In the course of normal computer operations when files are saved, deleted, moved, etc. the files or parts thereof may be scattered in various locations on the computer's hard drive or other storage medium. In regard to computer forensics, fragmented data can frequently yeild important evidence. Computer forensics techniques allow technicians to locate and examine fragmented files.
having been divided; having the unity destroyed; "Congress...gave the impression of...a confusing sum of disconnected local forces"-Samuel Lubell; "a league of disunited nations"- E.B.White; "a fragmented coalition"; "a split group"
Broken down into separate, decentralized parts.
A condition in which the data stored on a hard-disk drive is scattered all around the disc, which makes the drive run slower while retrieving the data. (See Defragment.)
When a file is not written to a disk in contiguous blocks. If there is not enough free space to write a full file to a disk in one continuous stream of blocks then the file gets split up between two or more parts of the disk surface. This is known as fragmenting and can make the time for loading a file longer as the disk has to seek for the rest of the file.
In parts. A fragmented file does not have its content stored sequentially on the media. The files content may be stored in small segments scattered over an area of the disk. The file system keeps track of where one the media the data is stored and the user will normally not notice that a file is fragmented. Fragmentation is common on hard drives, but usually data is stored sequentially on tape.
When a file is stored to scattered areas of a disk, it is said to be fragmented. This occurs when there are not enough contiguous clusters to hold all the data of a file. Since it takes longer to read a fragmented file, using a defragmenter will improve system performance.
When a file has become fragmented, it means that it is broken up into pieces on your hard disk. Imagine if you saved a file to your hard disk, and then saved another right after it. When you go to add more to the first file and then save it again, it no longer can fit in the space allotted, and must be split apart. When many files become fragmented, your hard disk performance is slower, and the danger of file corruption is greater. To fix fragmented files, you must defragment your hard disk.
the undesirable condition where stored data has been broken up into several parts when it was stored
Describes file that has contents scattered across two or more noncontiguous sectors, slowing down disk access and thus the performance of the entire computer. 8.30
