First, lets work with Scandisk, as it should be the program you run first when performing maintenance on your computer.  Scandisk is a program that will scan your drive for errors that could cause it to run improperly.  It can also fix most of those errors without trouble, or loss of data.  Errors can not only occur due to human error (like shutting off the computer without selecting "Shutdown" from the Start Menu), but also occur under NO fault of the user, such as software crashes or power surges.  You may have noticed Scandisk running when you startup your computer at times, this happens when Windows isn't shut down properly.  It boots into a DOS mode of Scandisk to allow it to correct any possible errors BEFORE they can cause any more problems.  We are going to show you how to run Scandisk from inside Windows.  You should run Scandisk at least once a month, but once a week is suggested.  It is also good to run it whenever you notice Windows doing strange things.

The first step when performing scans (like Scandisk and Defragmentation) is to shut down other running programs.  You may be able to run your scans without doing so, but most likely you will get a "Restarting due to disk write..." error.  This means the scanning program cannot continue to do it's job since other programs are writing to (or accessing) your hard drive.

In order to shut down other running programs, take a peek at your system tray (next to the clock.)  There is most likely a number of icons there which represent the programs currently running on your computer.  Try to right-click on them and select "Exit" or "Shutdown"... whatever is available to exit the program.  If you have a virus scanner running, opt to disable it for the time being.  Please note: Most likely you will not be able to shut down everything in the system tray.  In fact, not everything needs to be shut down in order for your scans to work correctly.  Some things that can remain in the system tray include display/sound icons, icon managers (like in Norton SystemWorks), the AOL logon icon, and anything else that is just a shortcut and not a program.  If you aren't sure about something, leave it on and see if you experience the "Restarting" error.

After you are done with your scans, you should reboot Windows.  This enables everything you shut down to load back up again, as well as refreshes Windows.  (It used a lot of temporary space while scanning.)  Be sure to avoid shutting off your computer or stopping the scans while they are running!  Doing so could make Windows very unhappy - to the point that it won't boot up.  This is especially important while running Defragmentation.  Scandisk isn't as prone to this.

 
First, open up "My Computer" from your desktop.  Once there, locate your hard drive (usually drive letter "C", but can vary depending on your configuration.)  Now "right-click" on the icon for your hard drive.  You should get a menu similar to Figure 1 below.  (Your menu items will most likely differ however.)  Click on the selection at the bottom called "Properties" to access the properties for your hard drive.  A new window will open, click on the "Tools" tab near the top left.  It should now look similar to Figure 2.  (You may have more or less tabs at the top - it will vary from system to system.)

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

 
As you can see, there are three options (FIG 2):

• Error-checking status (That's what we are after - Scandisk)
• Backup Status (Something we will touch on later)
• Defragmentation status (We will get to this next)

Click on the button that says "Check Now..." under the Error-checking status section to start up Scandisk.  You should see a window similar to Figure 3 below.  From this startup screen, you can configure Scandisk to do what you need.  We suggest you check the box that says "Automatically fix errors", which will keep Scandisk from alerting you to EVERY error it may find, as well as asking for advise on what to do.  Best to leave the hard stuff for the program.

FIGURE 3

You should select your hard drive where it asks for the drive(s) to scan.  The type of test you perform depends on what you want to accomplish.  Nine times out of ten you will do the "Standard" test, as this test will check all files and folders for errors, as well as check important information about Windows.  The "Thorough" test does all the Standard test does, but goes a step further.  It will actually scan the physical surface of your hard drive for any errors it may have, such as dust or scratches.  If a bad part is found (called a sector), Scandisk will grab any data in that sector and move it to a better place.  It will also mark that particular sector as bad so no other data is stored there.  The Thorough test can take anywhere from 10 minutes to over an hour depending on your computers speed, and the size of your drive.

Once you have the options selected, click on the "Start" button.  Scandisk will begin scanning all files and folders on you computer for errors, and correct them for you automatically (if you checked the box.)

