Disk Error Checking

"Error Checking" is a program checks your drive and offers it repair the drive, if it can.  You should run scandisk on a regular basis.  If you run your computer every day, then the standard scandisk should be run at least once a week and the thorough (surface) scandisk at least once a month.

How to run "Error Checking"

• Click the "Start" button
• Click on "My Computer"
• Right Click on the drive you want to check
• Select "Properties" in the resulting menu
• Click on the tab "Tools"
• In the first section (Error Checking) click the "Check Now"
• Check both boxes
• Click on "Start"
• After the standard Error Checking is done, it will ask you if you want to perform a thorough surface scan.  You should run a surface scan on a regular basis because it will tell you if your hard drive is preparing to fail in the not too distant future.  A few bad spots (up to ten) is considered normal by most hard drive manufacturers, the key here is "Is the problem growing and if so, how fast?"  If you find a bad spot or two on a surface scan, after it gets done, run it again when it finishes.  Does it find more?, run it again.  If it finds more, or it finds 15 or twenty, stop.  You should back up your data and buy a new hard drive NOW!  If you run it a second time and it does not find anything, it is time to start watching carefully.   Run a surface scan every day and watch to see if it finds anymore.  If you run it everyday for a week or so and no more spots are found, begin running the surface scan at least once a week.  Watch for new spots.  This should give you an idea of how fast you will need a new hard drive.  Make sure you keep your data backed up.
• After it is done, pick the D: drive if you have one

Disk Defragmenter

Microsoft Windows XP will keep track of the exact sequence of file accesses needed to load a program and then store that information. A record of which files are loaded more often than others is also saved. The file tracking is performed by a utility called "Task Monitor.'' Windows XP Disk Defragmenter then uses that information to reorder the individual clusters that make up each file so that they load consecutively to reduce disk head movement. Related files, in the order they are needed by a program, are also moved physically closer together. The most frequently loaded files are also put on the fastest part of the disk

Instructions on how to Run Disk Defragmenter for Windows

• Click the "Start" button
• Click on "My Computer"
• Right Click on the drive you want to check
• Select "Properties" in the resulting menu
• Click on the tab "Tools"
• In the second section is "Defragmentation"
• Click "Defragment Now"
• This will bring up a new window
• Click "Analyze" then if it tells you you need to defragment proceed to "Defragment"