SSD defragmentation: does it make sense?
A normal hard disk has a head for writing and reading. She constantly moves back and forth to find the right data scattered in different places. Information on the HDD is always written to where there is free space. After deletion, it disappears, and gaps appear in the “even order” of files. Defragmentation organizes this data by placing it side by side. Thus, defragmentation not only speeds up the hard drive, but also increases its life by reducing wear and tear.
A solid state drive (SSD) doesn’t have such a read/write head, so defragmentation doesn’t make sense. In an SSD, data is stored on memory chips, so it can be retrieved much faster. Defragmenting will also organize your files, but it won’t help them start up faster. Since a lot of write operations are performed during defragmentation, the drive works more intensively. In this way, Frequent defragmentation will not only not help, but will shorten the life of the SSD.
Windows: Disable SSD defragmentation
Starting with Windows 8, SSD defragmentation is disabled automatically. However, on older operating systems, the settings may not be correct. Even if you built your computer yourself, we recommend checking this option.
- Simultaneously press the keys [Windows] and [E]to open File Explorer.
- Right-click on the SSD drive and select “Properties” from the menu.
- Go to the “Tools” tab at the top and click the “Defragment” or “Optimize” button.
- Click the “Set Schedule” button and set the necessary options to cancel automatic defragmentation. Make sure your SSD is deactivated and then close windows again.
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