If there’s a piece of equipment that works hard in your PC, it’s your hard disk drive (HDD.) HDDs operate at anywhere between 4200 and 15000 RPM (perhaps higher) while in use. In other words, these things spin anywhere between 70 and 250 times a second—sometimes for days on end! While the information in this guide mostly applies to both HDDs and Solid State Drives (SSD), SSDs have no moving parts so some of the information will not apply.

With high speeds and enormous data transfers on a daily basis hard drive file systems, used to store and access all your data, are prone to corruption and failure. Thankfully, all versions of Windows come with a nifty, free tool called “Check Disk” (chkdsk.) In this guide, we’ll show you how to use Check Disk and explain a little about common errors to which hard drives are prone.

How Do Hard Drives Get Corrupted?

All storage media is prone to corruption; however HDDs are a little more exposed as they have moving parts. Included in these moving parts are read/write heads that, when jolted mid read/write (i.e. when you put your laptop down on a table) can crash into the hard disk platters and ruin data. Technically, a jolted head can wipe out a whole HDD if it hits the right area and I’ve seen this happen with a coworker’s laptop. Presumably, that won’t happen to you if you’re careful; however, you may have already lost/scrambled data without realizing it.

Even you’re careful with your PC (or it’s a desktop and you don’t move it while it’s powered on), there are other ways to corrupt data. Common ways in which data is corrupted include: power surges, malware, turning your PC off without a clean shut down (Windows may label your drive as a “dirty” disk), and even flipped bits resulting from non-ECC protected memory. These corruption issues affect both HDD and SSD users. Often, HDDs will take care of bad sectors with self-detection mechanisms; however, corrupted file systems are dealt with using chkdsk.

What Does chkdsk Do?

chkdsk scans your hard drive, identifies problems, and attempts to fix these problems. Specifically, chkdsk:

• Searches for invalid file names and dates
• Identifies and attempts to fix bad compression structures, sectors, and invalid clusters
• Finds lost clusters (orphaned) and fixes cross-linked clusters
• Fixes file-system cycles (e.g. folders referring to themselves as their parent folder)
• Marks unrecoverable sectors as bad so they cannot be used again to store (and lose) data

What is a Sector? What is a Cluster?

Hard disks are made up of millions of tiny storage areas referred to as sectors; these sectors are a physical section of a hard disk platter in which data (usually up to 512 bytes) is stored. As hard drives increase in size, addressing so many sectors (a 1TB drive has up to approximately 2,147,483,648 sectors) becomes difficult. Thus, sectors are grouped, by Windows, into clusters. A cluster size is determined by the size of your hard disk partition.

What Happens to these Clusters?

Clusters can become orphaned (disassociated with their original data), incorrectly marked (unused put part of a cluster chain), invalid (incorrectly valued), or cross-linked (assigned to two files or twice for one file.) Another way to think of this is to take a look at your food pantry/storage/cupboard. Without regular upkeep, food expires; ingredients, purchased specifically for meals get forgotten; and labels may even fall off so you’re left guessing what spice concoction you have.

There are many reasons why this may happen and while you may be able to prevent much of this through proper hardware care, sometimes data just gets out of line without you realizing. Thankfully, chkdsk can often convert these broken clusters to files that you can copy somewhere safe.

How Do I Use chkdsk?

You can access chkdsk in two ways: through the graphical user interface (GUI) or through the command line interface (CLI.)

Note: chkdsk requires admin privileges. If you are unable to run chkdsk, please check with your systems administrator. If you run chkdsk on a disk from which files are in use (i.e. your “C” drive), you will need to allow Windows to run chkdsk next time you boot your PC (using autochk settings stored in HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\BootExecute.)

To run the chkdsk GUI:

1. Click the Start button and click Computer
2. Right click on any drive and click Properties
3. Click the Tools tab and click Check Now
   Caution: Check Disk may run for many hours (a full check on a 1.5TB drive once took 28 hours) so please be patient and don’t schedule a disk check  when you require access to your PC
4. Select Automatically fix file system errors and click Start
   Note: I’d use “Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors” sparingly as many drives do this, for the most part, themselves

To run the chkdsk CLI:

• Bring up the command line and run chkdsk /F C: to fix file system errors only (on drive C)
• or run chkdsk /R G: to fix system errors and attempt recovery of bad sectors (on drive G)

How Often Should I Run chkdsk?

