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Defragmentation of a hard drive is a way to speed up a computer if it's running slow. It's usually not necessary to defrag the hard drive of a new Mac, but if you have an older Mac computer, it could improve the computer's performance. This page is a guide on how to defrag a Mac hard drive.
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Defragmentation of a hard drive is a way to speed up a computer if it's running slow. It's usually not necessary to defrag the hard drive of a new Mac, but if you have an older Mac computer, it could improve the computer's performance. This page is a guide on how to defrag a Mac hard drive.
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Introduction
- Fragmentation of a hard drive means that files are saved in several locations, thereby being fragmented. The process of putting files back together into one place is called defragmentation. If you have an older Mac computer which is running unusually slow or its performance is otherwise decreasing, defragging its hard drive could help. Although Apple does not generally recommend defragging the hard drive on computers with a Mac OS X operating system, it might be beneficial in some circumstances, such as if there is not much space left on the disks of the computer.
Step 1: Do You Need to Defrag?
- Before defragging your computer's hard drive, evaluate if it's necessary.
- Apple computers which run on a Mac OS X operating system generally do not need defragmentation. There are several reasons for this. There is much more hard disk space available on newer computers and newer computers have better caching and faster hard drives. In additions, some versions of Mac OS X include other features that means defragging is not necessary.
- Occasionally, defragmentation might be necessary, for example, if there isn't much space left on the computer's disks. Consult the manual of your computer and operating system before defragging a Mac which runs on Mac OS X.
- Consider the risks and benefits before defragging. Defragging a Mac with Mac OS X could sometimes decrease the computer's performance. There is also a risk of lost data during defragging.
- If you have a Mac which does not run on a Mac OS X, you might want to defragg the hard drive if the computer is running unusually slow or otherwise has decreased in performance.
Step 3: Preparing for Defragmentation
- Defragmentation is not a minor process; it can take hours and can result in the loss of all hard drive data. Make sure you are prepared for the defragmentation.
- Choose a time when you will not use the computer for a few hours, as the process will take time.
- Make sure to make a backup copy of your hard drive, especially your files, as defragmentation could result in damage or loss of some or all data on your hard drive.
- Buy a defragmentation software. Although there are free versions, it's best to purchase a software since free software tend to be of lower quality.
Step 4: Defragmentation
- Start the defragmentation at an appropriate time.
- Run the defragmentation software.
- After the process is done, start the computer and make note of if the computer runs any faster; if only by a few seconds. If so, the degragmentation has worked.
Conclusion
- If you plan to defrag a hard drive, be aware that Apple generally does not recommend defragmentation for computers with a Mac OS X operating system. On an older computer, defragmentation can be beneficial; just make sure to backup the hard drive in case you lose data in the process. Be aware that defragmentation can take hours and be prepared to wait. If the defragmentation did not result in increased computer speed; consider other options, such as increasing the memory of the computer.
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