POLL: How often do you defrag your HDD?

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
22,024
868
126
I stopped defragging when I passed the 120gig mark. It just takes too damn long. Go into my computer (assuming, of course, you are using an MS OS), right click on the drive of your choice, choose tools, then chooses defrag.
 

Stephen24

Senior member
Jul 21, 2000
430
0
0
Depends on what I've been doing with it. I generally defrag it after I am installing or uninstalling lots of stuff.
 

Dee67

Golden Member
Dec 14, 2000
1,034
2
81
Whenever I move, add or delete a lot of files.

Other than that, probably around once a month.
 

Mem

Lifer
Apr 23, 2000
21,476
13
81
I don`t install loads of programs so probably once a month or when the defragment is above 8%.

:)
 

divinemartyr

Platinum Member
Oct 18, 2000
2,439
1
71
I defrag once every 2-4 weeks depending on if I notice any slowdowns. With my computer being so quick anymore, it's hard to tell though. Sometimes I run a disk benchmark in SiSoft Sandra and if it's dropped below what it's normally at, I defrag the drive. Also, mostly like everyone else, I do it after I've been doing lots of installing/uninstalling. Never hurts to do it =)

divinemartyr
 

johnlog

Senior member
Jul 25, 2000
632
0
0
I use Norton System Works 2000 to defrag my hard drive/partitions about every two weeks. If you use your computer daily it then becomes fragmented rather badly and you can notice a slow down.

Plus like another said is to defrag after every new program installation or after uninstalling a program. I also run Norton's WinDoctor. That is especially helpful after uninstalling a program and it leaves a few leftover items in your Registry that is no longer needed. WinDoctor does a nice job of keeping your Registry in good shape.

Do not use an older Norton Utilities with Win98 or WinME. It could cause havoc. Never use any DOS utilities like Norton on any Windows computer. They do not know about long filenames and will try to rename a long filename into a 8.3 name. Disastrous results.

JohnL :cool:
 

Zorba

Lifer
Oct 22, 1999
15,613
11,253
136
I was doing it 3 times a week. I just changed it to 1 time a week, though. (I have it run while I am not on my comptuer).
 

toph99

Diamond Member
Aug 25, 2000
5,505
0
0
only when i notice the slow down because it takes so long to do, and wasts valuable cracking time :p
 

Sugadaddy

Banned
May 12, 2000
6,495
0
0
about every 2 weeks for my boot partition where all the programs are installed. The other partitions are mp3's and videos, so I don't really care about them.
 

mariner

Golden Member
Nov 23, 1999
1,008
0
76
The more often you do it the less time it takes, up to a point. Once a month for me.
 

billandopus

Platinum Member
Dec 29, 1999
2,082
0
0
Up to 10x a day! (more like once every couple of weeks) More often if i'm burning lots or moving around files, un/deleting and un/installing. You know, the usual stuff. I use Goldenbow's VoptME which rocks the house and it's actually kind of entertaining to a point.
 

johnlog

Senior member
Jul 25, 2000
632
0
0
I usually defrag while i am eating lunch or not working with the computer. I do exercises every morning and that is a good time to defrag or run the anti virus program.

If you keep your hard drive partitions down to two gigs defragging is relatively fast with Symantec/Norton SpeedDisk.

Symantec System Works 2000 or 2001 defrags much faster than the older versions did. Make sure you have downloaded the latest free updates.

JL

 

johnlog

Senior member
Jul 25, 2000
632
0
0
toph99,

By the time you noticed your computer started slowing down you probably should have defragged before the slow down becomes noticeable or serious.

it is a good idea to run Norton's diskdoctor program also to prevent disk errors from becoming out of control.

It is amazing how much faster my hard drive accesses are after defragging today.

JL :cool:

 

johnlog

Senior member
Jul 25, 2000
632
0
0
Mariner,

>>>The more often you do it the less time it takes, up to a point. Once a month for me.<<<

For those who complain defragging takes to long are those who do not defrag often enough. By the time they get around to defragging - their hard drives are a miserable mess.

With the drive heads constantly shifting over the hard drive finding the segments of a program or a file your hard drive has worked to hard and is heading for a certain breakdown and crash before its time. :Q

JL

 

shawnmos

Banned
Dec 11, 2000
2,136
0
0
Once every 6 months. I can't remember the last time I did it. Maybe I should defrag it before I goto bed.
 

dawks

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,071
2
81
I usually do it once a month. But a word of warning, if you have not done it in two months or more, dont bother, it will actually slow your system down.
 

Sparky Anderson

Senior member
Mar 1, 2000
307
0
0
Bout once a month seems right, I normally turn it on and then go shower or something and it'll be done when i get back.