Your PC works better when there’s organization and data is both referenced and stored in the same place. Thus, I recommend you run chkdsk 4-12 times/year depending on your PC usage. Running it more often than once a month is probably a waste of time.

Note: If your computer is infected with a virus or if your hard drive is seriously damaged, chkdsk may fail mid operation. If you opted for a boot-time check, you may not be able to get into Windows to do much else with your PC (if it still boots into Windows.) Diagnosis and explanation of such an issue is out of the scope of this basic guide. If you’re stuck and need assistance, we can help at Windows Forums. 

There are a number of Windows Guides that ask you to start the computer in safe mode:

• Remove Viruses And Malware in Safe Mode [How To]
• 5 Easy Ways to Uninstall Toolbars In Internet Explorer 8
• Perform a System Restore in Windows Vista and 7 [How To]

In this guide, we’ll show you a couple of ways to get into Safe Mode in Windows XP, Vista, 7, and Windows 8.

There are two easy ways to boot into safe mode. I recommend the first method if you want to boot into Safe Mode one time; I recommend the second method if you plan to boot into safe mode each time your computer starts or if you have trouble with the first method.

1. Use the F8 Key when Windows boots to invoke Safe Mode
2. Modify the BOOT.INI file to boot into safe mode every time

Use the F8 Key when Windows Boots to Invoke Safe Mode

The quickest way to boot into Safe Mode is to hold and press the F8 key as you restart your computer:

1. Remove flash drives and any optical discs from your PC

2. Restart your computer; once your computer is shut down (the power will go off and on for a brief moment), hold the F8 key down until you see the following menu*:

Modify the BOOT.INI File to Boot into Safe Mode every Time

Vista/7/8 msconfig settings:

Next time you boot you will see something like this:

If you find you can’t access Safe Mode, please head over to Windows Forums where we can give you a hand.

Launching Sysinternals tools from the command line/Run dialog is easy. First, you’ll need the list of names of the Sysinternals tools, which can be found here: live.sysinternals.com

Once you have the name of the tool,  launch the Run dialog (Winkey+R) and type the following:

 \\live.sysinternals.com\tools\toolname.exe

Replace toolname.exe with the name of the tool you want to run. For example, if you want to run Process Explorer, enter the following command:

 \\live.sysinternals.com\tools\procexp.exe

Give it a few moments and you’ll be prompted to run the tool for which you executed the command:

For most tools, you are asked to accept the terms of the software and then you’ll be up and running:

That’s it. Now you can access Sysinternals tools from any Windows PC  with an internet connection—anywhere in the world. If you’d like to carry the most important tools with you in a suite, check out the Sysinternals Suite here. If you want to learn more about Sysinternals tools such as Process Explorer, head here.

We like using Sysinternals tools here at Windows Guides; these tools bring core Windows functions together and help you administer to your systems more easily.

In this guide, we’ll cover the basics:

1. What are the Sysinternals tools?
2. How to download and run these tools on your PC
3. Where can I learn more about these tools?

We’ll then take a look at two of my favorite tools: Bginfo and Process Explorer.

Here are some other tools that we’ve covered in the past on Windows Guides:

• AutoRuns – What is really going on inside your Windows?
• SDelete Deletes Your Files Permanently
• Microsoft Desktops Gives You Multiple Desktops to Work With

What are the Sysinternals tools?

Sysinternals utilities help you manage, troubleshoot, and diagnose Windows and applications. These tools are created by the Microsoft community and are kept up to date to work with the latest versions of Windows. I’ve used some of these tools for as long as I can remember using modern versions of Windows (Windows 2000 and beyond) and you might just find one or two useful–even if you don’t consider yourself a PC geek.

