How to check a disk for errors. Checking the hard drive for bad sectors and errors

Windows malfunctions, emergency shutdown of the computer, experiments with disk space management software, the consequences of viruses - these and other problems can lead to the automatic launch of the standard Windows Chkdsk utility, designed to correct errors in the file system of hard drives. Incorrectly completed operation of the operating system with files leads to file system errors, and sometimes even damage to the file system. In emergency cases, the Chkdsk utility turns on itself before Windows starts, scans disk partitions and corrects errors. However, the fact that there are problems with the file system may not make itself felt during normal use of the computer and only become apparent when trying to manage disk space. So, for example, when trying to shrink a disk partition using standard Windows tools, we may receive the following notification: “It is possible that the volume selected for compression is damaged. Use Chkdsk to troubleshoot the problem, and then try shrinking the volume again."

In this case, disk check will not start automatically. How to run Chkdsk manually in Windows 7, 8.1 and 10? How can I use Chkdsk to fix disk errors if this problem is the reason the operating system is unable to boot?

Inside Windows, the Chkdsk utility can be launched in several ways.

1. Run Chkdsk using Windows GUI

To run Chkdsk, in the system explorer on drive C, right-click and open “Properties”.

In the disk partition properties window that opens, go to the “Services” tab, and in it click the “Check” button (or “Run check” for Windows 7).

In versions of Windows 8.1 and 10, if everything is in order with the disk file system, in the window that appears next, we will see a notification that checking is not required. But if you wish, you can start checking the disk with the Chkdsk utility by clicking “Check disk”.

If the system suspects file system errors, this window will contain a button to start scanning and repairing the disk.

For Chkdsk to work relative to drive C, you must restart the computer. You can do this immediately or delay running the scan until the next reboot.

After restarting the computer, we will be able to observe the operation of Chkdsk.

In Windows 7, launching Chkdsk is slightly different: to the preinstalled option of automatic error correction, you can add another possible option - checking and repairing bad sectors of the hard drive. When activating this option, it is worth considering that in this case Chkdsk may take longer to run.

As with Windows 8.1 and 10, in version 7 the system drive C cannot be scanned within a running operating system. To start the scan, the computer must be restarted. Click “Schedule disk check”.

When checking a non-system partition of a disk, if it is used by some programs, the situation is simpler than with the system partition. In the window with a notification that the disk is currently in use, you just need to click the “Disconnect” button to, accordingly, disable this partition for the duration of the scan.

2. Run Chkdsk using the command line

To run Chkdsk using the command line, first, accordingly, launch the latter.

In the command line enter a command like this:

In this command, instead of drive C, we each time substitute the letter of the desired partition on which the scan is required. If Chkdsk needs to check the system partition C, as with the GUI, you will need to restart the computer. When a message appears in the command line about the impossibility of locking the specified drive, you need to enter “Y”, then restart the computer.

In addition to the /f parameter, which is responsible for correcting disk errors, Chkdsk can be run with the /r parameter, designed to search for bad sectors and restore data. As a result of Chkdsk running with this parameter, hard disk clusters with unreadable sectors will be listed as damaged (bad blocks) and their functions will be transferred to a new cluster. Therefore, it is recommended to run Chkdsk with the /r parameter only when the usual error correction - running the utility with the /f parameter - does not bring the necessary results. Using the same drive C as an example, the command would look like this:

3. Running Chkdsk on a non-booting Windows

If Windows freezes at a certain point in the boot process, one of the possible causes of this problem is file system errors. In this case, you need to run Chkdsk by booting from the rescue media. As such, you can use regular installation media with versions of Windows 7, 8.1 or 10. With its help, we will launch the Chkdsk utility inside the command line. At the first stage of starting the system installation process, press the command line launch keys – Shift+F10.

In the command line that opens, before running the Chkdsk command, you need to clarify which letters define the disk partitions. This is easy to do using a notepad. I launch it with the command:

Click the notepad menu “File”, then “Open”.

In the explorer that opens, remember the new drive designations. As a rule, in Windows 8.1 and 10, the C drive partition (as it exists inside the running operating system) is listed as D, since the letter C is assigned to the first technical partition of the system. And all other sections are shifted by one letter of the alphabet.

Having decided on the letters of the disk partitions, close Notepad, then, returning to the command line, enter a command like this:

As with Chkdsk inside Windows, you must first try to fix disk errors by running the utility with the /f parameter. And only if the problem is not solved, only then run the command with the /r parameter, as indicated in the previous paragraph of the article.

In cases where Windows is unable to boot, you can pre-burn an emergency Live disk with a selection of various tools to restore the operating system. Among these, for example, is AdminPE based on WinPE. Its image for recording on a disk or flash drive can be downloaded from the official website of the project Adminpe.Ru. Using AdminPE, you can launch a command prompt and enter the Chkdsk launch commands discussed above. But in this Live disk, the Chkdsk utility has its own interface and is launched using a script. The shortcut to launch the utility is placed directly on the desktop.

