WHAT DOES 'DEFRAGMENT' MEAN AND HOW DO I USE IT?

Fragmentation is the result of regular computer use. It happens when a user accesses, moves or changes a file; the ones and zeros that compose a file become spread out across the space of the hard disk, thus resulting in longer seektime and delay. Imagine taking a piece of paper, cutting it into little pieces and spreading it across the room. You would eventually find all the pieces and put them back together but it would take longer. Defragmentation puts the pieces back in order for faster access.

How you use your computer will depend on how often you will need to run the defrag tool. For someone that uses the computer daily, I usually only use this tool once a month. The windows defragmentation tool utilizes much of the system resources so it is recommended that you temporarily disable any anti-virus software and close any running programs. Let the tool work while you are at lunch or away from your computer. It may be wise to run scandisk before degragmenting your hard drive as well.

To access these tools in Windows 2000 Pro:

1. Double-click on "My Computer".

2. Select the hard drive you want to defragment, most likely C.

3. Right click on the drive letter and select "Properties".

4. Select the tab titled "Tools".

5. Select "Check Now".

6. Select both options available and click "Start". Because the computer does not have exclusive access to the hard drive request that a scan be performed during the next restart.

7. After restarting repeat steps 1-4 and select "Defragment Now".

8. Select the drive you wish to degfragment and click "Defragment".

9. Allow the computer to work uninterrupted. A message box will appear when the task is complete.

If you wish to access the Error-Checking tools in command prompt mode use the following command:

c:\>chkdsk/f

chkdsk stands for "Check Disk" and the /f switch tells the computer to fix any errors. Because the computer needs exclusive access to files (if you have formatted your hard drive in NTFS) the task will be performed upon restarting the system.