8Click Start. ScanDisk checks the drive for errors.

9Follow any instructions on screen for completing the scan.

Using Check Disk in Windows NT

Bad sectors are parts of a hard drive or diskette that will not hold data. A lost allocation unit is a group of sectors that has lost its place in the table that the operating system uses to locate files. Check Disk checks the hard drive for bad sectors or lost allocation units and lets you fix them.

Use Check Disk from once a week to once a month, depending on how often you use your system. Also use Check Disk if you have any hard drive problems.

To use Check Disk:

1Double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop. The My Computer window opens.

2Click the drive you want to check.

3Select File, then Properties. The drive properties window opens.

4Click the Tools tab.

5At Error-checking, click Check Now. The Check Disk window opens.

6Select the options you want for checking the drive. Check Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors to scan the entire hard drive.

7Click Start. Check Disk checks the drive for errors.

8Follow any instructions on screen for completing the scan.

Using Disk Defragmenter in Windows 95 and Windows 98

When working with files, Windows may divide the files into pieces and store the pieces at different places on the hard drive. This division of files, called fragmentation, is normal. However, to access a file, the hard drive must search for the pieces of the file and put the file back together, which can slow down your system.

Disk Defragmenter brings all the separate pieces back together. Defragment your computer frequently to improve system performance.

74Managing Your System