Defragmenting your hard disk has always been a good idea, but now it's easier than ever, thanks to utilities like Auslogics Disk Defrag Screen Saver. It automatically defragments your disk when your system is idle, which helps keep your data from becoming fragmented in the first place. Not only that, but it also sports a cool, updated version of the old Windows defragmentation map that tracks the tool's progress in real time.
Disk Defrag Screen Saver shows up in your list of screensavers after installation, and you select it like any other. There's a Settings dialog with check boxes for your system's hard drives, each with its size and free space listed, as well as an option to turn off the screensaver's animation when idle. Disk Defrag Screen Saver is freeware, so there's a discreet link to Auslogics' bill-paying wares, too. The screensaver is a bold, colorful variation on the classic defragmentation block display, with a bright-green progress bar and a black background that gives it an overall look similar to Windows Media Center. The defragmentation tool made quick work of sorting out what admittedly are fairly new and well-maintained disks, but we were impressed with its speed nonetheless, as we usually are with other dedicated defrag tools that improve on the basic Windows utility. One of the most common reasons to install a third-party defragger is nostalgia for the classic Windows display, with its Tetris-like patterning. Appearance is just about the only reason anyone chooses a screensaver, and so many of them are actually resource hogs that can make things worse when you finally uninstall all the flashing lights and dancing elves (or whatever). However, Disk Defrag Screen Saver tidies up your hard drive every time your PC is idling, which is kind of like your car not only tuning itself up but also vacuuming out its interior at stoplights.
