This deep dive covers Deep Dive: Defragmentation within Utility Software for GCSE Computer Science. Revise Utility Software in Systems Software for GCSE Computer Science with 15 exam-style questions and 10 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 3 of 6 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 3 of 6
Practice
15 questions
Recall
10 flashcards
Deep Dive: Defragmentation
Why files become fragmented:
- Files saved in first available space on disk
- When files grow, extra data stored elsewhere
- Deleting files leaves gaps
- Over time, single files split across many locations
What defragmentation does:
- Rearranges file fragments to be contiguous
- Read/write head doesn't need to jump around
- Result: Faster file access on HDDs
Important: SSDs don't need defragmentation - they have no moving parts and equal access time for all locations. Defragging SSDs can actually reduce their lifespan!