There are some people who do not think that running defragment is important, particularly if the program returns a message that defragment is not necessary because the the percentage is not high.
The reliability of a hard disk memory system is amazing when you consider that it is reading and writing to a high speed disc using minute magnetic disturbances. It also has to jump to different parts of the disc because the information is not continuous on the surface. It uses 'jump' addresses. If a jump address has been corrupted, the program jumps to a different program and is 'lost', the computer stops running. It could have had a command to write some data, but with the wrong jump it is written to the wrong place on the system.
If these faults are not corrected, the computer becomes unstable to the point where a complete reinstall is necessary.
When defragment is run, all the jump addresses are rewritten to the correct address. It also runs faster because there are not as many jumps.
Fast Defrag. download
Win98 could have delays during defrag. because of other programs on the computer. Microsoft had a fix for this but it does not work on all computers. It sets the defrag to run before other programs are loaded.
Another way is to rename defrag.exe, in the windows file, to defrag1.ese and put the fast defrag in the windows file named defrag.exe. Using the startup program in Control Panel (see 'Links and Ideas page), click 'Run once', right click the page and browse for the defrag.exe in windows and set it to run once. Shut down the computer to restart and as soon as windows has finished loading and before any other programs are loaded, the defrag should run. The startup 'Run once' is deleted and must be reset to defrag again when needed.
The computer could also be started in Safe Mode to run Defrag (hold down Shift (or Alt)? at startup or press F8 when 'Starting Win' appears and select Safe Mode). If there are serious problems that may be necessary.
Another way is to exit or stop all running programs or the computer may not load programs if 'Shift' is held down when 'Starting windows' appears. This way may save the icon positions.

The computer should be setup with a 'C' partition smaller than 2GB. There should also be another small partition with backups of the operating system and all drivers. Many programs do not have to be installed on the 'C' partition.
If programs are installed on another partition, that partition should not be defraged unless necessary and should be followed by a 'C' defrag. (The information about the address of the programs must be reset on the 'C' partition)