PC Problem

**sharky67** · #1 01-05-2007

I wonder if some of you computer guys can help me with a problem on my PC. I tried to run a defrag and was told that my disk had some errors that needed to be fixed so I should run scan disk. I ran scan disk and it restarted 10 times and wouldn't run through completely. What should my next step be to clean up my PC?

Stand Alone · #2 01-05-2007

When my old computer did that, I had to run a scan disk multiple times before it would defrag.

Evanthes · #3 01-05-2007

The best way to clean up a computer is to restore it, although it is kind of a pain, its a good idea to do about once a year, it's amazing you realize how fast your computer really is when it doesnt have any junk on it.

**warrior** · #4 01-05-2007

What is a defrag and what do you maen by restoring a computer?

Evanthes · #5 01-05-2007

when you buy a new computer they usually give you a few cds. usually these are restore disks that have your computer drivers, and operating system on it (Windows). What restoring does is wipes everything off your computer. So your going to want to backup any precious data you dont want deleted before putting the disks in.
So you put the disks in, and it formats your hard drive and then installs windows and your drivers again. Pretty much making it exactly like it was when you bought it.

-Today some manufacturers are gettting cheap and leave it to you to make your own disks, so if you dont have any disks you might have to make them from the restore partition on your hard drive.

basically defreagging is just a way that your hard drive re-organizes the files on itself. Over time from deleting files and writingnew ones, there can be big gaps in the drive, making it take longer to access files and thus slowing your computer down.

hope thats an understandable explaination

**warrior** · #6 01-05-2007

Sort of-but not sure how to defrag.And wiping all the files off and starting over-I have the disks but will not use unless I have to.the defrag sounds like a
good thing to do.

Evanthes · #7 01-05-2007

to defrag:
click on start>programs> Accessories>system tools> then click on disk defragmenter.
if you havent done it before it will take hours so do it before you go to bed or something

**warrior** · #8 01-06-2007

Thanks there Evan!

topshot · #9 01-06-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharky67

I wonder if some of you computer guys can help me with a problem on my PC. I tried to run a defrag and was told that my disk had some errors that needed to be fixed so I should run scan disk. I ran scan disk and it restarted 10 times and wouldn't run through completely. What should my next step be to clean up my PC?

You're not still using 98 or ME are you? That is a common problem with it because it starts over when a disk access occurs. There's some way to schedule it to scan when you boot the PC so this won't happen, but I don't remember how. You should be able to force it to do so if you don't shutdown normally. Save everything and pull the power plug out. When it comes up it should say something like Windows didn't shudown normally and the drive should be scanned for errors.

**sharky67** · #10 01-06-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by topshot

You're not still using 98 or ME are you? That is a common problem with it because it starts over when a disk access occurs. There's some way to schedule it to scan when you boot the PC so this won't happen, but I don't remember how. You should be able to force it to do so if you don't shutdown normally. Save everything and pull the power plug out. When it comes up it should say something like Windows didn't shudown normally and the drive should be scanned for errors.

I've done that, but the scan won't finish to completion. It always gets "hung-up". Yes, I am running ME - it is what came with the computer.