Should I defragment the ssd? Things you shouldn't do with a solid state drive (SSD). Disadvantages of an SSD drive

Disk defragmentation is a procedure for merging fragmented files, which is mainly used to Windows optimization. In almost any article on speeding up your computer you can find advice about defragmentation.

But not all users understand what defragmentation is, and do not know in which cases it is necessary to do it and in which it is not; what software should you use for this - is the built-in utility sufficient, or is it better to install a third-party program?

When doing disk defragmentation, many users don’t even think about or try to find out what it is all about. The answer can be found in the name itself: “defragmentation” is a process that combines files that, when written to HDD were broken into fragments. The image below clearly shows that on the left, fragments of one file are recorded in a continuous stream, without empty spaces or divisions, and on the right, the same file is scattered across the hard drive in the form of pieces.

Naturally, it is much more convenient and faster for the disk to read a continuous file than one separated by empty space and other files.

Why does HDD fragmentation occur?

Hard drives are made up of sectors, each of which can store a certain amount of information. If a large file is saved to the hard drive, which cannot fit into one sector, then it is split and saved into several sectors.

By default, the system always tries to write file fragments as close to each other as possible - in adjacent sectors. However, due to the deletion/saving of other files, resizing of already saved files and other processes, there are not always enough free sectors located next to each other. Therefore, Windows transfers the file recording to other parts of the HDD.

How fragmentation affects drive speed

When you need to open a recorded fragmented file, the hard drive head will sequentially move to the sectors where it was saved. Thus, the more times he has to move around the hard drive in an attempt to find all the pieces of the file, the slower the reading will be.

The image on the left shows how many movements the hard drive head needs to make to read files that have been split into parts. On the right are both files, indicated in blue and yellow flowers, are recorded continuously, which significantly reduces the number of movements across the disk surface.

Defragmentation is the process of rearranging pieces of one file so that the overall percentage of fragmentation decreases, and all files (if possible) are located on adjacent sectors. Thanks to this, reading will occur continuously, which will have a positive effect on the speed of the HDD. This is especially noticeable when reading large files.

Does it make sense to use third-party defragmentation programs?

Developers have created a large number of programs that deal with defragmentation. You can find both small defragmenter programs and find them as part of complex system optimizers. There are free and paid options. But are they necessary?

There is certainly a certain effectiveness of third-party utilities. Programs from different developers may offer:

Custom auto-defragmentation settings. The user can more flexibly manage the procedure schedule;
Other algorithms for carrying out the process. Third-party software has its own features that are more beneficial in the long run. For example, they require less percentage of free space on the HDD to run the defragmenter. At the same time, files are optimized, increasing their download speed. The volume's free space is also consolidated so that the level of fragmentation increases more slowly in the future;
Additional features, for example, registry defragmentation.

Of course, program functions vary depending on the developer, so the user needs to select a utility based on his needs and PC capabilities.

Is it necessary to constantly defragment the disk?

All modern Windows versions offer to automatically carry out this process on a schedule once a week. Overall, it's more useless than necessary. The fact is that fragmentation itself is an old procedure, and in the past it was really constantly needed. In the past, even mild fragmentation has had a negative impact on system performance.

Modern HDDs have a higher operating speed, and new versions of operating systems have become much smarter, so even with a certain fragmentation process, the user may not notice a decrease in operating speed. And if you use a hard drive with a large capacity (1 TB or higher), then the system can distribute heavy files in an optimal way for it so that this does not affect performance.

In addition, constantly running the defragmenter shortens the life of the disk - this is an important disadvantage that should be taken into account.

Because by default in Windows defragmentation is enabled, it must be disabled manually:

Is it necessary to defragment an SSD drive?

A very common mistake made by users using solid state drives is using any defragmenter.

Remember, if you have an SSD drive installed on your computer or laptop, do not defragment it under any circumstances - this greatly accelerates the wear of the drive. In addition, this procedure will not increase the speed of the SSD.

If you have not disabled defragmentation in Windows before, be sure to do so either for all drives or just for the SSD.

IN third party utilities A similar option is also present, but the configuration method will be different.