In the drop-down list to check the disk, select the desired disk partition. Next, activate the checkboxes for restoring damaged sectors and forcibly disabling a partition (volume). Let's check the launches.

AdminPE's tools include a number of other utilities for working with hard drives, as well as the well-known programs Hard Disk Sentinel and Victoria.

Have a great day!

Quite often, the slow operation of a computer or laptop is associated precisely with errors and malfunctions in the hard drive. In this article, we will figure out how to check the health of your hard drive using Windows tools and programs specially designed for this.

This method is equally effective for Windows Xp, Vista, 7, 8 and 10. Required:

If the notification “Windows cannot scan the drive that is currently in use” appears, click “Schedule scan”.

So now we do a reboot, and when the system boots, it will run a performance test through the BIOS and fix media errors. Its duration can range from 2-3 minutes to an hour, depending on the characteristics of the hard drive and its capacity.

Checking the hard drive for errors via the command line

To start the scan, you must complete the following steps: go to “Start/All Programs/Accessories/Command Prompt”. Right-click and click “Run as Administrator”.

In the window that appears, execute the command “chkdsk disk_partition: scan_parameters”. Please note that this method only works with disks that have been formatted in FAT32 or NTFS.

An example command is “chkdsk C: /F /R”. Its essence is as follows:

• Section C will be checked for errors;
• Any problems found will be automatically corrected (parameter F is responsible for this);
• Damaged sectors will be checked and information will be restored (parameter R);

If you want to diagnose the drive currently being used by the system, you will see a special notification. You will be prompted to run the scan the next time you boot your computer. To agree with this, press Y, to refuse - N. Based on the results of the check, you will have access to information about the verified data, the number of damaged sectors and errors found.

To get a complete list of options, run chkdsk with a question mark as an option. But if you need a regular check for errors and sectors, then the above information will be enough for you.

It happens that errors found during scanning cannot always be corrected immediately; it is likely that this is due to the program running at that time. In this situation, an offline scan of the drive will be required: it is disconnected from operation, diagnostics are carried out, and then it is connected back. To do this, you need to enter “chkdsk C: /f /offlinescanandfix” (C: - disk partition) into the command line. If it is not possible to disable it, the check will be performed at the next reboot.

If necessary, after the inspection you have the opportunity to study the inspection log. To do this you need:

1. Go to Windows/Applications Logs;
2. Right-click on Application/Search;
3. Search for the word Chkdsk;

Software check

Of course, the above method is not always effective. Therefore, we will look at a number of programs such as Victoria. They will allow you to conduct the most thorough analysis of the condition of the hard drive on your computer or laptop.

Victoria

A utility for diagnosing and testing hard drives. It will help you not only detect problems in its operation, but also eliminate them. The program has a number of advantages and useful functions:

• Reads the hard drive passport and provides detailed information;
• 5 diagnostic modes;
• Eliminates crashes;
• Displays unstable areas;
• Hides defects;
• Evaluates media performance.

Victoria is one of the best today. It can solve problems with bad sectors and quickly bring any type of hard drive into working condition.

HDD Regenerator

One of the most effective programs for assessing the status and troubleshooting drives. It makes it possible to obtain information about the current SMART status of the selected device and complete control over it. Among the main features are:

• Simple and intuitive interface;
• Complete security;
• NTFS and FAT support;
• Pre-scan mode;

HDD monitoring in real time; That is, with the help of a regenerator you can test the hard drive as efficiently as possible.

TestDisk

Designed to determine the status and test drives. In addition to simple diagnostics, it also detects bad sectors and corrects any errors found. Its main functions include:

• Perform an analysis of the current state of the hard drive;
• Search for bad sectors;
• Recovering deleted partitions;
• MFT fix;

Checking external hard drives; In addition, the utility has a number of functions that are related to the recovery of deleted files.

Hitachi Drive Fitness Test

An excellent program designed to find and fix problems on drives. It is universal, since diagnostics of any drives can be carried out. With its help, you can very quickly find out the current position of the hard drive, as well as obtain additional information about it. Includes:

• Quick but thorough check;
• Support for all components;
• Monitoring;
• Data statistics;

This utility is suitable for all devices and can even be used on a netbook.

Seagate Seatools for Windows

Used to check and test the status of the hard drive. She finds any problems and failures.

• The utility can fix:
• Equipment incompatibility;
• HDD file system violations;
• Errors in installed drivers;
• Viruses and malware that infect the file system;

In addition, it provides complete information about the media and all related indicators. According to the developers, this utility is incredibly effective at independently correcting minor problems, SSD and HDD errors, and is capable of completely restoring their functionality.

