Check Disk GUI–Check Hard Drive System Integrity The Easy Way

This past week I put up a post on Hard Drive maintenance – Don’t Wait Until Your Hard Drive Goes “Clunk-Clunk” – Check It Out Now With These Two Free Tools – which led to a query from Michael F., as to whether I had checked out a super little freeware application; CheckDiskGUI.

In fact I have. I originally posted on CheckDiskGUI in November 2010, but since CheckDiskGUI was recently updated to version 1.1.1, I’ve retested it. While I didn’t find any noticeable improvements, I continue to see this application as part of a sophisticated computer user’s system toolbox.

Here’s why:

From time to time, as part of your computer maintenance routine, it’s a good idea to check your Hard Drive’s file system integrity, by running Windows system integrity checker – CHKDSK (short for Check Disk).

There are a number of ways to run CHKDSK. If you’re an old MS DOS hound like me, then you’re probably comfortable running from the command prompt, using the following switches.

/c – NTFS only. Skips checking of cycles within the folder structure.

/f – Fixes errors on the volume. The volume must be locked. If Chkdsk cannot lock the volume, it offers to check it the next time the computer starts.

/i – NTFS only. Performs a less vigorous check of index entries.

/l – NTFS only. Displays current size of the log file.

/r – Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information (implies /f ). If Chkdsk cannot lock the volume, it offers to check it the next time the computer starts.

/v – On FAT. Displays the full path and name of every file on the volume.

On NTFS. Displays cleanup messages, if any.

/x – NTFS only. Forces the volume to dismount first, if necessary. All opened handles to the volume are then invalid (implies /f ).

/? – Displays this list of Chkdsk switches.

After CHKDSK has completed (if you’ve used the /f, or the /r, switches, this will only occur following a reboot since the volume is locked when in use), you can then view the Application Log by launching the Windows Event Viewer.

If you’re more comfortable operating in a graphical user interface environment the following method will suit your needs.

In Windows Explorer open the volume’s “Property” Tab “Tools” – click on “Error checking” and then “check now”.

In this example, I’ve checked “fix errors”, and “recover bad sectors”, the equivalent of the /f and /r switches, in the command prompt. As I said earlier, these commands will not be executed, until a system restart.

This method is not terrible complicated, but it’s still lacking a report capability. Once again, the users must launch Windows Event Viewer in order to view the Application Log.

As an alternative to either of the these two methods, I recommend that you run the Chkdsk command using the free CheckDiskGUI application.

The following screen captures will give you a quick overview of this small, but fairly powerful application.

Read only results – no “Fix”, or Fix and Recover”, options selected. However, notice that a full report is available.

Executing in “Fix”, or “Fix and Recover mode”, will allow two options – you can either run the commands at system restart, or immediately – by choosing to dismount the selected volume.

System requirements: Win7 x32, Win7 x64, Vista, Vista x64, XP.

Download at: Major Geeks

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Free CheckDisk GUI Makes Running CHKDSK Easy

From time to time, as part of your Computer maintenance routine, it’s a good idea to check your Hard Drive’s file system integrity, by running Windows system integrity checker – CHKDSK (short for Check Disk).

There are a number of ways to run CHKDSK. If you’re an old MS DOS hound like me, then you’re probably comfortable running from the command prompt, using the following switches.

/c – NTFS only. Skips checking of cycles within the folder structure.

/f – Fixes errors on the volume. The volume must be locked. If Chkdsk cannot lock the volume, it offers to check it the next time the computer starts.

/i – NTFS only. Performs a less vigorous check of index entries.

/l – NTFS only. Displays current size of the log file.

/r – Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information (implies /f ). If Chkdsk cannot lock the volume, it offers to check it the next time the computer starts.

/v – On FAT. Displays the full path and name of every file on the volume.

On NTFS. Displays cleanup messages, if any.

/x – NTFS only. Forces the volume to dismount first, if necessary. All opened handles to the volume are then invalid (implies /f ).