Features of defragmentation

There are several nuances for the quality of this procedure:

Despite the fact that defragmenters can work in background, to achieve the best results, it is best to launch them when there is no activity on the part of the user, or when there is a minimal amount of it (for example, during a break or while listening to music);
When carrying out periodic defragmentation, it is more correct to use quick methods, speeding up access to main files and documents, but a certain part of the files will not be processed. In this case, the full procedure can be done less frequently;
Before complete defragmentation, it is recommended to remove junk files and, if possible, exclude files from processing pagefile.sys And hiberfil.sys. These two files are used as temporary files and are recreated with each system startup;
If the program has the ability to defragment the file table (MFT) and system files, then you shouldn’t neglect it. As a rule, this function is not available when the operating system is running, and can be performed after a reboot before starting Windows.

How to defragment

There are two main ways to carry out defragmentation: installing a utility from another developer or using a program built into the operating system. In this case, you can optimize not only built-in disks, but also external drives connected via USB.

Our website already has instructions for defragmenting on Windows example 7. In it you will find instructions for working with popular programs and a standard Windows utility.

Do not defragment the solid state drive (SSD).
Disable scheduled defragmentation in Windows.
Do not abuse this process.
First, do an analysis and find out whether there is a need to perform defragmentation.
If possible, use high-quality programs whose efficiency is higher than the built-in Windows utility.

Quite a long time has passed since the appearance of solid state drives (Solid State Drive - SSD) on the market. Prices for this product are gradually decreasing, making it more and more affordable, and now a 120 GB drive will cost about 4 thousand rubles. In fact, if you want to upgrade your PC now, then buying an SSD will be one of the most cost-effective options. You don’t have to throw away your existing hard drive (it will only partially change its function, becoming a storage for media and other heavy files), and the computer’s performance in almost all operating modes will increase noticeably.

Users who are not particularly interested in the world of hardware may not clearly understand the fundamental difference between an SSD and a conventional magnetic one. hard drive HDD, and they often see a new product as the same HDD, only faster, smaller, lighter and more expensive. It is precisely the lack of understanding of the fundamental differences in the operation of HDD and SSD that can lead to incorrect use of SSD, which in especially severe cases will reduce all its advantages to zero. Yes, the solid-state drive needs to be used correctly, but do not be afraid - the user does not require any painstaking daily deeply technical actions. Rather, he is simply required not to do a few simple things, and today we present a list of “don’ts” for anyone who has decided to screw up their workhorse fast SSD.

For the techies who have discerned captaincy here, we ask you to take into account the fact that if you know all this, then you probably also know the fact that there are other people who may not know all this. Replace the usual “thank you cap” with your own additional advice, together we will make the Internet more useful.

Don't defragment

There is no need to defragment the SSD. If in old Windows with FAT32 you carried out defragmentation by inertia (although NTFS feels great without it), then with the purchase of an SSD you can and should forget about defragmentation (the SSD itself) altogether.

SSDs have a limited number of write cycles (as a rule, the cheaper the disk, the less resource it has), and such shoveling of its contents will definitely not benefit the lifespan. Yes, recent SSD models have a very large reserve of write cycles, and you are unlikely to reach the limit when the disk stops working correctly, even with frequent recording, but the point here is rather that defragmentation itself is meaningless for an SSD.

HDDs use mechanical parts. The head that reads the data wanders back and forth across the surface of the magnetic disk. Accordingly, the more specific data is scattered across the disk, the more movements and time it needs to completely read this data. Nothing moves in an SSD, and access to any memory cell is equally fast and does not depend in any way on the relative position of this data.

Don't format

We are accustomed to the fact that in order to completely and permanently delete data from the HDD, it is necessary to use additional means: formatting, special utilities like DBAN or the Wiper tool included in CCleaner. This is done so that a cunning attacker will not be able to recover the data you deleted from the disk using a utility like Recuva.

In the case of SSDs, everything is different. The point here is not even in the drive itself, but in the operating system. If you are using a more or less current OS (Windows 7+, Mac OS X 10.6.8+, Linux with Linux kernel 2.6.28+), then the system takes over the final deletion of data from the disk, and does it automatically using the TRIM function.

