Every one in a while we have to run defragmenter software on our hard disk to keep it on maximum performance. Find out why it is advisable to run Microsoft Windows check disk utility or checkdisk (chkdsk.exe) before defragmenting your hard disk drive.

Microsoft Windows XP built in defragmenter in action

Running Defragmenter, be it the one that came with Windows, or a 3rd party defragmenter software will not run if the drive are flagged as dirty by Windows. The drive are flagged dirty when the drive contain errors.

To fix this error, you must run check disk utility with the checkdisk (chkdsk.exe) before defragmenting your hard disk drive.

There are some 3rd party defragmenter that will force to defrag your drive even if the drive is flagged dirty. This is bad for the health of your drive. Defragmenting a drive that contains error will lead to bad sector. If the bad sector are not fixed by running check disk utility, the drive will contain unrecoverable errors.

Even if you are not defragmenting your drive on a regular basis, you should run Check Disk Utility regularly to check your drive conditions.

More info on checkdisk disk utility can be found on my previous post on Check Disk Utility. I have also posted on how to use the Check disk utility at startup.

See also:

• Windows XP checkdisk utility - chkdsk.exe (4)
• Run checkdisk at startup in Windows XP (1)
• Using checkdisk - chkdsk.exe without booting Windows (2)

This is a tip on how to run checkdisk in Windows XP on startup.

Usually when running checkdisk - chkdsk.exe , only the drive that contain locked Operating System files on Windows XP will be ask to run checkdisk on startup. However there is a another command that can be use in Windows XP to run checkdisk on every drives on Windows XP startup.

To run checkdisk on every drives at startup in Windows XP:

• Run command prompt. Go to start menu > Run
• Type “cmd.exe” without the quote
• At the command prompt, type “chkntfs /D” without the quote

This will restores Windows XP to the default behavior and all drives are checked at boot time and checkdisk - chkdsk is run on those that are dirty.

See also:

• Windows XP checkdisk utility - chkdsk.exe (4)
• Run checkdisk before defragmenting your hard drive (1)
• Using checkdisk - chkdsk.exe without booting Windows (2)

Checkdisk (chkdsk.exe) in Windows 2000 and Windows XP is a useful utility for fixing common disk problem as I’ve explained on my previous post on checkdisk utility. Checkdisk or chkdsk.exe also can be run without booting into Windows XP using Windows XP repair console in Windows XP installation disc.

Using checkdisk or chkdsk.exe will prove to useful when Windows XP cannot boot into normal mode because of common disk error in the Windows system file. Usually this common disk error can be fixed using checkdisk or chkdsk.exe.

To use checkdisk or chkdsk.exe using Windows repair console in Windows XP installation CD without booting into Windows:

1. Insert Windows XP installation CD into your media drive.
2. Set the computer to use the media drive as your first boot device in CMOS setting.
3. Boot the computer.
4. A prompt will appear when Windows installation system have finish loading.
5. Choose to repair windows (R).
6. Login using Administrator account.
7. Type checkdisk command in the recovery console.

Refer to this post for a list of checkdisk or chkdsk.exe command list. Usually running checkdisk or chkdsk.exe with argument /R is recommended to thoroughly fixed common disk problem. Checkdisk will run and will take some time according to the level of error on the disk.

Most of time, the problem of cannot boot into Windows in normal caused by common disk problem will be solved after running checkdisk or chkdsk.exe in Windows XP repair console without booting into Windows.

See also:

• Windows XP checkdisk utility - chkdsk.exe (4)
• Run checkdisk before defragmenting your hard drive (1)
• Run checkdisk at startup in Windows XP (1)

I wrote about random blue screen error message in my previous post when the random blue screen error message appear when one of my friend overclocked his processor. Another main factor that can cause random blue screen error message would be a faulty Random Access Memory (RAM) module. Even though the percentage of a RAM module became faulty is low, it does happen once in a while.

Most of motherboard nowadays integrate SPD (Serial Presence Detect) for RAM module speed setting in their motherboard, it is advisable to set the RAM module frequency to your default RAM module.

Serial Presence Detect (SPD) refers to a standardized way to automatically access information about a RAM module. It is the serial version of Parallel Presence Detect (PPD).

Sometimes SPD (Serial Presence Detect) can misconfigured the appropriate value for your RAM module, thus causing random blue screen error message. Usually, random blue screen error message caused by faulty RAM will appear when your Windows load, or during Windows operation.

If you encounter random blue screen error message after installing a new RAM module, make sure you do a quick check on your system BIOS on the RAM module setting. Random blue screen error message caused by faulty RAM module will disappear after the faulty RAM module is changed, or the RAM module setting are reset back to default.

