Scandisk and what is it??

Scandisk is a utility that comes with MS DOS 6.x or later that helps identify disk problems and helps put those disk problems in order. Put simply, if scandisk does find damage on the drive, it will let you put that damage aside, so you can save them and see how much damage is involved, it does NOT correct problems with software!! Only a reinstall of software will fix software problems. Scandisk is your indicator if you need to reinstall.

Now that I have defined what scandisk does, now you're probably asking, how do I use it?? From DOS, type in SCANDISK and enter, this will come up then with a BLUE screen checking the hard drive and file allocation tables. Now if it comes up with PROBLEM FOUND, Scandisk found x bytes in lost clusters that once was part of drive but is just taking up space.. then you will then click on Save and then it will tell you that Scandisk is about to make changes to drive C:(or D:, or E:), click on Skip Undo. and when the computer comes up with Scandisk has finished testing the file structure of the drive, do you wish to perform a surface scan, click on No
This will then report what occured and hit ESC or F3 to exit.
Once you have exited scandisk, to see how much damage currently on the drive, type in the following at your DOS prompt:

C:\dir *.chk /s

This will come up with FILE0001.CHK, FILE0002.CHK, etc and a total amount of damage below. This figure is the amount of damage past and present on the drive. This should be proof enough in order to reinstall!!!

chkdsk and what is it??

Like scandisk, chkdsk is the DOS command for CHecKDiSK which checks the drive for disk errors. This will help check for errors and fix them, BUT it will NOT FIX the Software GPF's or errors!! Only a reinstall of software will fix software problems. Chkdsk is your indicator if you need to reinstall.

Now that I have defined what chkdsk does, now you're probably asking, how do I use it?? Well chkdsk is a bit different than scandisk, since it's a DOS command not a program, and it is run from the following:

C:\>chkdsk

This will come up with TONS of information reguarding the hard drive, I will just say that IF there is damage found, it will say probably on the third line of the information that "Errors found, /f parameter not specified". Now this means that in order to check the drive AND fix the errors on the drive, type in the following:

C:\>chkdsk /f

Now it will come up with the TONS of information, BUT it will prompt you to Convert lost files to chains, hit Y and Enter. This will convert the damage to files that can be viewed. To view those files, type in the following:

C:\>dir *.chk /s

This will come up with FILE0001.CHK, FILE0002.CHK, etc and a total amount of damage below. This figure is the amount of damage past and present on the drive. This should be proof enough in order to reinstall!!!