So, now you have complete information on how to determine whether your hard drive is working properly, and how to solve the problems associated with it yourself. Choose the option that suits you best or the one you like and act!

Video: checking the hard drive using standard tools

Diagnosing and eliminating errors on the hard drive

onoutbukax.ru

How to check a disk for errors - SysAdmin Notes

I have already raised the topic of hard drive maintenance, namely, I wrote an article about defragmentation. Today we will talk about another tool to ensure the stable operation of your computer and the security of valuable data.

We will talk about a tool for correcting file system errors on a disk and for diagnosing it in general. As many have already guessed from the title, we will talk about the Chkdsk utility.

General description of the program's capabilities

After crashes, unsuccessful shutdown of the computer, electrical problems, etc., before loading Windows, sometimes you can see the following picture:

It happens that some users confuse this phenomenon with the blue screen of death, but this is not it (even though the design here is also blue). This window means that a utility built into Windows called Chkdsk (Check Disk) has launched, which searches and checks the hard drive (or floppy disk) for file system errors that could arise during unexpected computer failures or the disk itself. This small utility will be discussed in this article.

In addition to the properties described above, this joy (in the operating systems Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP) can also check the surface of the hard drive for the presence of physically damaged sectors (the so-called bad sectors). The found sectors are marked as damaged, and the system no longer tries to read from these sectors or write any information to them.

Actually, the presence of this program is infinitely useful because without it, after failures, the hard drive and file system would have a very hard time. As a rule, its automatic launch may indicate failures not only in the file system, but also in the hard drive itself, which should prompt you to think about creating backup copies of valuable information and preparing to replace the above-mentioned device.

How to run and use Chkdsk to check

It happens that you have suspicions that your hard drive is unstable (blue screens of death can be a well-founded suspicion), and the Chkdsk utility does not start automatically. Then you can run a disk scan yourself. There are two ways to do this.

First (graphical):

Open "My Computer", right-click on the disk that you want to scan, then select "Properties" - "Tools" - "Run scan".

In the next window, check both boxes and click the “Launch” button.

And we wait for the end of the check.

If you are checking a partition with Windows, you may receive a message about the impossibility of scanning. This is normal and the check will be scheduled for the next startup, i.e. will be performed when the computer is restarted.

Option two (via the console): Select “Start” - “Run” - “cmd” - “ok”. A console will appear in front of us where we enter the command:

Where chkdsk is the command itself, c: is the drive letter we want to check, and /f is the parameter that specifies how to fix errors on the drive. Accordingly, if you need to check another disk, for example D, then specify:

As with the graphical solution, if you check the system partition, you may receive the error: "The Chkdsk command cannot be executed because the specified volume is in use by another process. Should you check this volume the next time you reboot the system?" In this case, press the Latin Y on the keyboard (don’t forget to switch the language) and press the Enter button, and then, the next time the computer boots, the chkdsk utility will check the specified disk for errors and correct them.

Afterword

Chkdsk, despite all its usefulness, should not be run too often, or rather, it is recommended to touch it in case of serious failures in order to restore the file system and restore normal operation of the hard drive to ensure information security. If you really want to run it just “for prevention” (c), then it’s better not more than once every six months.

As usual, if you have questions, I am ready to answer them in the comments, on the forum or using the feedback form.

sonikelf.ru

How to Fix a Damaged Hard Drive from Errors

Before you begin to fix errors on a damaged hard drive, you should understand that they can be technical and software.

The hard drive (hard drive) of a computer or laptop may fail even a few days after purchase, and without the possibility of recovery (repair).

In case of technical errors, it should simply be replaced. Today this can be done in both computers and laptops.

The hard drive is divided into volumes (sectors) and tables are created in them, the structure of which may be disrupted. There are special programs to fix this.

Programs for fixing hard drive errors

There are many programs and they are all usually in English. Among the free programs there is a good, powerful “Partition Table Doctor” (it’s in English, but there are localizations on the Internet).

It can even be said to be the best for recovering hard drive partitions. When errors appear, “Partition Table Doctor” will automatically check and repair the partition table and boot sector.

She starts checking the hard drive during the installation process and immediately offers to fix it. Here you need to be careful (don’t confirm anything you don’t understand), because initially (until you launch the crack) everything will be in English.

Also keep in mind that if you previously modified the hard drive with the Agronix program, then “Partition Table Doctor” may consider some partitions to be broken (incorrect) and will format them (it may contain important information).

Although in principle this is not fatal, since the program creates an emergency floppy disk to restore the partition.

It fixes the hard drive in many cases, with the exception of physical failure. Partition Table Doctor recovers file systems FAT16/FAT32/NTFS/NTFS5/EXT2/EXT3/SWAP of hard drives of the following types: IDE/ATA/SATA and SCSI.