How to Download and Run these Tools on Your PC

You have a few choices when using the Sysinternals tools:

1. Download individual tools from the Sysinternals website
2. Run Sysinternals tools from the command line (requires internet connection)
3. Download the Sysinternals Suite (all troubleshooting tools in one)

Where can I Learn More about these Tools?

There are literally hundreds of programs out there, promising to UNdelete or recover your lost files, some of which actually work. Usually its the ones you have to buy that gets it right. There is however a free option if you are using Windows 7 (and Vista).

Previous Version Tool

Windows is set by default to make System Restore Points to protect system files making it possible to revert your windows to an earlier working version. This functionality can also be used to create backups of other files and documents as well. The good news is that in Windows 7 this feature is set as default. It’s called: Previous Version.

The way Previous Version works is to choose a file that has become corrupted or somewhat distorted, and restore that particular file using the System Restore Point. That sounds fine, but how does this help me if I accidentally deleted a file ??

The good news is that Previous Version, doesn’t just work on single files, but on folders as well. And this is how you use it:

1. Open Windows Explorer and find the folder where your file(s) used to be
2. Right Click the Folder, and choose Properties from the Context Menu
3. In the Properties window, click the Tab named: Previous Version
   
4. IF Windows has made a Restore Point including this folder, you should see the folder name in the Folder Version window (the same folder may exist in several “versions”). Double Click the folder in the view.
   

Now you should see the contents of that folder as it were the last time a restore point was made. At this point you have two options: Restore the entire folder, or copy the file(s) you want to recover.

• To restore the entire folder, choose the folder version you like (in the Folder Version Window), then click the Restore Button.
• To restore some of the content, you can simply highlight the files you want, and copy (CTRL +C) them to a new location.

It’s just as simple as it gets

Other Mintywhite Article on the subject

• Create a System Restore Point in Windows 7
• Restore Lost Data and Repair Damaged Files

This guide will show you how to create a restore point in Windows 7. Here are guides for Windows XP and Vista:

• Create a System Restore Point in Windows XP
• Create a System Restore Point in Windows Vista

Create a System Restore Point

To create a system restore point in Windows 7:

1. Click the Start button, type create restore, and click on Create a restore point

   

2. In the System Properties dialog box, click Create

   

3. Give your restore point a name and click Create

   

4. Wait while Windows creates a system restore point for you

   

You are now ready to make system modifications.

Recover Your System by Using a Restore Point

Creating a restore point is a good start, but it is useful to know how to use the restore point if you need it. To restore your system from a previously created restore point, follow this guide.

If you want to know what options you have with system restore or how to clean up old restore points, follow these guides:

• Change & Limit System Restore In Windows 7 [How To]
• Perform a System Restore in Windows Vista and 7 [How To]

It’s important to keep your drivers updated to take advantage of code fixes, reliability improvements, and security; Intel have made it even easier to keep your drivers up to date with the Intel Driver Update Utility.

Intel Driver Update Utility

To use the Intel Driver Update Utility, go here.

Intel does not collect personal information when running this check. From the site:

• No personal information is collected.
  • Intel is committed to protecting your privacy. For more information about Intel’s Privacy Notice, please visit www.intel.com/privacy.
• Only your system’s hardware and system software are evaluated.
  • For example: chipset, graphics driver version, networking, operating system version.
• Available for Windows 7*, Windows Vista*, Windows XP*, and Windows 2000*. If you are using a different operating system, please visit Download Center to look for available software.
• Compatible with Internet Explorer*, Firefox*, Google Chrome*, and Safari* browsers.
• Installing a secure ActiveX*/Java* browser component is required.

Click Check your system for the latest updates:

Once you click the Check your system button, you’ll need to confirm the Java applet can run by clicking Run.

Any updates will be listed and you can download them directly from Intel.

I recommend uninstalling the tool after you’ve updated drivers although it should do no harm if it remains installed:

Please note: Some devices will be found but not recognized such as non-Intel graphics and sound cards. You can update drivers for these devices (as well as your Intel devices) using a program like Device Doctor.

