Fixing Hard Drive Errors

Hard drive errors usually take place when information is being stored in the hard drive but cannot be accessed by the computer. The main reason why this happens is that the cluster of data that was initially written to the hard drive is not properly connected to the data location. This usually happens when a computer is not shut down correctly or a system is reset while programs are still open and running. When your machine is interrupted by other open applications while attempting to write data to the hard drive, the information will not be written correctly or completely, and hard drive errors are the result. These errors will cause random freezes or program malfunctions into the problem is resolved.

ScanDisk is commonly used to inspect the files and folders of your hard drive for any errors, broken links or lost chains. When used regularly, ScanDisk can help protect your hard drive from errors and preserve the life and efficiency of your machine. In order to use the ScanDisk feature, you will need to go to the start menu, click on programs, then accessories, then system tools, and then ScanDisk. Before you begin scanning, you will need to disable all screensavers so that the scanning process is not interrupted by them.

Once you have opened ScanDisk, you will then select the hard drive in order to begin the scanning process. You will then be given the option to choose which kind of scan you would like to perform. The standard scan will check for lost clusters and chains and should only take a few minutes. The through scan will check for not only lost clusters/chains but will also check for bad spots on the hard drive as well. If a bad spot is detected, ScanDisk will then move the data to a better location on your hard drive. This option takes more time to complete. Once you have selected your desired scanning option, press start. If ScanDisk finds a lost chain, it will alert you and provide you with options to repair the problem. For best results, you should select the repair option.

If you have Windows 2000 or Windows XP, you will not have the ScanDisk feature. Instead, you will have CHKDSK, which is a more updated program that is used to scan and repair hard drive errors.