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)

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)