Reformat vs. Defragment

[Jamxx]

Quick question: when you reformat a hard drive, does it defragment it as well? Or should you reformat and then defragment as well.

 

[mighty_chick]

i could only assume it would pack all the data close together, so u probably wouldnt have to defrag

 

[Gamingfreak]

just do it anyway couldnt hurt

 

[mr.monger]

defragmenting means it rearranges the data so its not just everywhere. reformat totally erases, so no need to defragment as you wouldnt have anything to defrag.

 

[Jamxx]

That's what I thought. Thanks!

 

[Legion Kreinak]

What exactly does a defrag do, anyway?

 

[GreySteelFox]

puts files in areas that makes it faster for the computer to find them.

 

[TRDCorolla1]

Generally, it organizes the clusters so that everything is properly grouped. When you delete files, uninstall this and that, remove and add this, you end up with a bunch of messed up clusters where it's not continuous anymore. Search will take longer because the hard drive has to find the data. Defrag puts everything together in a conitnuous fashion. Think of road repairs. Lots of potholes, dips, cracks, bumps slows the car down. Repave the street and cars go faster. Ok, maybe not the perfect example but you get the concept.

 

[srp555]

Plz ignore, comment posted by mistake.