TRIM implements the ability for the OS to “inform” the solid-state drive that the file has been completely deleted and the sectors occupied by it need to be cleared. Some of the first SSD models did not support TRIM, but that was so long ago (and these SSDs were so expensive) that the likelihood of getting into such a drive model is close to zero.

Don't use Windows XP or Windows Vista

New toy - new axis! And the point here is not at all new. It's just that XP and Vista don't support TRIM. In the previous paragraph, we gave the concept of TRIM, and now we need to explain how the absence of this function affects the SSD. If there is no TRIM, then after deleting the file the data will still remain on the disk. As a result, when information is written to the same sectors again, they will first have to be cleared, and only then data will be written to them. Unnecessary untimely operations -> reduced speed.

In modern operating systems, TRIM is enabled by default. The user does not need to do anything. Just leave everything as it is and enjoy the SSD speeds.

Don't fill it to capacity

In order for an SSD to operate at full speed, it must maintain approximately 25% free space on it. It sounds a little unfair: you buy an expensive SSD, it already has little space, the system sees less space in it than what is written on the box, and then they ask you to leave a quarter of the volume in reserve? Unfortunately yes. This is a feature SSD operation, and we don’t yet have the best widely available technologies. You will have to accept the rules for the best speed.

From the point of view of internal processes, the drop in performance with a small amount of free space can be explained as follows: a lot of free space means a lot of free blocks. When writing a file, data is written to free blocks. Little free space - many partially filled blocks and few completely free blocks. When writing a file, the system will first have to read the partially filled block into the cache, add new data to it, and then write the already modified block back to disk. And so on for each block.

The 25% limit was not taken out of thin air. This figure was reached by the guys from AnandTech, who conducted research on the dependence of SSD performance on its fullness.

In fact, if you use the SSD exactly where it is strongest, then having to leave a quarter of the space free won't bother you. Now we will just talk about in what roles of SSD most effective.

Do not use as storage

Buying an SSD to store a library of music and movies on it is a bad idea. The HDD speeds are quite enough to comfortably record and watch a FullHD movie from them, and listen to Losless music. SSD is needed where access and write speed is most important.

SSD should be used as system disk. It should have an operating system, applications and, if absolutely necessary, modern games. Nothing else.

Understanding that an SSD ideally serves as a catalyst for the most demanding processes for fast computer operation (the operation of the OS is the basis of everything, fast work important applications, quickly reading data from the “body” of the game), the need to fill it to capacity disappears altogether. SSD is a dedicated fast lane for only the most important things.

If you still want to use fast SSD as storage, then just calculate the cost of rubles per gigabyte of memory for it and for the HDD.

What if you bought a new fancy ultrabook that only has an SSD, but you want to record movies? Buy an external hard drive with USB interface 3.0 or Thunderbolt (provided that such a standard is supported by the beech itself).

We hope that this information will help you start using the SSD for its intended purpose and as efficiently as possible.

Users who are not particularly interested in the world of hardware may not clearly understand the fundamental difference between an SSD and the usual magnetic hard drive HDD, and they often see the new product as the same HDD, only faster, smaller, lighter and more expensive. It is precisely the lack of understanding of the fundamental differences in the operation of HDD and SSD that can lead to incorrect use of SSD, which in especially severe cases will reduce all its advantages to zero. Yes, the solid-state drive needs to be used correctly, but do not be afraid - the user does not require any painstaking daily deeply technical actions. Rather, it's simply required not to do a few simple things, and today we're presenting a list of "don'ts" for anyone considering powering up their workhorse with a fast SSD.

For the techies who have discerned captaincy here, we ask you to take into account the fact that if you know all this, then you probably also know the fact that there are other people who may not know all this. Replace the usual “thank you cap” with your additional advice, together we will make the Internet more useful.

Don't defragment

There is no need to defragment the SSD. If in the old Windows with FAT32 you defragmented by inertia (although NTFS works fine without it), then with the purchase of an SSD you can and should forget about defragmentation (the SSD itself) altogether.