/? – Displays this list of Chkdsk switches.

After CHKDSK has completed (if you’ve used the /f, or the /r, switches, this will only occur following a reboot since the volume is locked when in use), you can then view the Application Log by launching the Windows Event Viewer.

If you’re more comfortable operating in a graphical user interface environment the following method will suit your needs.

In Windows Explorer open the volume’s “Property” Tab “Tools” – click on “Error checking” and then “check now”.

In this example, I’ve checked “fix errors”, and “recover bad sectors”, the equivalent of the /f and /r switches, in the command prompt. As I said earlier, these commands will not be executed, until a system restart.

This method is not terrible complicated, but it’s still lacking a report capability. Once again, the users must launch Windows Event Viewer in order to view the Application Log.

As an alternative to either of the these two methods, I recommend that you run the Chkdsk command using the free CheckDiskGUI application.

The following screen captures will give you a quick overview of this small, but fairly powerful application.

Read only results – no “Fix”, or Fix and Recover”, options selected. However, notice that a full report is available.

Executing in “Fix”, or “Fix and Recover mode”, will allow two options – you can either run the commands at system restart, or immediately – by choosing to dismount the selected volume.

If you’re looking for anther tool to add to your computer maintenance toolbox, CheckDiskGUI is worth taking a look at.

System requirements: Win7 x32, Win7 x64, Vista, Vista x64, XP.

Download at: Softpedia.com

Free CheckDrive – Detect And Fix Hard Drive Errors

Popular guest writer Rick Robinette, who is always on the hunt for the best in Freeware, has just come across CheckDrive, a great little Hard Drive error checking utility.

Here’s Rick’s review:

Looking for and writing content for a blog is a job, especially when you are on the run; however, in my email this morning a company called  Abelssoft, dropped me a line about a new FREE hard disk utility called CheckDrive 2011, that saved the day and possibly my hard disks.

From my early testing of this utility, it is like using chkdsk (checkdisk), with a very nice GUI (graphical user interface). As with chkdsk, if errors are found on any of your drives, repairing those errors can take some time.

Failure to identify and repair errors on your hard disks  (in the file system), can result in data corruption; thus, the importance of an utility such as CheckDrive.

As always, maintain backups of your data prior to running any maintenance utility. This is the type of utility I usually run on a monthly basis to check the integrity of my disks.

If you are not familiar with chkdsk (checkdisk):

Chkdsk (Checkdisk) is a command on computers running DOS, OS/2 and Microsoft Windows operating systems, that displays the file system integrity status of hard disks and floppy disk, and can fix logical file system errors. It is similar to the fsck command in Unix.

On computers running NT-based versions of Windows, CHKDSK can also check the disk surface for physical errors or bad sectors, a task previously done by SCANDISK. This version of CHKDSK can also handle some physical errors and recover data that is still readable. – Wikipedia

CheckDrive offers you an easy way to check your hard drives for errors. CheckDrive may detect and fix hard drive errors that might appear on system crashes or when switching off your PC without a proper Windows shutdown.

If you’ve ever had a system crash, then CheckDrive is for you. CheckDrive is completely free! Download it today to check your system for hard drive errors.

CheckDrive – Features:

Check Hard Disks for Errors – CheckDrive offers you an easy way of checking your PCs hard drives for errors. Those errors can be fixed immediately if you like.

Shows Drive Information – CheckDrive shows info about your drives and determines if your hard drive needs to be cleaned or defragmented.

Detects current fragmentation of your hard drives.

Shows the amount of garbage on your disks.

System requirements: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Win 7 (all – 32 and 64 bit).

Download at: Developer’s site (Abelssoft)

This is a guest post by Rick Robinette, who brings a background as a security/police officer professional, and as an information technology specialist to the Blogging world.

Why not pay a visit to Rick’s site at What’s On My PC. Like me, you’re sure to become a frequent visitor.

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