What is the result of file fragmentation on a hard disk?

File fragmentation on a hard disk leads to a slower system response. When files are fragmented, they are broken into smaller pieces and stored in non-contiguous sectors on the disk. This means that when the operating system needs to access a file, the read/write head of the disk must move to different locations to gather all the fragments, which takes more time than accessing a single, contiguous block of data. As a result, this increased movement causes delays in data retrieval and overall system performance.

The other options, such as improved file access speed, data compression, and deletion of obsolete files, do not accurately reflect the impact of fragmentation. Fragmentation generally hampers performance rather than enhancing it, which highlights the importance of regular disk maintenance, such as defragmentation, to keep file access times optimal.