SSDs have a limited number of write cycles (as a rule, the cheaper the disk, the less resource it has), and such shoveling of its contents will definitely not benefit the lifespan. Yes, recent SSD models have a very large supply of write cycles, and you are unlikely to reach the limit when the disk stops working correctly, even with frequent recording, but the point here is rather that defragmentation itself is pointless for SSDs.

Don't format

We are accustomed to the fact that in order to completely and permanently delete data from the HDD, it is necessary to use additional tools: formatting, special utilities like DBAN or the Wiper tool included in CCleaner. This is done so that a cunning attacker will not be able to recover the data you deleted from the disk using a utility like Recuva.

Don't use Windows XP or Windows Vista

In modern operating systems, TRIM is enabled by default. The user does not need to do anything. Just leave everything as it is and enjoy the SSD speeds.

Don't fill it to capacity

In order for an SSD to operate at full speed, it must maintain approximately 25% free space on it. It sounds a little unfair: you buy an expensive SSD, it already has little space, the system sees less space in it than what is written on the box, and then they ask you to leave a quarter of the volume in reserve? Unfortunately yes. This is a feature of how SSDs work, and we don’t yet have the best widely available technologies. You will have to accept the rules for the best speed.

The 25% limit was not taken out of thin air. This figure was reached by the guys from AnandTech, who conducted research on the dependence of SSD performance on its fullness.

In fact, if you use the SSD exactly where it is strongest, then having to leave a quarter of the space free won't bother you. Now we will talk about the role in which an SSD is most effective.

Do not use as storage

The SSD should be used as a system drive. It should have an operating system, applications and, if absolutely necessary, modern games. Nothing else.

When we understand that an SSD ideally serves as a catalyst for the most demanding processes for fast computer operation (the operation of the OS is the basis of everything, fast operation of important applications, fast reading of data from the “body” of the game), the need to fill it to capacity disappears altogether. SSD is a dedicated fast lane for only the most important things.

If you still want to use a fast SSD as storage, then just calculate the cost of rubles per gigabyte of memory for it and for the HDD.

What if you bought a new fancy ultrabook that only has an SSD, but you want to record movies? Buy an external hard drive with a USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt interface (provided that this standard is supported by the beech itself).

We hope that this information will help you start using SSDs for their intended purpose and as efficiently as possible.

Many users are wondering how exactly Windows SSD defragmentation should be done, and is it necessary? After all, with the release of the new generation of solid-state drives, it was stated that they would make a person’s life much easier and save him from such routine work how to organize data on SSD. However, many users simply did not believe this statement. This is understandable, because an SSD is a regular hard drive, which, like any other device in a computer, requires careful care. Moreover, today there is not as much information about SSDs as we would like. So what is defragmentation and what happens when it does it? Is it a vital necessity or is it a completely useless measure?

What is an SSD drive?

In order to correctly answer the above question, you need to understand what Windows 7 SSD drives are. These are the same hard drives, only made according to a completely different principle. SSD Windows uses completely new technologies in its structure, which, naturally, carry quite a lot of potential.

Advantages of an SSD drive

So, in Windows 7, such devices provide best transmission data within the system itself than other solid-state drives. This factor is achieved due to the original structure of the disk and Windows systems 7, which allows you to move even large files within the drive in a few seconds. That is why these kinds of elements are actively used in Windows 7 by those users who like high speed transfers.

In addition to all of the above, elements of this plan for Windows 7 provide faster access to
files and folders from the software side. For example, the same Windows 7 works much faster and more efficiently if it is on an SSD, and not on any other hard drive. This is achieved due, again, to new technology and the excellent interaction of Windows 7 with this type of device. It should be noted that gamers who want to play games for Windows 7 also like to purchase such discs. After all, the frame rate in gaming products depends not only on the processor power and motherboard, but also on the spindle speed by hard drive Windows 7. But, as you know, a lot of games have been released for the Windows 7 system.

We should summarize and once again go through the main advantages of an SSD drive:

High speed of file transfer within the system. So, if a hard drive of this type has two partitions, then moving even large files between them is carried out almost instantly.
Fast programmatic access To necessary files and folders. Thanks to the latest technologies in this area, access to various types of information from any program has become truly impressive.

