While fragmentation is a normal occurrence in hard drives, it can lead to slower data reads as well as sub-optical drive capacity and performance. When an entire file is accessed, the disk places all of the data from the file back together so that it can be viewed in whole.Īlso read: Best Disk Cloning Software What are Downsides to Fragmentation? Depending on the existing space on the disk, one file might need to be split so that all the data can fit on the drive. If the disk is constantly being written to, different operations result in data stored in different sectors of the disk. Fragmentation occurs for various reasons in an operating system, often as the system works to enable stable data writes. What is Disk Fragmentation?Īt the most basic level, fragmentation is a result of discontinuous application or file system storage, where different parts of a given application or file are not stored in a sequential set of storage blocks on a storage device. The best defragmentation tools enable you to easily handle disk fragmentation, which is a common occurrence in Windows-based operating systems that can impact both workstations and servers alike.

What is best defragmenting software