Although “Partition Table Doctor” works on Windows 7 and Windows 8, unfortunately it was created for Windows XP and is no longer supported by the manufacturer.

Therefore, if you do not achieve a positive result, try using another free program (newer) from the same manufacturer “EaseUS Partition Recovery”

Partition Table Doctor (English only) - restores the structure of hard drive partitions in most cases (physical failure is an exception).

The end result is that the drive does not contain any data and behaves like new (just purchased).

For those who find it difficult to work with English-language programs to resolve hard drive errors, I will give good advice.

Download the small dictionary program “Qdictionary”. After installation, when you correct errors, you will always quickly find out what this or that option means, even if the Internet is turned off. Good luck.

vsesam.org

Programs for fixing errors on the hard drive

A powerful tool needed to fix hard drive errors during boot. Determining the current state of the equipment, disabling the cache, restoring damaged partitions.

HDD regenerator for Windows 7

Searches and detects bad sectors on an external disk drive. Quickly diagnose hardware faults and, if necessary, carry out treatment.

A good program for fixing errors on a hdd, ssd hard drive via the command line. With its help, you can eliminate crc hardware errors yourself, from scratch. Preventing further problems during cluster operation.

Freespacer 1.67

Tests for broken areas. Displays the model, firmware version, serial number, approximate defragmentation and cleaning time. Simple, discreet interface.

An excellent utility that can correct logical errors directly in the process of diagnosing files and user folders. If a virus or similar problems are found, it selectively erases the hard drive.

Hetman UneraserCheckDisk

After inspecting the hard disk, all defects and unnecessary junk should be eliminated. Interesting functions: reading data, temperature of the computer’s internal equipment, information about the memory areas being checked.

Partition table doctor 3.5

A special program performs a full examination of the PC’s performance level and corrects errors found during scanning. Additionally, control information about connected devices. Monitoring and copying received values ​​to the clipboard.

Start checking the fat32, ntfs file system manually or automatically. The result is displayed in the form of a message on the screen, notifying you that the work has been completed. It has a mechanism for recording completed operations.

Download programs to fix errors on your hard drive for free in Russian. Compatible with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, XP (64 bit, 32 bit) and available without registration, SMS and viruses.

zuxcel.com

How to test a hard drive for errors using programs and built-in Windows tools

Greetings to the readers of my blog. Today I want to tell you about such a thing as hard drive errors, or rather their identification. On Windows XP, before loading the desktop, a blue screen (not to be confused with blue) could sometimes appear, where percentages were running and something was happening. After this, the process proceeded as usual. Thus, the system needed to test the hard drive for errors. In newer versions this tool is also present, but it does not launch automatically.

Symptoms of errors (to contents)

Of course, any problem with your computer needs to be fixed. But for this it is necessary to identify all the symptoms of the disease.

Troubles with the hard drive can manifest themselves as follows:

errors occur when opening, copying/moving, or deleting any information;

a noticeable decrease in the speed of information processing by the hard drive and the PC as a whole;

The OS boots immediately with errors or refuses to do so at all;

Various random errors occur that have not previously been observed.

There are several main reasons why a hard drive may have problems that slow down its operation:

sudden power outage;

Windows shutdown incorrectly;

physical damage to the disk due to impact;

non-compliance with operating rules;

wear and tear due to prolonged use.

Reasons for appearance (to contents)

There are several basic standard Windows methods for checking the health of internal and external hard drives.

CheckDisk utility

This tool can be used on Microsoft OS, versions XP – 10 inclusive. To start the application, you need to call the context menu on the “My Computer” icon, and then select “Manage”. Next go to “Disk Management”.

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Interesting fact! In versions of Windows 8 and 10, you can access this item by pressing Win+X.

Then, in the lower right part, right-click on the section and select “Properties”. After this, you need to go to “Tools” (in Windows 8 and 10 - “Tools”) and select “Check”. In this case, the last command must be executed as an administrator.

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Scandisk utility

This program is suitable for users who are still loading the shell. This application is also built-in. It is used for installation and error checking. But in OS versions labeled NT, this utility was replaced by the aforementioned CheckDisk.

Command line for checking

Although many users do not know and do not understand why they use the command line, they still should not disdain it once again. It is she who can save the situation in a situation where the shell refuses to load. The console can be accessed through the boot disk with the OS.

To launch the command line you need:

Programs for checking disks from other manufacturers (to contents)

Not in all cases a standard HDD check can be called effective. To find out what condition the equipment is in, you need to use third-party programs. Fortunately, there are quite a few of them.

This tool can be called a professional application that allows you not only to find errors and bad sectors, but also to fix them efficiently.