See also:

• Blue screen with random error messages (1)
• Diagnosing Microsoft Windows XP blue screen (1)
• Blue screen when installing Microsoft Windows XP (1)
• Blue Screen of death after Microsoft Windows XP loading screen (2)

Do you know that windows XP has a built in checkdisk utility to fix common disk problem in Windows XP?

The checkdisk utility is known as chkdsk , a short form for checkdisk. Checkdisk in windows xp can be run manually by running the file chkdsk.exe located in Windows XP System folder. Chkdsk will verify and repair the integrity of the file system on any chosen volume.

The chkdsk utility can be run using two method. The first is by using Command prompt (cmd.exe) , and the other is by using the Graphical User Interface (GUI) version.

To run chkdsk using command prompt:

1. Click on start menu > Run (Alternatively you can use shortcut key - Windows key + R)
2. Type in “cmd” without the quote, press enter.
3. A command prompt window will appear.
4. Type “chkdsk <drive>:” without the quote.
   e.g : chkdsk C:

The most commonly use command with chkdsk utility is/f and /r. The /f command automatically fixes any errors encountered, the /r command locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. You can use chkdsk utility with /f and /r command by typing:

chkdsk C: /f /r

Usually a reboot will be required if chkdsk find that drive are locked by the Operating System. Chkdsk utility will run after the reboot. You can see more chkdsk option by typing

chkdsk /?

at the command prompt.

To run chkdsk using Graphical User Interface (GUI)

1. Open “My Computer”.
2. Right click on the drive that you are going to run the chkdsk utility.
3. Choose “Properties”.
4. Click on “Tools” tab.
5. Click on “Check Now” button.
6. A pop up window will appear. Tick on both boxes, click “Start Now”.
7. A message will appear saying that Error Checking will run after you restart the computer.
8. You can choose to restart the computer now, and chkdsk will run it restart windows xp automatically.

Chkdsk utility should be run on a regular basis, at least once a month to ensure that your hard disk drive are running without any error(s).

See also:

• Run checkdisk before defragmenting your hard drive (1)
• Run checkdisk at startup in Windows XP (1)
• Using checkdisk - chkdsk.exe without booting Windows (2)

Once in while the taskbar (the one with the start menu) in your Microsoft Windows will disappear from your desktop without any warning what so ever. This is due to the fact that explorer, the default shell for Microsoft Windows have been terminated by itself or other by other processes. Most of computer user will push the restart button when this happen, in order for the taskbar to reappear.

The solution to this is to restart explorer shell (explorer.exe) , and there is an easy way to restart explorer shell without having to restart your Microsoft Windows.

Follow this step to restart explorer shell (explorer.exe)

1. If task manager is not running, run Task Manager by holding the key CTRL+SHIFT+ESC.
2. In application tab (the first tab in Task Manager) , click on the “New Task” button.
3. Type explorer. exe in the create new task popup.
4. Click “Ok”.

Explorer.exe will start, and your taskbar will reappear will all the background program in the system tray.

Hope this will this easy step on how to restart explorer shell (explorer.exe) will be useful to all.

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Have this annoying windows error messages ever happen to you?

Cannot delete file: Access is denied
Cannot delete folder: There has been a sharing violation
Cannot delete file: It is being used by another person or program
Cannot delete folder: Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.

I know that once in a while every Microsoft Windows user have been through this “Cannot delete file” error message. There are several solutions regarding this Cannot delete file error message.

First of all, you have to find out why the file is locked thus preventing it from being deleted.

1. Is the file currently in use?
   The best way to check this is by running Task Manager. Task manager can be run by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc or Ctrl+Alt+Del and selecting Task manager. My favorite is Ctrl+Shift+Esc. Browse to tab “Processes” , and if the file that is causing the error message Cannot delete file is listed, right click on the process, and choose “End Process”.
2. Another program is using the file.
   The best way to find out if another program is using the file(s) that you are trying to delete is by using a software call “WhoLockMe”. WhoLockMe will display any program that are using the files that you are trying to delete.
   Download WhoLockMe here

Another powerful alternative to the Cannot delete file: Access is denied, Cannot delete folder: There has been a sharing violation, Cannot delete file: It is being used by another person or program, Cannot delete folder: Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use, is using a software Unlocker.

Unlocker will allow you to kill the processes that are locking file file and Unlocker will delete them automatically.

