Defragmenting The Hard Drive - Gateway Desktops User Manual

www.gateway.com

Defragmenting the hard drive

Help and Support
For more information about Windows
Update, click Start, then click Help and
Support. Type the keyword
defragmenting in the Search box, then
click the arrow.
When working with files, sometimes Windows divides the file information into
pieces and stores them in different places on the hard drive. This is called
fragmentation, and it is normal. In order for your computer to use a file, Windows
must search for the pieces of the file and put them back together. This process
slows the hard drive performance.
The Disk Defragmenter program organizes the data on the drive so each file is
stored as one unit rather than as multiple pieces scattered across different areas
of the drive. Defragmenting the information stored on the drive can improve
hard drive performance.
While the Disk Defragmenter program is running, do not use your keyboard or
mouse because using them may continuously stop and restart the
defragmenting process. Also, if you are connected to a network, log off before
starting Disk Defragmenter. Network communication may stop the
defragmentation process and cause it to start over.
To defragment the hard drive:
Click Start, then click My Computer. The My Computer window opens.
1
Right-click the hard drive that you want to defragment, for example Local
2
Disk (C:), then click Properties. The Properties dialog box opens.
Click the Tools tab.
3
Click Defragment Now.
4
If Disk Defragmenter does not start automatically, click Defragment.
5
Disk Defragmenter shows its progress on the computer display. When
finished, Disk Defragmenter asks if you want to quit the program.
Click Close, then click the X in the top-right corner to close the Disk
6
Defragmenter window.
Managing hard drive space
129