Genealogy Chat

Hi Everyone
Can anyone tell me in!! VERY !!plain English how to defrag my computer.
I have no idea how to do it.
Mnay Thanks Susan

For XP or Vista
Open My Computer.
Right-click the local disk (drive) that you want to defragment, and then click Properties.
On the Tools tab, click Defragment Now.
Click Defragment.

You are better of not working on the computer whilst it is doing the defrag. Depending of the size of the drive, be prepared for a wait of up to a couple of hours while it sorts it out if you have not done it for a long time.

Hi Keith
Thankyou very much for your help.
I shall wait until it is nice and quiet and give it a try.
!! wish me luck,I have never done it !!
Regards Susan

Hi Again

Is it also advisable to do CC clean first.
Susan

I would do both, using CCleaner first as that will clear some bits out before Defrag.

Are you aware of what Defrag actually does?
It is not a spyware/virus cleaner, it takes the files and moves them on your disk into a continual "track" of data so it finds the file you are after quicker than if it had to search the whole disk.

Hi Keith

Yes I have watched it be done on my friends computer but I have not done it to mine Ever and my computer is 3yrs old so I think it may take a while to go through is this correct.
Again many Thanks for your help.
I don't know what I would do without the help I have received from Genes members,they have helped me learn all about the computer(except defraging of course).
Will have a go in 30 minutes waiting for visitors to !! Please Leave !!
Regards Susan

Glad to help, got to get ready for work myself now, our week-end is over here.

Susan

If you haven't done it before .... it may well take a long time!!!


basically what happens is that whenever you open a file on your computer and add something to it, then save .................. it is saved anywhere there is space.


Think of it like taking a piece of paper out of a brown file in a file drawer and then replacing it in any old place where there is room.


When you Defrag, it searches for all these odd little bits and puts them all back together again





sylvia

Hi
Just tried it on my computer and got as far as Properties but could not then find a tools tab! I have Vista.

Any tips please?

Hi Everyone
Yes I had the same problem as fowlpest .
I could not find a tool tab to press,I have XP.
Can anyone helps us here.
Sue

Hi,
Just had a look on my laptop which is Vista.
Try, Start , All programs, Accessories, System tools, Disc drefragmenter.

Hope it works ok on yours.

Best wishes,
Mayfield

For XP

Control Panel
Performance and Maintenance

then select the option called "Re-arrange items on your hard disk to make programs run faster.

Do be aware that a defrag will only speed up the time it takes to access files on your hard disk. So, if you regularly hear you disk whirring around all the time it might be worth doing. However, modern computers with multi gigabyte size drives are less likely to see any benefit than older ones with very small drives, unless you are in the habit of downloading and deleting large files on a regular basis.

De-fragging will not help slow internet access or problems arising from insufficient processing or memory capacity.

First run the program in Analyse mode - this will tell you if a de-frag is worth doing. If you are short on disk space, then you will be unable to defrag, so it is always worth doing a clean up first.

Sorry I should have added that it should also work for XP

Regards
Mayfield

Hi
Thankyou Mayfield ,I have just Defraged my computer with your instructions .
I also worked it out how to do it with Keiths instructions.
I feel quite proud of myself.
I did CC clean first and it has compacted my disc a lot.
Many Thanks to everyone.
Suex

What is CC clean please?

Hi Fowlpest

CC clean is a program on my computer to clean out cookies and unwanted files ,I think.
My son in law put it on for me,I can do that but have never until now Defraged my computer.
Who said the older generation can't keep up with the kids.

Maybe our many smart folks on here can explain it better to you.
Suex

Fowlpest google CCleaner not CC Clean, slang name for it is C*** cleaner. A very useful little tool, but be careful with its use, very easy to delete things you may not want to.

CCleaner has a useful option which allows you to 'white label' cookies for the sites you use regularly. If you don't do this then you will find that your preferences have all gone when you next go back to that site after running a clean-up.

This was a problem someone had last week with Ancestry after upgrading their computer. The thought Ancestry had been changed - it hadn't. It was just that they no longer had their old cookies on their new PC.

To use this option on CCleaner

Click on Options, then Cookies.

You then have two lists, cookies to discard, cookies to keep. Make sure the ones for your favourite sites are in the keep list. You only need to do this s couple of times before running the cleaner of if you have started using new sites.

Get into the habit of running a clean every day. The main advantage is that is clears out your temp Internet files which in turn avoids many of the problems that members complain about i.e. not being to access web pages correctly, this is especially true of the GR tree, which won't load if your temp folder is clogged up.

The program also has other options such as allowing to manage startup, system restore and tools for removing unwanted programs.

Get it for free from the File Hippo site

http://www.filehippo.com

A site full of safe programs for a variety of work.
Below is CCleaner from above site.
Safe to use and I've never had a problem even as far back as Windows '98.
Now using Vista Premium.

http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner

Hi Everyone
Defraging all compleated also CC Cleaner done first.

''She says with a smile on her face''

I am getting more confident with my computer everyday,I have only had for Five years mind you,but I used to get others to do things for me, big mistake as I never learnt anything myself.

I am in the generation that never had Computers when I was young,it is hard learning it all at my age.
Thankyou all for your patience.
Regards Susan