Maximize Your Use of Windows 7 With Defrag

Microsoft has published many articles on the adverse affect of file fragmentation on Windows operating system performance. The symptoms of fragmentation are slow boot times, slow application launch times, application errors and potential system hangs and crashes. The Windows operating system has historically included a basic defrag utility to help address these issues. And the utility included in Windows 7 is an improvement on previous Windows versions.

However, the Windows defragmentation tool does not offer a complete solution. It offers an improved, but basic, utility that is limited in it's functionality, flexibility and strategies for preventing defragmentation and optimizing disk performance.

Microsoft recognizes that there are many users who require a more robust, full-featured solution and works with companies such as Raxco Software through the Microsoft Partner Program to ensure that you have access to the tools you need to keep your Windows 7 environment running at peak performance.

Scheduled Defrag vs. Automatic Background Optimization and Fragmentation Prevention

The Windows 7 defrag utility allows users to set up a scheduled time for defragmentation to occur. This is fine for correcting issues after they have already become problems.

PerfectDisk takes a different approach - automatic background optimization and fragmentation prevention. With OptiWrite, PerfectDisk is able to detect when Windows is going to fragment files and intelligently redirects I/O so that most fragmentation does not occur in the first place. In addition, SMARTPlacement optimizes the placement of files on your disk based on your unique usage patterns to minimize refragmentation. For the limited amount of fragmentation that does occur, StealthPatrol is able to perform the defragmentation when your system is not busy.

Advanced Boot Time Defragmentation

Microsoft recommends performing a boot time defrag for faster start-up times, but the Windows 7 defrag utility does not support this functionality.

PerfectDisk provides advanced boot time defrag capability that is able to defragment files that otherwise would remain fragmented such as the Windows pagefile.sys or the file system's MFT (Master File Table).

Centralized Management and Control

One of the key shortcomings of the Windows 7 defragmentation is its lack of enterprise management and control. This forces IT staff to manually configure the Windows 7 defragmenter on a machine-by-machine basis. Since no centralized reporting is provided, IT staff will always be completely unaware of either the quality of the job being done, or whether defrag tasks are even executing as planned.

Enterprise management of PerfectDisk is provided by the free PerfectDisk Enterprise Console. The Console can be used to easily install, deploy, configure, manage and report on PerfectDisk across computers, servers and virtual environments.

"After just the first use, PerfectDisk made a very noticeable difference in how Windows 7 and my personal system, which is a very high performance one, responds. And I can assure you that after 30 years in this business, I do not throw around accolades or recommendations lightly."

Cam McLure
President
CAM CO Enterprises, Inc.