Berlin-based O&O Software GmbH has released O&O Defrag 14.5. Available as a free update to version 14 users, O&O Defrag 14.5, which is also available as a separate 64-bit build, offers a powerful and fast alternative to the basic Windows defragmentation tool, promising to keep hard drive performance running at optimum by keeping fragmentation at bay.

Version 14.5 includes four major new and enhanced functions. There's improved support for using TRIM commands to optimize SSD drives for both better performance and reduced read-write cycles, thus lengthening its life. The program also now automatically analyzes each drive whenever the program is run, while work has been done to improve three core defragmentation methods: stealth, space and complete. A new alternative Speed Zone setting is provided in this release, and the program is now configured to automatically interrupt the defrag process when a portable computer switches from mains to battery power.

The updates only apply to commercial versions of O&O Defrag -- at the present time, O&O Defrag Free, a cutdown version of the Professional edition, remains "stuck" at version 14.1. O&O Defrag 14.5 Professional is available as a 30-day trial version for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows.