Wikiposts
Search
Computer/Internet Issues & Troubleshooting Anyone with questions about the terribly complex world of computers or the internet should try here. NOT FOR REPORTING ISSUES WITH PPRuNe FORUMS! Please use the subforum "PPRuNe Problems or Queries."

Windows 7 defrag

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 5th Aug 2012, 10:01
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: (Not always) In front of my computer
Posts: 371
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Windows 7 defrag

I have a laptop running Windows 7 Home Premium, 64 bit.
It's around 18 months old and runs pretty well for an entry level machine.
Intel I3 dual core processor running at 2.53GHz and 4 GB ram.

Defrag is set to run weekly and reports C drive as 0% defragmented.
I recently downloaded and ran Piriform Defraggler which reported 11% fragmentation.

I know that previous versions of the Microsoft product were lacking, but surely they have it sorted by now?

Should I replace the windows version of the defrag software with the third party software? Which is reporting the correct value?

Any opinions or recommendations from those in the know would be appreciated.
Two_dogs is offline  
Old 5th Aug 2012, 11:54
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Middlesbrough U.K.
Age: 86
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Many so called experts who write in computer magazines claim that defragging and register programs make so little difference to speed that they are not worth bothering with. The difference can often only be measured in miliseconds.
Lancelot37 is offline  
Old 5th Aug 2012, 12:28
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Hong Kong
Age: 56
Posts: 1,445
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
But it makes you feel better.

And if defragging & registry cleaning are a waste of time - what - if anything should we do...?
Load Toad is offline  
Old 5th Aug 2012, 14:27
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: YMML
Posts: 1,839
Received 19 Likes on 9 Posts
Are they measuring exactly the same thing? 11% isn't exactly a high level of fragmentation and unless your drive is very full should be insignificant.
le Pingouin is offline  
Old 6th Aug 2012, 21:10
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: .
Posts: 2,173
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
defragging won't make any noticeable speed difference until the drive gets to around 75% full

To be truthfull, I quite like it when people try defragging drives on older machines, because often the extra extended workout will push any older tired drives (i.e. anything over three years old) over the edge. By defragging an older drive you run a very high chance of killing it

As to the registry, best to leave alone unless you are cleaning up after a malware infection. Vista / Win7 loads the registry in such a way that the "dead" parts of the registry don't get loaded.
Again theres a downside in running these registry cleanup programs - most are incapable of analysing the Microsoft .NET runtime files and often delete things that shouldn't be. Microsoft report this as one of the commonest user-caused software errors. Leave alone unless you really know what you are doing
Milo Minderbinder is offline  
Old 6th Aug 2012, 22:48
  #6 (permalink)  
Mistrust in Management
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 973
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Mindbender,

You state:
To be truthfull, I quite like it when people try defragging drives on older machines, because often the extra extended workout will push any older tired drives (i.e. anything over three years old) over the edge. By defragging an older drive you run a very high chance of killing it
I have to ask - why do you like this? Do you also enjoy watching peoples houses fall down? Bizarre I have to say.

By the way I regularly defrag drives and have yet to have any hard drive fail in any way whatsoever. Maybe I have just been lucky over the last 25 or so years.


Regards
Exeng
exeng is offline  
Old 6th Aug 2012, 22:53
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Middlesbrough U.K.
Age: 86
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I've three computers, the oldest is nearly 8 years old and has been defraggeed weekly. No hard drive failure!
Lancelot37 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.