Defragging spread a virus?

Someone told me that defragnenting a windows pc can spread a virus. Is this true?

 

It can move it from one part of your HDD to another...

But does it really matter if the burglar is in your kitchen or your bedroom?

 

There will still be the same number of instances of the virus, in the same directory with the same permissions. It would just be located in a different physical spot. I wouldn't pay that much concern.

However, removing a virus takes precedence over defragmenting. In any event you should always be sure you're virus free before using the computer.

 

I was thinking exactly what was posted, but my lead tech was trying to tell me differently.

 

He doesn't know what he is talking about, then.

 

I was thinking it would not spread the virus We just have to listen to what he says when he is around or nothing good will come of it lol.

 

Unless somehow that virus was specifically engineered to hack the defragger...

 

Where a virus is on a HDD makes no difference what-so-ever, so I don't see why/how you would take advantage of a defragger.

 

I think it's a valid argument for virus before year 2000. At that time, virus spread through actual file copy instead of internet. So virus will try to duplicate itself onto as many files as possible. Modern virus spreads through internet, only 1 copy per system needed.

 

Still, all file systems rely on pointers. No file system (that I know of) uses physical positioning of data as a measurement. In fact, the data itself has no clue where it physically is on the HDD.

 

If you watch windows resource monitor, individual files are actually be accessed during defrag.

 

I don't think we're talking about the same thing anymore.