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Most hard drives always contain erroneous entries or violations in them. The launched test will allow you to understand the current state of the disk. In this case, the program shows the user all the necessary information regarding the HDD.

Peculiarities:

high security (read-only mode is provided);

intuitive interface (there is a Russian language and there are no complex commands);

different file systems are supported - FAT and NTFS;

providing HDD statistics;

creating a disk or flash drive that can restore everything;

fast scanning of the hard drive surface is provided;

real-time performance check.

The program is easy to understand and safe for your computer. Unfortunately, its use will cost $99.

This program for checking HDD is considered relatively good compared to its analogues. At the same time, it is open source, which allows programmers to customize the application precisely to their needs. Like others, it makes it possible not only to detect problem areas, but also to correct them.

Has a lot of useful functions:

recovery of damaged and deleted partitions;

fixing the boot sector, both on NTFS and FAT;

MFT restoration;

search for bad sectors;

general HDD analysis;

finding and correcting file structure errors;

recovery of deleted data.

Hitachi Drive Fitness Test

DFT is considered a relatively good program that allows you to check your hard drive for possible errors. The utility is suitable for most HDDs on the market. It has the ability to create a bootable CD for Windows 7, 8, 10.

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It should be noted that the application reads the state of information without overwriting existing information.

The program is a complex in which you can also find utilities for disk cleaning and others.

Seagate Seatools

Seatools from Seagate Corporation is a true diagnostic resuscitator. The program is distributed free of charge. It allows you to find errors and bad sectors on the hard drive, check for failures, and find incorrect operation of the file structure.

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The developers claim that with the help of their product, users can independently solve all problems with the disk and not have to contact repair or warranty services.

Seatools allows you to fix many errors:

incorrect file system structure;

driver error;

incompatibility of individual devices;

boot sector problems in the OS;

Malware that affects the file system.

Overall, this program is easy to use and effective for fixing simple errors. In addition, you can find a Russian-language instruction manual on the official website.

HDD Health is a free and at the same time interesting program that tests the disk. With its help, you can not only identify shortcomings in your work, but also correct them. The application uses the S.M.A.R.T. system, which allows you to show the client detailed information about the HDD, including temperature and general condition. In addition, this makes it possible to conduct a deep scan for bad sectors, as well as test the hard drive for various indicators.

Generally speaking, this tool will appeal to anyone who uses S.M.A.R.T technology. to check the hard drive. At the same time, it supports interaction with both HDD and SSD. In addition to monitoring, the system can also predict future problems with partitions and system failures in the latest versions of Windows.

The Victoria application allows you to check for errors in HDDs that operate via interfaces such as Serial ATA (SATA) and IDE. The program is a ready-made solution for in-depth and quick assessment of the real state of data storage devices.

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The work is carried out not from the shell, but from the boot disk. To do this, you need to find the application itself and burn it to the appropriate media. Then, as I already wrote in previous articles, you need to set it to boot from a CD/DVD-ROM or flash drive through the BIOS (you can read how to do this in this article).

After the reboot, you need to confirm your intentions and select the program to use.

The application will launch. After this, you need to press “F2” so that it finds the disk on its own. If it fails, you will have to specify it manually. The same must be done if the computer has several HDDs installed. If you have equipment with a SATA interface, in the port selection menu you need to specify “Ext. PCI ATA/SATA". Navigation is carried out using arrows and “Enter”.

Afterwards, select the disk - to do this, you need to indicate its corresponding number and confirm the action.

To start checking, press “F4” and select the necessary settings:

1By default, the system suggests scanning the entire space. It is advisable not to change this.

2After this, set “Linear reading”, since this is what will allow you to quickly and accurately diagnose the surface.

3In the next paragraph, select “BB = Advanced REMAP”. It is this mode that checks the disk for errors as efficiently as possible and corrects them without deleting data.

Then a part of the program is launched that looks for bad sectors. This procedure lasts from a couple of tens of minutes to several hours - it all depends on the performance of the equipment.

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So, if you suddenly begin to notice that certain problems have appeared in the operation of the system, it is better to check it for errors using one, or better yet, several programs.

I hope this article will help you not only fix existing problems, but also avoid them in the future. Subscribe and share interesting articles with your friends!

Most personal computers and even servers use hard drives to store information. They are quite reliable, but over time, magnetic drives become unusable. In most cases, the service life of the disk is 5-10 years. Each user must be able to diagnose the HDD in order to determine the need to replace the part and perform a data backup. You will learn everything about verification from this article.

Symptoms of hard drive problems

Malfunctions or imminent death of the hard drive may be accompanied by typical symptoms. We recommend paying attention to the following symptoms:

• The appearance of uncharacteristic sounds during operation. There may be clicks, crackles, or metallic clanging. In such cases, the problem is usually mechanical in nature.
• “Brakes” in the operation of the system. Windows loads too slowly, some files do not open, and errors occur when installing programs.
• The appearance of blue “screens of death”. In such cases, an error code is always written, which can be used to determine the source of the problem.
• Spontaneous shutdown or reboot of the computer. As a rule, in such situations, the boot sector of the HDD is damaged.

