Responses (2)
Fragmentation: the process or state of breaking or being broken into small separate parts.
Defragmentation: Usually a term that's used in the computer world, it is the process that physically organizes the contents of a mass storage device AKA the Hard Disk Drive or is more commonly called the Hard Drive (HDD) in order to store the files in the smallest contiguous fashion or fragments. This can help improve the computers performance and maximize disk space.
Hi Gbaeren.
* Fragmentation:-
-> Definition:
- "Fragmentation occurs on a hard drive, a memory module, or other media when data is not written close enough physically on the drive."
- The way the operating system writes files to the disk cause fragmentation. The files are stored in blocks on the disk, each a specific size. Windows doesn't care where on a disk it writes the data, just finds a free block and dumps it there. Over time the disk becomes Fragmented, meaning bits of files are all over the place.
* Defragmentation:-
-> Definition:
- “Defragmentation is the process of grouping together files that are stored in fragments across a storage device like a hard drive.”
- When you defragment your drive it sticks the bits relating to an individual file next to the other bits of that file, thus freeing up space (sometimes) and leading to faster access times as it doesn't have to jump all over the disk to pull up your file.
I hope it helps. :)