disk each time the file is accessed to find all of the file's parts, which greatly slows down response time.  All versions Windows include Defragmentation utilities as part of the operating system. However, there are also numerous after market options that are just as good or better.  Once such is application is Auslogics Boostspeed.  Defragmentation or defragging on a regular basis can greatly improve the performance of the computer.

The instructions below are for all versions of Windows are pretty much the same.

1.  Click Start
2.  Click Programs
3.  Click Accessories
4.  Click System Tools
5.  Click Disk Defragmenter
6.  Highlight the drive you want to DEFRAG.  Note: DEFRAG will default to the C:\ drive automatically.
7.  Click the DEFRAGMENT button.
8.  Depending how frequently you run DEFRAG will determine how long it takes to finish.  The rule of thumb is "the more the merrier".  So you should run DEFRAG probably at least once a week.  Lunch time is a good time to run it or anytime that you are not using your computer for an extended period of time.

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