Please note that computer freezes can also occur due to insufficient RAM.

Ways to check the hard drive

HDD diagnostics is an important task. There are several ways to do this. Operating system tools allow you to analyze your hard drive, but they are not always effective. The optimal solution is to use specialized utilities that are created specifically for this task.

Via command line

Windows operating systems have a standard utility that can analyze the status of the hard drive. To do this you will have to run the command line:

In the command parameters, specify the drive letter and two specifiers. The first - F is responsible for automatic error correction, and R performs information recovery. Be prepared that the verification may take several hours. If you are using a laptop, be sure to charge it. At the end you will get statistics on how many sectors are damaged.

Using Windows Explorer

If you prefer using familiar windows, you can run the scan through Explorer. To do this, users should follow a number of steps:

During this operation, the system will perform the following checks:

• basic file system structure;
• security descriptors;
• file name associations;
• USN magazine.

To find out the scan results, you need to go to the “Event Viewer” menu, and then find the scan log in the Windows log.

Via Windows PowerShell

The latest Windows operating systems have an additional utility similar to the command line, which was created for convenient system administration. You can also use it to test your hard drive. To start, you need to perform several steps:

The system will scan and automatically fix if possible. If there are no errors, the message NoErrorsFound will appear.

Using Windows 10 Tools

The latest operating system from Microsoft has advanced functionality, so it can independently diagnose a wide range of problems. Using the built-in security center, you can check the status of the HDD. Additionally, go to storage diagnostics. How to use these functions will be described below.

Security and Service Center

This is a special section in the “ten”, which is responsible for maintaining the operating system. As a rule, all necessary checks are performed automatically after a certain period of time. You can access this section through the control panel. Next, if necessary, open the “Maintenance” tab and find the “Disk Status” line. Opposite it should be the “OK” option. If it is not there, then we recommend conducting a thorough analysis of the condition of the hard drive.

Storage Diagnostic Utility

The developers of Windows 10 also created an additional utility for checking the hard drive - storage diagnostics. It is launched via the command line (how to open it was described in the sections earlier). Next, enter the command and press Enter.

The procedure may take 2-5 hours (depending on the HDD capacity). At some points the process will appear to be stuck, but it is strongly recommended that you do not interrupt the scan. Once the process is complete, navigate to the path to save the report and open it (the file will have evtx permission). It will provide the following information:

• chkdsk check data and error information;
• registry files containing data about connected drives;
• Event Viewer Logs.

Experienced specialists are required to correctly interpret the information presented in the report. The report will be uninformative for ordinary users.

Third party programs

For professionals and ordinary users, third-party developers have created many useful, functional and easy-to-use utilities for checking the status of the hard drive. With their help, you can get comprehensive information about the status of your HDD. The most popular of them will be described below.

Victoria

This is the most popular free software from qualified specialists. Its wide functionality allows you to get almost any information about the hard drive. The parameters are displayed in a form convenient for the average user, so you don’t have to study anything additional to make a conclusion about the state of the HDD. The utility is distributed on a Freeware basis, i.e. absolutely free.

Download the software to your computer and follow the instructions:

All sectors will be marked in different colors depending on the response speed. Gray sectors are not dangerous. Green sectors are allowed in quantities of several hundred (up to 2-3 thousand). For example, on a completely new 1TV hard drive their number is about 1 thousand. Orange sectors are at their limit. No more than 100 pieces are allowed. Red and blue cannot be restored. They need to be “closed”, limiting reading from them.

When scanning, you can set the operating modes:

• Ignore is a classic check without further action.
• Remap – replacing unreadable sectors with reserves if available.
• Restore – restore damaged sectors programmatically.
• Erase – overwriting unreadable sectors. Attention, erases information.

As you can see, the utility is informative and easy to use even for beginners.

HDDScan

Another useful software for scanning your hard drive. It has less functionality, but a more friendly interface compared to the previous version. The utility is completely free, and allows you to get SMART parameters and detailed information about the state of sectors.

To start the verification procedure, follow these steps:

The colors for the sectors are identical to those described above. The scanning menu does not provide functions for correcting sectors.

DiskCheckup

The software supports work with almost all types of hard drives (SATA, USB, FireWire). It has small but sufficient functionality. Through the application, you can check the SMART parameters, as well as conduct a full test on the Disk Self-Test tab. The main disadvantage of the program is the complexity of the results for the average user. The status is indicated by the “OK” line and numerical parameters. Considering that they are all in English, it will be difficult to understand.

