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Article ID: 31426
Last Reviewed: 4/28/2010 6:23:23 AM

How to check for drive errors on Microsoft Windows 7

Problem

It is useful to check for drive errors if you are having performance issues or if you have an external hard drive that is not working properly.


Resolution

Open Computer by clicking the Start button  , and then clicking Computer.




Right-click the drive that you want to check, and then click
Properties.

Click the Tools tab, and then, under Error-checking, click Check now.  If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

To automatically repair problems with files and folders that the scan detects, select Automatically fix file system errors. Otherwise, the disk check will report problems but not fix them.

To perform a thorough check, select Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors. This scan attempts to find and repair physical errors on the drive itself, and it can take much longer to complete.

To check for both file errors and physical errors, select both Automatically fix file system errors and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.

Click Start.

This process will take several minutes depending on the size of your drive.  It is recommended you don’t use pc for anything else while the scan is running.

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