Guide | How To How to Defrag a Windows 10 Computer

[Terry Ganzi]

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2723517/defrag-windows-computer.html

How to Defrag a Windows 10 Computer

Defragmenting (or “defragging”) a Windows 10 computer arranges fragmented files on the hard drive in a manner that optimizes the amount of disk space and increasing system performance.

When you defragment the hard drive, all fragments of files are moved to contiguous clusters. This makes it easy for Windows to read the files and the computer starts working faster.

On your computer with Windows 10, defragmenting only the system drive (C: ) is sufficient. However, if you experience long load times while accessing the files stored in other partitions of the hard disk, you can defragment them as well.

The process of defragmenting the partitions of a hard disk drive is identical for every partition (volume). Here is how to defrag your computer.

1. Sign in to your Windows 10 computer with an administrator account. It is important to use an administrator account because standard account holders cannot defrag the hard disk drive.
2. Click the Start button.
3. From the left pane of the Start menu, click File Explorer.
   
   
4. On the opened window, from the navigation pane in the left, expand the This PCtree.
5. From the expanded list, right-click Local Disk (C: ) or any other partition on which Windows 10 is installed.
6. From the context menu, click Properties.
   
   
7. On the opened Local Disk (C: ) Properties box, go to the Tools tab.
8. From the displayed interface, under the Optimize and defragment drive section, click the Optimize button.
   
   
9. On the Optimize Drives box, from the displayed list, ensure that the system drive (C: in this example) is selected.
   
   
10. Click the Analyze button from below the list.
11. Wait until Windows completes the analysis and displays the percentage of the fragmented files in the selected drive.
    Note: If there are no fragmented files in the drive, Windows displays a message box stating that the disk does not need to be defragmented.
    
    
12. After Windows completes the analysis, click the Optimize button to start the defragmentation process on the selected volume.
    
    
13. Wait until Windows defragments the drive successfully, restart the PC, and start using Windows 10 normally.

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  Note: It is strongly suggested that you don’t use the computer during the defragmentation process. For optimum results, it is better to leave the system alone until Windows finishes defragmenting the drive.

 

[Malware Man]

Starting with Windows 8, I believe Windows will do this automatically during it's maintenance period. I haven't touched the defrag program since Windows 7 since Windows just does it by itself when it needs to.

I believe it has been the same steps to defrag Windows 10 as it was for all the back to XP. Just starting with 8, Windows now does it by itself so the user doesn't have to worry about it.

 

[illumination]

Windows built in defrag does a good job now days, but most do not realize that by default it only defrags files up to 64MB in size, anything larger does not get defragged. There is a way to make windows defrag all file sizes though.

Right click Command Prompt and run as Administrator and type this command:

defrag c: -w



This parameter will defrag all file sizes.

Here is a list of commands should anyone like to learn to use the built in defrag via command prompt.

defrag c:
You can use the following parameters or switches with the Defrag command to further fine-tune your control:
-r This is the default setting and defragments file fragments that less than 64 MB.

-a Analyze the selected drive / volume & display a summary report, consisting of analysis and defragmentation reports.

-c Defragments all volumes on the computer. Don’t specify a drive letter while using this.

-w Perform FULL defragmentation of files of ALL sizes.

-f Forced defragmentation even when there is less amount of free space on the drive being defragmented. A volume must have at least 15 % free space before Disk Defragmenter can completely defragment it.

-i This makes Defrag run in the background & operate only if the computer is idle, like when run as a scheduled task.

-v Displays complete reports.

-b It optimizes boot files and applications only.

The only indication you will get is a blinking cursor. This means that the process is going. To interrupt the defragmentation process, press Ctrl + C in the command window.

 

[Viking]

It's probably a good idea to first disable File Antivirus and your antivirus Self Defense if it has that option.

At least that is what I do.

 

[Exterminator]

@Viking it's good that you are advising people. But "File Antivirus" and "Self Defense" are Kaspersky's products' options. And unlike you and me everybody does not have Kaspersky products. So when advising keep in mind other persons' setup(s).

I think most Av/Security Suites have similar settings or variations of those @Viking mentioned. ESS has "self defense" and "File Antivirus" so I don't think @Viking meant this as Kaspersky specific.

 

[illumination]

Well he has KIS 15, and I have KPURE3. The terms he used were quite specific, and different components in different AV/FW will behave differently if he meant to disable certain components for no interference in defragmenting operations.

Anti Viruses will greatly slow down a defrag from scanning files while they are being moved thus taking much longer to defrag. I'm sure this was the point he was trying to make.

 

[Rosemary]

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2723517/defrag-windows-computer.html

How to Defrag a Windows 10 Computer

When I try to defrag my (C: ) drive, and go to properties, and then tools, it shows my drive is 54% fragmented and needs optimization. But, when I click on optimize, nothing happens. Any ideas?

 

[Dave Russo]

Try Disk Max,free program,Click on Systems+ It has defrag

 

[jamescv7]

@Rosemary: Well try to conduct by clicking analyze button first if how many fragments are needed in order to refresh.

If I'm not mistaken the schedule optimization is turn on by default so changes may occur.

 

[Rosemary]

@Rosemary: Well try to conduct by clicking analyze button first if how many fragments are needed in order to refresh.

If I'm not mistaken the schedule optimization is turn on by default so changes may occur.

True. It is set to automatically optimize. However, as I said, my (C drive shows it is 54% fragmented. When I click on "analyze," it seems to do a very quick, partial scan, but the drive remains 54% fragmented.

 

[Ink]

@Rosemary What is the total capacity of the drive, and how much is being used (or space available)?

What version of Windows do you use?

Search "Troubleshooting" > Click "Run Maintenance Tasks" (opens a new window) > Advanced (expand) > Click "Run as Admin" and check "Apply repairs automatically" > Next.

Tip: If on battery, plug-in in to mains and switch to High Performance.

If problem still exists, try (http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...win/01773bcf-2353-4ace-86b4-e01cc0f3863b?db=5) - You'll need to use the Command Prompt.