 | Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years. Thanks, CNET Support |
I am trying to defragment my system. I get a message to run Scan Disk for an error on my drive. Scan Disk does not fix the error. I restored back to three earlier dates, but the problem still exists. What should I do next?
Discussion is locked
Consider the possibility that the drive has a problem that scandisk cannot fix. ID the maker of the hard drive and download the diagnostic tools for that drive. This should tell you if its time to replace it.
The CPU is a Dell Dimension 4100. The drive is the original. How do I run the diagnostics as you suggested?
You will need to either research the installed components on the Dell website to find the manufacturer or open the case and eyeball the label on the drive.
well i had the same problem 3 months ago and i downloaded a new optmizer to try it and it worked some how a driver got corrupted and i couldn't fix it so just got frustred that i had to use another program so i wipe disk it and reinstall my xp or if you have 98 ect.
ronicalynn, did you happen to try to install MSN9 when this problem started for you? I downloaded the program that I received via a CD from MSN a short time before we stared to have this problem. I have also found that the system is running slower, not faster. I have tried to uninstall the program, but I can't find the "MSN INSTALL" on the the list to uninstall it.
Do you mean Media player 9? Was it the MS CD security update, just curious. It surley would not have installed the player just security patch for most current versions. I have never installed WMP 9, I hear there are proplems although not the one your having.
I received an MSN 9 Dial-up upgrade...tried to download it, but I couldn't get it to work and improve the speed with the Accelerator. I deleted the program, but now I am having other problems. I restored the system, tried to degragment the drive, but that didn't work because the Scan Disk wouldn't fix a disk error. Last night I was able to get the defrag 89% complete, but not 100%. I tried the MSN instructions that I found on-line, stopping all running programs. It didn't work either. The system is still getting hung up periodically, until I reboot. Any suggestions on what else I can try?
Was it the MSN 9 Accelerator? I tried it with Windows ME. Since then I have had several different problems. I restored the system to an earlier date, deleted the program, tried everything I can thing of...no luck!
Restart the computer into "Safe Mode" using the instructions below:
Restart the computer, pressing the F8 key once per second, till it loads a selection screen. Use the up and down arrows to select "Safe Mode", press enter, and the computer will load into a safe mode. It looks like a normal screen but with Safe Mode in each of the four corners. The various drivers don't work in Safe Mode but it allows you to Scandisk and Defrag. When you?re done, restart the machine and it will boot normally.
At this time run Scandisk and Defrag to correct and align the file system to its optimum. Do the Scandisk first, then the Defrag. After opening Scandisk, place a CHECK mark in ?Automatically Fix Errors. Click on the "Advanced" button, then make sure the settings look like this:
Display Summary=Always
Log File=Replace Log
Cross-linked File=Delete
Lost File Fragments=Free
Check Valid Files For=Place a check in ALL of the options
Check Host Drive First
If it finishes, and if it indicates "Errors were found", then restart the computer into "Safe Mode" again, then run Scandisk again. When Scandisk runs without Errors, then run "Disk Defragmenter" while in "Safe Mode" also.
Hope this helps.
Grif
Chowhound
Comic Vine
GameFAQs
GameSpot
Giant Bomb
TechRepublic