Download Intel Driver Update Utility

Run Intel Driver Update Utility

Want to check for updates to and update all your drivers? Download Device Doctor:

Download Device Doctor

Download Device Doctor

To make the most of these updates, you should install them when available. We’ve looked at troubleshooting specific Windows Update errors in the past and showed you the System Update Readiness tool. If you’re still stuck with Windows Update errors, you can try resetting the Windows Update Agent (WUA) with a FixIt tool. You can also try installing updates manually, in Safe Mode, or by removing Malware that’s blocking updates first. 4sysops has put together a guide to help you troubleshoot issues with Windows Update and how to take the troubleshooting steps listed above before you take your PC in for a potentially expensive and inconvenient repair.

Windows Update errors – A troubleshooting guide | 4sysops

Uninstalling applications is never as seamless a process as installing them. Although Windows PCs come with a built-in utility, the Add or Remove Programs utility, that allows users to easily uninstall various applications and software, it usually fails to do the required job when you need to uninstall certain applications, such as McAfee Antivirus suite or DirectX.

Incomplete uninstallation may cause errors and complications on the system. Leftover processes of a previously installed program may interfere with other running processes and cause application errors, as well as performance related issues, such as frequent software crashes and system slow downs. This is why it is absolutely essential that when you remove a program you ensure that all its associated processes, files, and registry entries are also permanently deleted.

With the help of two examples, McAfee antivirus suite and DirectX we discuss how to uninstall programs that may not get completely removed using the Add or Remove Programs utility.

Before we discuss this, let’s see how to use the Add or Remove Programs utility to uninstall applications, such as Microsoft Office 2007.

Uninstall Office 2007 using Add or Remove Programs

Uninstalling programs using the Add or Remove Programs utility is simple, as this example shows.

1. Click Start and then click Control Panel to open its corresponding window.
2. Double-click Add or Remove Programs.
3. Locate and select Office 2007.
4. Click Uninstall.

In the following section, we discuss how to completely uninstall applications, such as McAfee Antivirus and DirectX that the Add or Remove Programs utility may fail to remove.

Uninstall McAfee

When it comes to removing antivirus suites, the Add or Remove Programs utility is often found to be wanting. This may be because of the fact that such programs place their files and entries deep into the system and the Add or Remove Programs utility fails to remove them completely.

Most Antivirus software manufacturers, therefore, release an uninstaller tool for their line of products. It is best to use such uninstaller tools – these tools are typically distributed from the software manufacturer’s website for free – to remove antivirus software. In case the software manufacturer does not provide an uninstaller tool, you may use a reliable professional uninstaller tool.

To remove McAfee, first remove the software using the Add or Remove Programs utility – the same way as you uninstall any other application. Next, visit McAfee’s official website and download MCPR.exe, which is the uninstaller tool for McAfee products. After you have downloaded the MCPR.exe file on to your desktop, double-click it to run the uninstaller tool.

Uninstall DirectX

DirectX is an application that is built-in to your Windows system. An attribute peculiar to DirectX is that it cannot be uninstalled using the Add or Remove Programs utility, as the application does not appear in your installed programs list.

If for some reason you need to remove the version of DirectX installed on your computer then simply remove the DirectX entry from the registry and Delete the DirectX folder.

Important: Before making any changes to the registry, always back up the registry first. You can make registry backups either manually or by using a reliable registry maintenance software.

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\DirectX
3. Delete all the keys for DirectX.
4. Right-click the Directx folder in left-pane and click Delete.
5. Restart Windows.

Note: It is not possible to completely remove DirectX from the PC as it is an integral part of the operating system. The above steps uninstall the upgraded version of DirectX from the PC and reinstall the default DirectX version for your Windows operating system when the PC is restarted.

James Ricketts is a writer whose work can be seen at Instant-Registry-Fixes.org. To find out more about his work or to contact him, please visit Instant-Registry-Fixes.org.

