The Importance of Using Scandisk to Check Your Hard Drive

Scandisk is a Windows utility that is used to diagnose errors and bad sectors on a hard disk and will attempt to correct them. Using Scandisk is an important part of your regular PC maintenance as it ensures your data remains safe from corruption.

Errors may be found on a hard disk for a number of reasons, such as:

–          The presence of harmful programs, i.e. viruses, Trojans etc.

–          Regular system crashes, freezes or blue screens.

–          Adding or removing lots of software: these can leaves traces and slow your PC down, eventually causing problems.

–          Critical system applications that have not been properly closed: turning off in the middle of updates; unplugging computer from power source while turned on (does not apply to laptops); regularly turning off computer via button, rather than going through shut down process.

–          Never turning your computer off: PCs need sleep too!

While running, Scandisk checks for defects on your hard drive’s platters (the round, flat steel plates on which your data is stored), checks the registry (the part that keeps track of everything that happens on your machine) and also checks your file platforms; attempting to correct any problems it may find.

 

Windows 2000 and Windows XP

–          Press > Start (bottom-left corner)
–          Double click > My Computer
–          Select the hard disk you wish to be scanned from the list of drives [(C:), (D:) etc.]
–          Right Click then select ‘Properties’
–          Select  > ‘Tools’ tab
–          Click > Check Now
–          The scanning process will begin

 

Windows Vista and Windows 7

–          Click > Windows Icon (bottom-left corner)
–          Right click your selected drive then > Properties
–          Click > ‘Tools’ tab.
–          Under ‘Error-checking’ sub heading, click > Check Now
–          A new window ‘Check Local Disk’ will appear.
–          Tick the ‘Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors’ checkbox to attempt to fix errors.
–          Click Start to initiate disk scan.
Please note: in Vista, Scandisk must be scheduled to run at the next start up as there are mechanisms in place that will not allow it to run while the system is operating.

When Scandisk is finished, you will see a report containing any errors it has found and the amount of disk space scanned.

If there are any further problems such as errors that have not been fixed, or you are worried about your machine, bring it in and let our technicians take a look. Call now on 01753 884 700 (Gerrards Cross) or 01494 730 120 (Beaconsfield). We’re happy to help!