Disadvantages of an SSD drive

Like any other device, a hard drive of this type also has its drawbacks, which should definitely be mentioned. They are:

limited memory capacity;
short service life;
high price.

Indeed, this disc does not have as many disadvantages as it seems at first glance. They are still quite significant for such a disc.

Limited disk space refers to the amount of storage space available in the market today. Of course, this part of the disk is really small even for the average user. For example, a disk capacity of 128 GB, which is affordable for the majority of the population, is only useful for installing the system and several demanding games. If we take larger disk volumes, then we cannot do without a capital investment of funds, which not everyone has, especially for such a luxury.

Another disadvantage of this disk is its rather limited service life. This is influenced by one, but the most important factor, for which the resources of this disk are not prepared - this is the constant overwriting of the data stored on the disk. As you know, when working with any files, the operating system creates temporary elements that contain information about all current processes. After work with any object is completed, all its temporary files are destroyed, and after completion Windows operation all temporary files are completely erased. Over the course of a year of PC operation, there will be at least several thousand such rewrite cycles, which, of course, negatively affects the performance of some areas of the disk.

Well, another disadvantage is the relatively high cost of such a device. In order to purchase it, you need a really large amount, because this new product is not yet very widespread, especially in our country.

Defragmentation: necessary or not?

The most important question that all users ask when buying such a hard drive is. I would like to note right away that for this type of disk it is best to completely disable automatic defragmentation operating system, which will only get in the way. Of course, you should disable any other similar process, so as not to waste the purchased item.

Judging by the advertising of such disks, there is no need to defragment SSDs at all, since the disk itself already has a built-in program for distributing data over the entire disk area. However, if it were possible to disable this built-in function, it would be worth using it. It would seem, how can you disable something that the developers themselves implemented into their invention? After all, they probably better users we know what is good and what is not. But in reality, everything turns out to be completely the opposite and disabling this program, if possible, would not hurt.

The thing is that you should disable defragmentation of such a disk because it leads to gradual wear and tear of the device. In turn, the built-in program copes with this function perfectly. This is partly true, but the problem lies elsewhere. After all, as you know, there are files that the user works with constantly and they change from time to time. Accordingly, the standard SSD disk utility identifies them and frees free cells, organizing these files. But there are other objects with which the user does not perform any manipulations at all. As a rule, such data are considered to be collections of music and films that remain unchanged over time. Naturally, standard program does not defragment them, since they always occupy the same cells. But, as practice shows, defragmentation is also necessary for such files, because they also take up some space. So, if you look at it from a completely different angle, then defragmentation is even necessary for such disks. But it is still not recommended to defragment them.

So why is defragmenting this kind of disk harmful? The answer to this question lies in the same program that organizes frequently used files. After all, if you defragment the disk third party utility, it will also organize frequently used data. But the standard program also performs this same function. Therefore, it is not difficult to guess that such a double measure will very quickly render the disk unusable.

It makes sense to use defragmentation only once, after all important files have been transferred to disk and a single and main collection of files has been formed. After all third party programs for defragmentation, they can not only organize frequently used data, but also distribute those parts of files that have been stored for quite a long time.

To summarize, I would like to note that technology does not stand still and, perhaps, very soon special tools will be invented that will allow you to effectively defragment new SSDs disks. However, for now, it is best to avoid regularly defragmenting this resource, which is immune to this process. Still, if you look at it this way, a standard file organizing program can do a good job of its main function - distributing parts of frequently used files. If we talk about all other methods, then they are not at all effective elements that are best ignored at other times. And for that matter, with proper care and careful software handling, this kind of disk will serve the average user no less than solid-state drives of the previous generation.

) grows exponentially. Classic magnetic HDD drives are rapidly becoming a thing of the past or more often play the role of large-scale storage for files, and modern operating systems are recommended to be installed on an SSD screw.
It is recommended to install modern operating systems on an SSD screw

Compared to a traditional HDD, an SSD hard drive has a number of advantages:

Quiet operation.

Increased reliability.

But at the same time, many questions arose regarding the use of solid-state drives. The most common:

Is it possible and necessary to defragment an SSD drive?
Is frequent rewriting harmful?
Is it possible to format an SSD drive?
Is it possible to fill an SSD with files to capacity?
how to extend the life of an SSD drive in Windows 7?

