data fragmentation

Data fragmentation occurs when a file or dataset stored on a storage device like a hard drive is broken into many small pieces scattered across different locations. Instead of being stored continuously, these fragments are spread out, which can slow down data access because the system must search for and assemble all parts before reading the complete file. Fragmentation often happens over time as files are created, changed, or deleted. Regular defragmentation, or reorganizing these pieces into contiguous blocks, helps improve performance and makes data retrieval faster.