Download Unlocker here

Hope this will solved Cannot delete file: Access is denied, Cannot delete folder: There has been a sharing violation, Cannot delete file: It is being used by another person or program, Cannot delete folder: Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use problems.

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It is easy to diagnose, troubleshoot and repair blue screen error message if the same blue screen error message occure everytime the computer crash. But what if you get random blue screen error messages everytime the computer crash?

That’s what happened to my friend just now, when he call me through the phone.

The first thing I ask him is what was the last he thing he do to his windows before the random blue screen error messages occur evertime his computer crash. He told me he didn’t install anything before the random blue screen error messages appear. Then I ask him if he did anything with his hardware. He told me he add a new RAM module to his computer before the random blue error messages appear.

I told him to remove the new RAM module, and see if it solved the problem.

15 minutes later he call me again and told me the random blue screen messages still appear. I ask him again, besides adding the new RAM module, is there anything else that he did with his hardware before the random blue screen error messages appear everytime his computer crash that he forget to told me about. Suddenly he remember he overclocked his processor.

He overclocked his Intel Celeron 2.0Ghz to a whopping 2.6Ghz!

Overclocking is changing your processor speed to a higher value to squeeze out more performance from your processor. This technique can also be applied to RAM, graphic card, or anything that can be overclock

I told him to downclock it back to 2.0Ghz, install the new RAM module back, start the computer, wait and see if the random blue screen error messages everytime the computer crashes still occur. He doesn’t call me till now, and it has been 3 hours. I guess the random blue screen error messages problem have been solved.

See also:

• Random blue screen error message cause by faulty RAM (6)
• Diagnosing Microsoft Windows XP blue screen (1)
• Blue screen when installing Microsoft Windows XP (1)
• Blue Screen of death after Microsoft Windows XP loading screen (2)

A friend call me last night asking me why his computer is giving him blue screens while he is installing a fresh install of Microsoft Windows XP.

I ask him which part of the installation process is giving him the blue screens. He told me the blue screens appear when Microsoft Windows XP are loading the files after finish copying the files from the CD during the first installation step before the installation process self restart to boot into the Graphical User Interface of the installation process.

Usually when blue screens occured during this part of Microsoft Windows XP installation process are due to several factors:

1. Faulty RAM memory module.
2. Faulty Microsoft Windows XP installation CD, or Optical media problems.
3. Faulty motherboard.

I told him try to replace another RAM memory module.

Luckily by replacing a new RAM memory module on his computer, the Microsoft Windows XP installation went smoothly.

Blue screens due to faulty RAM memory module happen because the Microsoft Windows installation files got corrupted as the installation files are copied to RAM memory module during the first stage of Microsoft Windows XP installation process.

See also:

• Diagnosing Microsoft Windows XP blue screen (1)
• The basic tips for computer troubleshooting and repair. (0)
• Why Computers Crash (0)
• Random blue screen error message cause by faulty RAM (6)
• Blue screen with random error messages (1)

Microsoft Windows Operating system are synonym with the term blue screen of death , or just blue screens. Most technician will prompt the user to format or reinstall microsoft windows xp when the user bring the computer for computer repair.

Sometimes blue screens will occur when computer crashes , and Microsoft Windows will self restart after blue screen appearing for some seconds. This is due to the default settings of Microsoft Windows operating system.

To diagnose blue screen, you must change the default setting of Microsoft Windows XP operating system in System Properties.

1. Right click on My Computer icon on the desktop, and click “Properties”.
2. Choose “Advanced” tab
3. Click on “Settings” in the “Startup and Recovery” section.
4. Go to “System Failure” section , and tick “Write an event to the system log” , untick “Send an administrative alert” , untick “Automatically restart.
5. Click OK.

Now Microsoft Windows XP will write a dump file containing information on blue screens and will not self restart itself everytime blue screens occured during computer crashes.

Everytime blue screens occur, it will display some information on error occured. This informatios are crucial when troubleshooting and computer repair. Most of the blue screens will display error code. You can use this error for a search on the net for troubleshooting and computer repair process.

For example, a blue screens display the error nv4.sys . A quick search on the will show that nv4.sys is a component of Nvidia driver file, so automatically you know that the blue screens is caused by incompatible nvidia driver which is causing a conflict with the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Most of the time, an update of the driver will solved the blue screens problem. This can be apply to most of Microsoft Windows XP blue screens error.

See also:

• Blue screen when installing Microsoft Windows XP (1)
• Why Computers Crash (0)
• The basic tips for computer troubleshooting and repair. (0)
• Random blue screen error message cause by faulty RAM (6)
• Blue screen with random error messages (1)