Is it possible to defragment an SSD?

Defragmentation to optimize space. SSD defragmentation is not necessary. This procedure will not affect the speed of the storage medium in any way and may even cause harm. Disk defragmentation is the constant overwriting of files, and a solid-state external hard drive has a finite number of write cycles.

Defragmentation is needed only for HDDs, because on them each file lies in separate parts on different sectors and when accessing them, the hard drive slows down. Defragmentation organizes hard drive sectors and fewer mechanical movements are made inside the device. In solid-state drives, such actions are not performed and files from individual sectors are read equally quickly. Thus, we disable automatic defragmentation, if such a function is available in your operating system.

Defragmentation is only required for HDD drives
Disk defragmentation is not necessary for SSD drives

What operating systems are best to use for an SSD drive?

The TRIM command is a way to notify Solid State Drive that it can physically delete blocks of data no longer contained in file system. It is recommended to select an OS that supports this command for installation on the SSD. That is, the operating system for the SSD must be modern. Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 are ideal.

The TRIM team itself emerged with the proliferation so that new data storage technologies could compete with HDD. Accordingly, operating systems , XP and earlier are not suitable for

installations on SSD. You can use them, but they will be slow.

What happens if there is little disk space left?

It is not recommended to fill the SSD to 100%. Otherwise, you will notice how much the SSD slows down when doing the most simple programs. Optimal disk fill is 75%. At the same time, the harmony between performance and capacity of the drive will be maintained.

Connoisseurs of modern computer technology It is advised to leave some free space on the SSD, or even better, unallocated space. However, we should not forget about the presence of a reserve area, which begins to be used when the SSD is critically full.

Is it possible to store large files on an SSD?

In most cases, users use SSD for the operating system and applications.

A program launched from a solid-state drive will run faster than from an HDD, and the OS will load faster.

To store user files, it is better to use a regular HDD operating in parallel. Why?

Firstly, because the capacity of a solid-state drive is often small, and secondly, the cost of an SSD drive is equal to the price of a much larger HDD. The first speeds up the loading and operation of the operating system and all programs, and in terms of volume it is suitable only for them. But it is not always possible to install a HDD (in ultrabooks).

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In this case, it is recommended to purchase external hdd. It is better suited for storing movies, music and other large files. In fact, nothing bad will happen to it if you store it on it. large files, but while the volumes of such disks are small and the cost is high, it is better to use them where they demonstrate a confident increase in performance.

What else can’t be done?

Many tips for saving SSD resources are a myth. Users often voice the idea that the fewer data rewrite cycles a solid-state drive experiences, the better. Yes, this is true, but in order to ruin an SSD by overwriting, you will have to work hard. Even if you completely rewrite it 10 times a day, it is unlikely that in a year or two something will happen to a high-quality drive and you will need SSD drive repair.

But what you definitely shouldn’t do is repair the SSD yourself. An exception to the rule is if you are a specialist in the relevant profile. The maximum that you can do without experience and skills is flashing the SSD firmware (replacing the factory software with new version). Very often, crooked firmware from the factory causes the SSD to operate too slowly and refuse to read and write files at the stated speed.

It is easy to fix this by flashing it, because many manufacturers offer special applications. Such a program for the SSD returns to it the necessary performance according to the “next - next - next - finish” principle.

You can perform such operations without fear for the disk itself. The main thing is to be sure of the right choice official firmware for your drive. Restoring an OCZ SSD after a serious crash is best left to professionals.

Results

To not worry about the health of your solid-state drive, use a variety of monitoring utilities. Numerous programs for working with SSD drives are easy to find both on the Internet and on the official websites of SSD manufacturers.

The SSD Tweaker program allows you to monitor the “health” of the disk. The HD Tune program allows you to monitor the health of the disk. The SSD Life program allows you to monitor the disk.

Remember that modern solid-state drives have a long service life and it’s stupid to worry about a couple of extra rewrite cycles. You can format it, but it’s stupid to abuse it. Now you know about ssd defragmentation.