Questions ?....We Got Questions 

Got a PC related question ? The Internet ? Digital Cameras, A software or device problem?

.Just keep the questions related to computer topics and We'll do our best to provide an answer.

Send your question via e-mail to pcbuddy41@gmail.com (Bob Ogus) or ffoutythree@gmail (Bob Nigro)

I have accumulated several flash drives over the years and I was just wondering if I should ever defragment them. I know we have to do it for our hard drives, but are flash drives the same? Please explain!

A:

Wow, that's an excellent question! I know several of you use flash drives, so this is one that's going to help a lot of you out. I'm going to start today by saying you're absolutely right when you said we all need to defrag our hard drives on a regular basis. That's a given. But when you think about doing the same for flash drives, it turns into a completely different situation. So, come along with me as we delve into the world of flash drives and defrags!

The simple answer to today's question is: you should never defrag a flash drive. Does that surprise some of you? Well, let me explain! Let's first talk a little about hard drives. The files you have stored on your hard drive are usually saved in several little pieces, often in groups of 512 bytes. Now, those chunks of data are usually never placed next to each other or even remotely close to each other. Therefore, your files are generally spread out all over your hard drive, which is why defragging is so important.

The whole defrag process is done through a read/write head that rearranges your files and places them back together for you. That way, when you need to access a certain file, everything is put back together and your computer doesn't have to work as hard to find what you're looking for. Defragging simply helps speed up your system when you need to open a certain file. Yep, that's why it's so vital for you to defrag on a regular basis (at least once a month or so).

On the other hand, flash drives do not have a read/write head, so if you were to defrag one, you wouldn't get any extra performance benefits from it whatsoever. Basically, without a read/write head, flash drives don't have to work any harder to find your files. Your files can be laid out in any order and your flash drive will still be just as fast when finding them for you. Still not convinced? Then keep reading!

Another reason why you should never defrag a flash drive is because flash memory wears out over time. Basically, the more you write (saving files, etc.) to your flash drive, the shorter its lifespan will be. And since defragging is a huge write process, every time you do it, you're adding thousands of extra writes to your device that just aren't necessary. So, if you've been continuously defragging your flash drives, you should stop. If you want your flash drive to last you a long while, simply stop the defrags. You won't get any benefit from it and you'll just end up with a broken down flash drive for no reason at all. Go and defrag your hard drive instead!

Courtesy of Erin @worldstart.com

 Create your own free wiki!Help Add to Del.ici.ous Add to Digg Add to Reddit Add to fUrl Add to SpurlPublic, Gold wiki Privacy Policy RSS