MHDD

This is highly specialized software for advanced users. It is used if the system does not start and the OS does not load to the desktop. To run MHDD software, you must burn it to a CD or flash drive as an image. You can even run the utility with the entire operating system. To do this, you need to select a flash drive or CD as the boot drive when using a floppy drive.

After the menu appears, you just need to select the desired hard drive and enter the command to check. The software is controlled in the same way through commands as on the console, or using the function buttons of the keyboard. Not recommended for use by ordinary users without appropriate skills.

Crystal Disk Mark

This utility allows you to evaluate the speed of writing and reading information from your hard drive. In its interface, the user can select the write/read type, local disk and file size to be read and written. After finishing the test you will receive information at speed.

You will not be able to evaluate these results yourself. We recommend finding a similar HDD model online to compare its testing with your test data. If the results with identical settings are almost the same, then there is no need to worry. If there are strong differences, we recommend analyzing the hard drive through Victoria.

HDD Regenerator

Functional utility for HDD scanning and recovery. A special magnetization reversal algorithm allows you to eliminate quite serious problems with the hard drive. To launch the software you should:

The advantage of this utility is the ability to quickly correct errors and close bad sectors.

Seagate SeaTools

Specialized software from Seagate product developers. Allows you to obtain basic information about the disk, perform preliminary and full scans. We recommend using this utility in cases where the above for some reason does not work, and you own a hard drive from Seagate.

Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic

Special software in English for checking Western Digital disks. It is more suitable for advanced users, but ordinary users can also perform quick diagnostics. For example, you can check the status of SMART parameters.

The utility also allows you to conduct simple and advanced tests, but the information content of the results for typical users leaves much to be desired.

Disk Utility on macOS

MacOS users also have a standard hard drive utility. Its functionality includes:

• creating and transforming images;
• mounting and unmounting disks and other media.
• activation and deactivation of logging mode;
• HDD integrity testing and file recovery;
• erasing, formatting and partitioning disks;
• cleaning up debris;
• adding a partition table;
• checking the S.M.A.R.T status of the hard drive and much more.

To start, you need to find the application in the utilities on the system disk, and then launch it.

Prevention measures

To maximize the life of a hard drive, users can do a variety of things, including:

• Defragmentation. This procedure arranges all file blocks in order, making access to them as fast as possible, accordingly, the head travels less distance to open the file and wears out more slowly.
• Install a quality power supply. Power surges have a detrimental effect on any equipment. If important data is stored on the HDD, take care of a high-quality power supply to prevent damage to the hard drive due to power surges.
• Avoid vibrations and shocks. Winchesters are extremely vulnerable to impacts. When transporting your computer, make sure that the hard drive will not be subject to vibration.
• Clean the system. Freezes due to unstable software or viruses can cause increased load on the disk; accordingly, it will use its resource faster.
• Eliminate external magnetic fields. Many people install the system unit with other powerful equipment that has a magnetic field. If you want to ensure maximum data safety, do not place the system unit next to equipment that emits a powerful magnetic field.

Never forget to make backups. Any hard drive will eventually become unusable, and it is not always possible to recover data. Regular checks will allow you to determine the future demise of the HDD in advance and take action, for example, purchasing a new one.

Report content

The computer hard drive is a very sensitive component. Errors that appear in its file system, bad sectors on the surface, and mechanical problems sometimes cause a complete failure of the computer system.

The same problems are typical for flash drives, which in essence are practically no different from a hard drive. How to determine the presence of errors and bad sectors and how to correct them if possible?

Just a little bit of theory

Many people simply confuse file system errors and bad sectors. Therefore, we will try to explain the difference between these phenomena and the reason for their occurrence. We will also determine what the symptoms of errors that appear on the surface of the hard drive may be.

File system errors

When people talk about hard drive errors and trying to fix them using the chkdsk utility built into Windows, they most often mean file system errors. Such errors are associated with problems in the metadata that describe the file system itself: errors in the $Bitmap, $BadClus files, the main file table, and various indexes.

For example, errors in the $Bitmap file of the NTFS file system can cause the system to incorrectly recognize the amount of free space on a volume. And problems with the $BadClus file can lead to incorrect identification of bad sectors and an attempt to write data to such sectors, which will cause the computer to completely freeze.

Bad sectors

The nature of bad sectors is somewhat different. The hard drive is “cut” into sectors at the factory during production. It is then that its logical structure is created, then it receives magnetic properties for recording data. These structures become faulty as a result of the gradual degradation of areas of the surface of the hard drive, which become so due to careless handling of the hard drive, which was accidentally dropped on the floor or was hit on the case even with an ordinary screwdriver.

