Just to clarify the Windows Defrag, and some logic on the process, from a
tech who's worked with two major computer companies.
Defragmenting hauls the pieces of a file, that were stored in fragments,
across the hard drive, back together.
Unless you're writing the "great Amercan novel", stored all in one file,
you're not actually going to do much with it.
Defragging was more important when hard drives were expensive and small. (<5
GB)
When the drive got more than 70% full, it was a good idea to run it.
Drives are so cheap and almighty huge now, it almost isn't necessary.
The other thing the defrag process does, and much more important now, is to
re-align the physical location of the programs that are used most often, to
a better location, so that the drive head doesn't have to move so much to
get it, and it's faster. I usually recommend running the defrag once after
about 6 months of computer use, when you've set a pattern of which programs
you use most often, then again after about a year, and then maybe once a
year, tops.
The process is long and wearing on the drive. I like to compare it to
driving a car on the highway. It's good to take your car out on the
highway, and let the engine run for a while at higher speeds than the
regular daily commute in the city. I compare the defrag process to taking
your car from Washington down to Peru.
I know a good percentage of people who disagree with me. A good number of
them have replaced crashed hard drives.
I know an equal number that agree. None have had a hard drive crash, that
I've heard about.
Every drive I've had is still either in use, or usable, after 10 years.
(gotta clean that up...)
The important maintenance is 1. do the Windows update monthly 2. do the
virus/malware scans at least weekly. (updates daily)
....and have some fun on your computer.
