Command: defrag

  DEFRAG optimizes file loading times from a disk by moving file
  fragments together.

Syntax:

  defrag [/C] [drive] [{/F|/U|/DF|/FF|/FD|Q|CQ}] [/Sorder[-]] [/B]
         [/X] [/A] [/FO] [/?]
         drive  This is the drive letter of the drive you wish to
                defragment. For instance: defrag c:

Options:

  /C   Use command line version only. Defrag will not use its
       menu-driven user interface if you use this option. It will
       communicate through the command line instead.
       You must use the [drive] option, as described above,
       when you use the /C switch, e.g. defrag /c c:
  /F   Fully optimizes specified drive. With this option, defrag will
       perform a full optimization by making sure that all files are
       at the beginning of the disk, with no gaps in between.
  /U   With this option, defrag will unfragment the files, but
       gaps may be left between files.
  /FF  Fully optimized the drive, moving all files first.
  /DF  Fully optimized the drive, moving all directories first.
  /FD  Fully optimized the drive, moving all files of the same directory
       together.
  /Q   Quick try defragment volume
  /CQ  Quick try defragment volume (try harder)
  /S   Sort files by specified order.
       order: N  by Name (alphabetic)
              E  by Extension (alphabetic)
              D  by Date and time (earliest first)
              S  by Size (smallest first)
              -  suffix to sort in descending order.
  /B   Reboots the computer after the optimization.
  /X   Forces defrag to exit as soon as it completes the optimization.
  /A   For use with the /C option, defrag will give an audible warning
       before taking action.
  /FO  For use with the /C option, this tells defrag to give a more full
       output of information.
  /?   Shows the help.
       Type DEFRAG /no-ops for a list of no-ops (/SKIPHIGH, /LCD,
       /BW, /GO).
       Type DEFRAG /contrib for a list of contributors.

Comments:

  It is recommended to use DEFRAG with the user interface (not: /C).
  What is disk fragmentation?
  When files are deleted, or made smaller, this leaves gaps in the data
  stored on the disk. If a file is created, or increases in size, it will
  go in the gaps, but if this space isn't big enough, the file will be
  continued elsewhere on the disk. After many such operations the file
  data can become very scattered. This fragmentation process slows down
  file access. Fragmentation is a normal process on DOS disks.

  When should I use defrag?
  Use defrag occasionally, or after installation of larger programs or
  after the creation of many (small) files.
  DEFRAG has the following ERRORLEVEL / EXITCODES:
    0  success
    1  internal error
    2  disk too full to defrag
    3  aborted by user
    4  general error
    5  read error
    6  write error
    7  FAT allocation error
    8  memory error
    9  out of memory

Examples:

  defrag /c c:   Works in command line mode!
  defrag c: /F   Works in graphical user interface mode!

See also:

  chkdsk
  dosfsck
  errorlevel/exitcode
 (scandisk)

  Copyright © 2003 - 2004 Robert Platt, updated 2011 and 2022
  by W. Spiegl.

  This file is derived from the FreeDOS Spec Command HOWTO.
  See the file H2Cpying for copying conditions.