Every day we come across situations that may be perceived as a problem yet if we take direct action we find the preferred outcome was simple to achieve. More often than not it’s the fear of the unknown that holds us back from taking the direct action to solve these apparent problems and it is this fear that typically results in an unfavorable situation becoming worse.
Whether it’s ignoring a call from a creditor or trying to duck the boss because an assignment hasn’t been completed on time avoidance does little more than make the situation worse. If we were to just pick up the phone or meet with our manager to discus the task we would have a better chance at tackling the issue yet many of us bury our head in the sand and just hope the problem goes away.
While it would be nice if this plan worked the reality is it typically leaves us feeling nervous and irritable each time the phone rings or the door opens at the office. Sometimes the result of avoiding a problem could be much worse than just an uneasy feeling. When it comes to our computer that approach could result in a catastrophic crash, leaving us with nothing but a piece of hardware.
The most obvious problem we encounter with our computer is a loss of speed. For whatever reason, we see this problem as something that can’t be prevented. Rather than look for a solution to restoring the speed many people resign themselves to sitting in front of their computer hoping against reason that the speed will magically return.
Part of the problem may be that people are intimidated by their computer. That fear grips them when something goes wrong because they don’t feel like they can solve the issue, it’s all too complicated.
Sadly this attitude leads to unnecessary computer crashes because just about everything that can go wrong can also be prevented. When it comes to preventing these crippling crashes computer owners can usually install software that will ensure their system remains operable and in good health, Of course this actually requires the proactive step of installing the software.
Perhaps the most important piece of software that a computer owner can install on their hard drive is defragmentation software. This software will protect the system from the computer disease known as fragmentation. Whenever you’re dealing with a slow or unreliable computer chances are the problem is tied to this disease.
Fragmentation originates on the hard drive and just like any other disease continues to get worse the longer it goes untreated.
This disease is tied directly to the method by which the hard drive saves and stores files. Every file is saved and stored in a contiguous manner, meaning every time something is saved be it a temporary file automatically created by the hard drive or something specifically saved by the user, they are placed directly behind the last file saved. This method was designed in order to save space on the hard drive but what it has done is create a serious problem when those saved files are recalled and changed.
As existing files are modified and saved they will no longer fit in their original space. The hard drive is then forced to cut the excess information from the file and save the additions in the next available space; this is now a fragmented file. Because there is no limit to how many pieces a single file can be fragmented into the hard drive can quickly become littered with these files, dramatically slowing the operability of the system.
This slowdown occurs because each time one of these files is recalled the hard drive is forced to search for all the pieces that comprise the file. Not only will this process slow the hard drive down it will also challenge the reliability of the hard drive and result in the loss of files.
There are plenty of signs to look for when diagnosing fragmentation and they re all related to computer speed. Chances are if you’re experiencing delays in booting up your computer, sluggish Internet browsing, difficulty accessing and sending emails or holdups when opening files and applications then you likely have a hard drive that needs help.
That help comes in the form of defragmentation software. By installing defrag you can quickly eradicate the dangerous files that have slowed your computer to a crawl. This is because defrag scans the hard drive for fragmented files, joins the pieces that belong together and then saves that file in one place. Once this has occurred the computer is restored to its peak speed because it no longer has to search for pieces strewn across the hard drive.
Not only will defragmentation software restore the speed of the computer but its reliability will improve as well. Because the hard drive can go directly to one space to retrieve a file reduces the chances of pieces getting lost or becoming inaccessible.
One of the great benefits of defragmentation software is once it has been installed it will continue to monitor the hard drive, preventing a return of the dangerous files. This extends the life of the computer, relieving the user of the burden of having to replace their hard drive before its necessary.
Of course the computer owner who wants to avoid the inevitable onslaught of fragmentation can install defragmentation software before the frustrating slowdown occurs. This proactive step will not only keep your computer healthy but will ensure you get your work done in an efficient manner, affording you more time for other things, like dealing with the phone cal or your boss.
