Windows 10 Bug Could Strain Hard Drives

Microsoft is testing a fix for a bug that could theoretically shorten the lifespan of some hard drives. The bug means Windows 10 was mistakenly running the defrag tool more frequently than designed.

Defragging has long been available as a way to make hard drives run more efficiently. It deals with the problem that when a computer deletes a file, it leaves empty physical space behind on the drive. The next time it writes a new file it will look for the first available suitable sized space.

Over time this can lead to wasted gaps on the physical drive. In turn, this means traditional hard drives have to move the head (which reads the data) further back and forth to reach files. This only takes fractions of a second longer, but can add up quickly and severely impacts overall performance on the system.

In simple terms, defragging rearranges the files to remove the gaps, reducing the distance the head has to move to reach any particular file.

Defragging SSDs Not Worthwhile

While defragging was recommended back in the day, modern computers with solid state disks (SSDs and NVMes) are much more efficient in handling files, so it's not usually necessary. The reason for this is because the newer style hard drives don't have read/write heads or spinning platters and therefore there is no latency when attempting to access files.

Many tech experts believe the wear and tear of effectively rewriting most files on such drives outweighs the limited benefits of defragging. Even those who believe it is worthwhile suggest only doing it occasionally.

Optimize Drives Not Working Optimally

Windows 10 does have a built-in defragging tool named Optimize Drives, but it's set to only run on a limited schedule, such as every two weeks or once a month. However, a bug in a recent update means the tool isn't correctly identifying when it last ran, and in some cases, is running every time a computer restarts. For some users that could mean it runs 30 times more often than it should. (Source: techradar.com)

With traditional hard drives, this shouldn't be a major problem, though it could cause some delays. With SSDs, Optimize Drives will normally not attempt defragging, but instead use a harmless alternative technique called TRIM.

However, Windows may attempt to defrag on an SSD if users have particular settings in the System Restore tool switched on. That could mean an increase in physical strain on the drive. (Source: pcgamer.com)

Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and is testing a fix through the Windows Insider program. It will then roll it out to the general public if all goes well with the test.

What's Your Opinion?

Do you intentionally defrag hard drives, either manually or automatically? Do you know off-hand whether your computer users traditional or solid-state hard drives? If you made a deliberate choice between the two, what influenced your decision?