How to Diagnose & Fix Disk Problems in XP

The Windows XP CHKDSK utility repairs hard disk file system problems.

Microsoft Windows XP includes the CHKDSK utility to diagnose and fix disk problems. Over time the file system on a Windows XP disk can become damaged. Run CHKDSK to see if errors exist and attempt to repair the problems. CHKDSK can take a significant amount of time to run, possibly over an hour depending on the amount of data stored on the drive. Make certain you have enough time to wait for the process to complete before you start it.

Instructions

Diagnose

1. Click the "Start" button and select "All Programs." Click "Accessories," then "Command Prompt."

2. Enter "chkdsk <DriveLetter>" at the Command Prompt and then press "Enter." Replace "<DriveLetter>" with the letter of the drive you wish to check, such as "C."

3. Wait for CHKDSK to complete. Read the output. If "No errors detected" appears, the drive does not contain any problems. Otherwise, proceed with fixing the errors.

Fix

1. Back up all important data to external media, such as a portable hard drive or DVD-R or RW, and ensure all programs are closed.

2. Enter "chkdsk <DriveLetter> /r" at the Command Prompt and press "Enter." Substitute "<DriveLetter>" with the letter of the drive you wish to check, such as "C."

3. Press "Y," if prompted, to schedule CHKDSK to run next time you reboot and restart the computer.

4. Wait for the CHKDSK repair to complete.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the "/i" or "/c" switches on NTFS drives to perform a less invasive diagnosis that takes less time to run. Enter "fsutil dirty query <DriveLetter>:" at the Command Prompt to report whether a given drive is flagged as dirty, meaning it contains errors. Replace "<DriveLetter>" with the drive to be checked. Proceed with fixing the drive if the diagnosis reports it is dirty.

References

• Microsoft Technet: Troubleshooting Disks and File Systems