Featuring: WIM-images and Diskpart

When I first bought my netbook from Acer it came with the  Windows 7 Starter (scam) Edition. Luckily for me I had an extra Home Premium license I could use. Problem was that the graphics driver needed was not available for download, and was not available through Windows. A fact I only discovered once I had re-installed windows. Another irritating thing I discovered was that the bundled software that was pre-installed with my windows starter edition, did not run anymore.

The solution? The hidden recovery partition.

Most new computers today comes with pre-installed Windows and bundled software. These licenses or programs does not come with an installation disk, package or user-manuals. Instead the setup files (or recovery disk) is stored in a hidden partition on your hard-drive, together with various extra drivers and tweak files. At the end of this article I will show you where to look for the files and how to retrieve them, but first lets unhide the partition. To unlock or get access to this hidden partition we need to unhide it. This can be achieved using the built-in DiskPart Tool. You can choose to get access to the disk on a one-time basis or permanently assigning a drive letter for it. In most cases you are able to assign a drive letter using the Windows Disk management tool. The Recovery Partition is normally set to have no drive letter by default. We can override this feature by using Diskpart.

Diskpart

Diskpart is a Command Line Utility which allows us to control every disk and partition on our system. We have shown you different uses for this tool on occasion, and this time we will use it to get access to the hidden partition. To make a hidden partition available we need to assign a drive letter, and this is how:

1. Click Start-button and type DISKPART and press Enter.
2. Click OK when the UAC prompt you
3. In the Diskpart Dialogue Window, type: list disk This will show you a list of the disks  installed on your computer.
4. Type Select Disk 0 (where zero is the disk we want to use, if you have more that one disk you might want to try accessing one by one until you find the right one)
5. Type List Partition. You will see a list of all partitions on the drive, in my case there are two. One large and one small. The small one is the one we want to change. You can also identify the hidden partition by the fact that there are no drive letter assigned to it.
6. Type Select Partition 1 (Where 1 represent your partition)
7. Type Assign If successful you should get an Auto-run dialogue.
8. Type Exit to close the Diskpart Tool.

Hidden on reboot…

On some computers the partition will be hidden again on the next boot. This is due to a setting called “nodefaultdriveletter”, which tells windows that the partition is to be hidden by default. If you would like to keep the partition visible,  you will have to change the setting.

1. Open the Diskpart tool
2. Type Select Disk 0
3. Type List Partition
4. Type Select Partition 1 (Replace 1 with the corresponding letter)
5. Type Detail Partition This will display the settings for your partition. If the Type is set to 27 the partition is set as hidden.
6. Try one of the following commands: Set ID=07 OVERRIDE attributes volume clear hidden
7. Type Assign to assign a drive letter.
8. Type Exit to close the Diskpart Tool.

The next time you boot your computer the partition will still be visible.

Looking through the Recovery Partition Folder

Now it’s time to do a bit of digging inside the Folders. The location of drivers and software will vary depending on your brand or computer type. In my case, everything I need is  hidden inside the ACER-HQ1 folder. You will see many different folders containing everything from Windows Recovery or setup-files, drivers and the licensed software that came bundled with your computer. The content of these folders will most likely be WIM-files or images. The Windows Imaging Format (WIM) is a file-based disk image format (like ISO, RAR and ZIP). It was developed by Microsoft to deploy its latest Windows operating system releases, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008, which use it as part of their standard installation procedure. It works equally well with older versions of Windows.

Windows Setup Files Found in the Recovery Partition

Accessing WIM-Images

To access the contents the WIM-files you need a WIM capable reader. I suggest you use WinMount which works similar to WinRAR, but allow you to mount WIM-images temporarily.

Inside a WIM-image you will usually find 2 folders and a xml-file (it may vary). Usually the content you seek is within the folder named 1 (one). After mounting you might need to copy the contents to a new folder before installing the program or driver. Once you have done that, you can install the software as you please.

Bundled software licenses

In order to make sure you don’t install the bundled software onto other computers most setup files have a CMD-file attached to it. This is a scriptfile that will check the identity of your computer before allowing the setup to start. Delete this file to avoid it from running.

The serial is usually found inside an INI-file or a XML-file. And that should be all you need to know. Good Luck

Download WinMount

Download WinMount