Disk Checking Tool: What it is and How to Do It

When errors find their way onto your hard drive, a myriad of problems occur. For instance, the computer may run slow, and some of your files may be corrupted, even entire folders can be effected. Running the Disk checking tool is one way to fix these obnoxious errors, and most of the time, it is the most effective. The below information will not only give an in-depth explanation on what the disk checking tool is, it will show you step by step how to run a scan disk on your computer's hard drive.

What is the Disk Checking Tool?

The disk checking tool is a function that will scan for errors and fix what is found during the scan. If the option to scan for and recover bad sectors is checked, the disk checking tool will find bad sectors that have been corrupted, and the data will be recovered. This is much better than paying lots of money to recover hard drive information from damaged sectors or being worried about being subjected to any expensive hard drive repair procedures. The disk checking tool will enable you to have a clean hard drive free of errors, just as it was when you first purchased your computer.

How to Run the Disk Checking Tool

First, go to your start menu. Once there, scroll down until your cursor is over "My Computer." In Windows Vista and windows Seven, the option is no longer called "My Computer." It is labeled as "Computer." Press the "Enter" key" After pressing the "Enter" key on "My Computer" or "Computer," go to the local disk, which is the "C" drive in most cases, unless the computer is customized differently. If you are using a screen reader, and the options are not being spoken, press the letter "L" and local disk will come up. When your cursor is on the local disk, or "C" drive, press your "Applications" key and scroll down until you see "Properties."

You will now be presented with a series of tabs. You will want to select the one that says "Tools." To navigate between tabs, use the control tab keys by holding down the "Control" key and then pressing the "Tab" key, your arrow keys, or your mouse if you can use one. Once you are on the "Tools" page, you will want to press "Enter" on the first button, which is labeled as "Error Checking." You will be presented with two check boxes. One check box is for scanning the drive for errors. The second check box is for recovering and repairing bad sectors. Check them both and then press "Start." Because the drive is in use, you will be asked if you'd like to have the disk checking tool continue when the computer restarts. Check "Yes," and you are good to go (In windows 7, there will not be a "yes" button. There will be a "schedule disk checking" instead.).

Once you have followed the above steps, shut down your computer and then restart it. Depending on how many errors you have, it may take up to several hours to scan and fix them. Once the disk checking tool is complete, the computer will restart normally, and your drive will run good as new. You will have the clean hard drive that you never thought possible. You will not see errors popping up all over the place, and programs will no longer be crashing.

Many techs will not even mention the disk checking tool as an option to enable you to have a clean hard drive free of errors. Many of them will opt for procedures that are more invasive and expensive, such as procedures to recover hard drive data or hard drive repair. Before you consult a computer service repair shop, be sure to run the disk checking tool to rid your computer of errors because most of the time, the errors will be fixed. Only in very severe cases will the disk checking tool not work. However, in approximately ninety percent of cases, the disk checking tool will leave you with a clean hard drive with all of your data intact.