What is File Fragmentation?
Fragmentation is a process that occurs on traditional hard drives, those in which reading and writing information to the drive involve mechanical movements among their components: primarily the moving heads and spinning disks.
Fragmentation occurs because over time, the operating system loses the ability to store bits of information from a specific file sequentially. Instead, it stores them separately and in different sectors, causing fragmentation of the hard disk drive as a whole. This is exacerbated by processes such as deleting and adding new data.
Fragmentation affects access speed to information because the physical components of the hard drive have to work extra to piece together the files requested by programs.
Fortunately, Windows 11 comes with a default-enabled storage optimization system. In the case of mechanical hard drives, an integrated defragmentation tool runs automatically. Its purpose is to gather file fragments and arrange them in contiguous locations.
However, it’s also possible to manually run this tool, which can be useful if you suspect excessive fragmentation. Excessive fragmentation often leads to system slowness, sudden shutdowns, or Windows crashes, among other issues.
How to Run the Windows 11 Defragmentation Tool
To run the storage defragmentation tool in Windows 11, follow these steps:
Click on Start, and in the “Type here to search” box, type “Defragment and optimize drives.” When the application appears, click on Open.
In the Optimize Drives window, select the hard drive and check its fragmentation status by running the Analyze option. If the fragmentation level is very high, click on Optimize.
This process may take a few minutes depending on the fragmentation status of the drive. In the meantime, you can continue using your computer as usual.
Why Not to Defragment Solid State Drives (SSD)?
File fragmentation doesn’t occur on solid state drives (SSD) because these types of storage units use Flash technology, which relies on electronic components for data storage.
With this type of storage, there’s consistent access time to information even if it’s stored in separate locations. Performing defragmentation on an SSD is not only a waste of time but can also contribute to a reduction in its lifespan.