Defragmenting a computer is, in my opinion, one of the most important things that needs doing on a regular basis. When you use a file, your computer doesn't put it back where it got it from. It puts it wherever it can find free space. Here's a mental illustration of what defragmenting does.

Imagine you, with millions of pages of paper in your hands, and a HUGE electric fan running at full pelt. Throw the sheets of paper into the fan and then go and sort them all back into order again.

That's what defragmenting your computer does. It sorts all of the files and information to do with those files into order, so that they are all 'side by side', and when you call for a file, the computer can go straight to it instead of churning through loads of data looking for it.

Always though before I commence a defragmentation of my PC I carry out two other tasks. I get rid of unwanted files, the ones in the Recycle Bin and my Temporary Internet Files for starters, and all but the most recent System Restore file. Why go to the bother of sorting files that you don't want or need?

Use the Disk Clean Up facility to clean up your drive(s).

Open Windows Explorer and right-click on your main drive. Choose Properties.

Click on Disk Cleanup

The computer will now go through all of that drive and sort out the files that can be safely deleted.

When it completes the task, put a tick in every box so that when you tell it to delete the files permanently, it will include them all. If you are in any doubt whether or not it is safe to delete them, read the short description about those files in that window.

Before you click OK, click on More Options in the top of that box. Then choose the bottom Clean Up button, the one in the System Restore box.

Answer "Yes" that you want to carry out this action and wait a few seconds (depending on how much space is occupied by them and the speed of your processor) and then click OK. Now delete the files you originally selected.

You now have a drive that is free of unwanted and space-consuming files. Make a note of the free space on that drive before you start this process and then see how much you have gained when it is finished.

If you have more than one drive, do the Disk Clean up on every one of them.

Now run your defragmenting program. Do it regularly to keep your PC running more efficiently.