*TIP* - If Scandisk keeps restarting over and over, it is most likely due to a "disk write."  Scandisk can only scan your files when they are not in use, and therefore must restart every time it detects an application has written to the disk.  To fix this problem, shut down all other running programs (including disabling antivirus scanners) from the System Tray (by the clock).  Scandisk commonly restarts a few times due to disk writes, do not be alarmed.  Windows will write and read information from your hard drive on a regular basis.  (It's the only way to keep it running!)  If you still are having trouble with Scandisk restarting after shutting down all you can from the System Tray, you may want to try running Scandisk from MS-DOS Mode.  To do this, instead of shutting down your computer, opt to "Restart in MS-DOS Mode".  When the C:\ Prompt appears, type "scandisk" and hit enter.  A blue screen will appear, and Scandisk will begin to scan your drive.  Follow the directions on the screen to complete the process.  After it has finished (and you are back to the C:\ Prompt), you can type "win" and hit Enter to start Windows.

 
"Defragmentation" (Defrag for short) is so much more than just a big name.  This utility has the power to organize ALL your data on a given drive, even speed up operations on your computer.  You should perform a Defrag on the same regular basis as Scandisk.  (At least once a month, but we recommende once a week.)  Before we get into performing a Defrag on your system, it will help to understand a little bit about how it works.

As you might know, your computer's hard drive is a lot like a CD you put in your CD-ROM drive, only it uses magnetic force to read/write data instead of a lazer light.  Just like a software CD, your hard drive stores data at many different sections.  It starts at the "beginning" (or inside) of the drive, then works its way to the "end" (outside) of the drive.  As you run your programs and surf the Internet, your computer is constantly creating files and deleting them.  Same thing goes when you install or uninstall software - files are thrown everywhere!  At times, the data on your hard drive can get messy.

When files are removed or moved to a different location, they can leave "holes" (empty spaces) on the drive.  These holes are like "open space" between the data on your hard drive.  When your computer goes to look for something it needs, it has to take the time to scan all the open space in between the beginning of the drive, and the location of the actual file it's looking for.  Obviously, this is a waste of time!  Running a Defrag on your hard drive will solve this problem.  Defrag will scan your hard drive, gather all the data, and shove it up to the beginning (inside) of your hard drive, this allowing your computer to find the files it requires in less time.  The result on a badly fragmented drive can be a noticeable speed increase.

Another problem associated with a fragmented drive is programs and data files becoming separated from their counterparts.  When you install a program on a fragmented drive, it will write the data it needs into the first open space it finds on your hard drive.  When it runs out of room, it then skips over all the data until the NEXT open space, where it again writes what data it can.  This can easily go on over 20 or 30 open spaces, causing the data from the same program to be spread out.  Defrag will gather all the information on a program, and put all the data together, while all this time pushing the data to the beginning of the drive.  With all that said and done, let's get to the good stuff!

 
Following the same steps up to Figure 2 (above), we will be ready to start Defragmentation.  Instead of clicking on the "Check Now..." button, click on the "Defragment Now..." button.  Depending on what version of Windows you are using (95/98), the resulting windows will vary slightly.  It was scan something first, then come back with something like:  "Your drive is only 2% fragmented.  You do not need to defragment now..."  Click on the "Defragment" button to start it anyway.  One sad thing about Windows is that it doesn't think you need to defragment until it is almost too late.  The resulting window should look similar to Figure 4 below.

FIGURE 4

If you want to see a nice little show, you can actually watch Defrag move your data around by clicking on the "Show Details" button.  It will open up to a full screen window, and eventually show you lots of little colored squares.  Click on the "Legend" button in the lower right to find out what they all mean.  A full defragmentation can take anywhere from less than a minute to over 4 hours.  Again, it depends on the size of the hard drive, as well as the speed of the computer.

That's all we have for now under this section!  Check back periodically to remain up-to-date on any additions.  If you currently subscribe to our newsletter, you will automatically receive update notification through email.  If you would like to be added to the mailing list, drop us an email with: "subscribe newsletter (your email address)" in the body of the email.

If you have a question or information request for us, you may also email us at information@isc-unlimited.com.
If all else fails, you may simply fill out the form.