If you specified to run the hard disk drive check multiple times, this menu does not display and only the first three tests are performed.

Seek check

This test checks the ability of the read/write heads to locate any part of the hard disk. This action by a read/write head is called a seek. During this test, each head seeks each cylinder of the disk in sequence, starting from the center.

Select option 1 from the menu to start this test. The program displays the number of each cylinder it finds, counting down from 614 (for a 20MB hard disk) to 0.

The seek is performed by the read/write heads simultaneously, so you see the cylinder numbers only once. If no errors occur, the menu is displayed.

Write, read check

This check tests the ability of the hard disk drive to read and write data. The test writes to and reads from each sector of the innermost cylinder of the disk, using each head.

Note

This test destroys all data on the innermost cylinder of the hard disk drive. This cylinder is reserved for diagnostics and is never used for storage by MS-DOS. Therefore, data created by MS-DOS is not destroyed.

Select option 2 from the menu to start this test. You see these messages:

The data on the highest physical cylinder may be destroyed by this check.

Enter Y to start this check.

Enter N to return to the menu.

Press Y and then Enter to continue with the test.

Performing System Diagnostics

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