Testing programs that fall on parts of a degrading surface detect so-called faulty or damaged sectors - bad sectors. Sectors that have lost their magnetic properties do not allow data to be read or written to them. It is possible to eliminate faulty hard drive structures. For this purpose, manufacturers create special reserve areas of sectors. When a bad sector appears, diagnosed at a specific address, its address is reassigned to a sector from this reserve area.

Symptoms of errors and bad sectors

We have already talked a little about the symptoms of file system errors above. However, the symptoms are sometimes very varied. Here are some manifestations of errors and bad sectors that have arisen in the hard drive.

• Noticeable freezing of the operating system when performing read and write operations.
• Failure to load the operating system. For example, downloading continues only until the download notification and Windows logo appear.
• Frequent occurrence of errors in the operating environment.
• Extremely slow and unproductive operating system.

Here is a far from complete list of error manifestations associated with file system problems and the presence of degrading areas of the hard drive. What to do in such cases?

Checking errors using Windows

Checking and correcting file system errors in Windows is carried out by a standard utility of this operating environment called chkdsk. It can also be useful in eliminating programmatically generated bad sectors as a result of viruses. It can be launched both in a graphical environment and from the command line. Let's consider the most accessible option for performing it in a graphical environment.

Checking an inactive volume

Checking an inactive volume is the simplest. It can be done entirely in graphical mode. By inactive volume we mean a partition on which the currently running operating system is not installed. This could be another connected hard drive or, for example, drive D.

Click the "Run check" button.

The utility is launched from the “Service” tab of the volume properties. This tab contains the “Run check” button. If you click it, the chkdsk utility window will open. To check bad sectors that appeared as a result of software errors, you need to check the box next to the corresponding option. Next, just click the “Run” button - the utility will check and correct errors.

The chkdsk utility checks volume D, also diagnosing bad sectors.

Checking the system volume

Checking and correcting errors on the system volume, where the operating environment valid at the time of checking is located, is carried out a little differently. The utility identifies such a volume as mounted, and therefore warns that it cannot perform the check, but offers to perform it during the next reboot.

The chkdsk utility reports that it cannot scan the disk.

After restarting the computer, the user will find that during boot, after the Windows logo appears, a black screen appears. This black screen is gradually filled with lines of text. This is the chkdsk utility that checks the system volume of the hard drive. After checking and making the necessary corrections, it will show the result, and then the operating system will continue loading.

The chkdsk utility checks volume C after a reboot.

Programs for checking hard drives for bad sectors

There are a number of applications on the software market that can test the surface of a hard drive. In this case, not just one volume is tested, but the entire surface of the hard drive. Of course, the user can independently set the boundary sectors and test individual areas. To identify bad sectors, a sector read test is usually performed.

Important: the results of the test for the presence of bad sectors must be considered in conjunction with SMART indicators, such as Reallocation Sector Count, Reallocation Event Count.

Data Lifeguard Diagnostic

This utility was created by Western Digital developers. It is available for download on the company's official website. Lifeguard Diagnostic works great with hard drives from almost any manufacturer, and not just native WD hard drives, as one might think. It offers a number of tests: Quick, Advanced, as well as the ability to fill hard drive sectors with zeros.

Interface of the Data Lifeguard Diagnostic utility.

We are most interested in the extended test. This test allows you to detect bad sectors on the surface of disks. When the program finds a bad sector, it informs the user about it, asking him to choose whether he wants to fix the detected error. If it agrees, then the application writes to sector 0, so the sector data will be lost.

A selection of utility tests. We need Extended Test.

This test takes longer than the quick test. Testing time depends on the size of the drive, since the test is carried out on the entire surface, starting from sector 0 and ending with the maximum LBA value.

Extended Test utilities in operation.

HDDScan

The HDDScan application also seems to be an excellent hard drive surface tester. It can often be seen as part of entire software packages such as LiveCD. This application has a graphical interface and offers a number of tests, among which, in our case, the most interesting is “Surface Tests”.

Select the Surface Test from the drop-down list.

Important: when conducting surface tests under Windows, you must close all running programs to avoid random results during the test caused by the action of these programs.

After selecting a test, an additional window will open, which presents the test parameters. Let's leave the “Read” option enabled, which will only allow us to read data from sectors. Thus, we will define sectors from which information cannot be read within a specified time (bad sectors), frozen sectors and normal cells. We will leave the fields of the initial and final sectors unchanged if we want to check the entire surface.

Let's leave the Read test option enabled.

When testing with this program, a number of sectors are identified:

• bad sectors,
• stuck sectors, reading data from which takes more than 500 ms,
• sectors with reading time from 150 to 500 ms,
• sectors with reading time from 50 to 150 ms,
• sectors with reading time from 10 to 20 ms,
• HDDScan considers sectors whose data is read within 5 ms to be normal.

The program test result is available in the form of a line graph, a sector distribution map, and also as a regular text report.

Checking the hard drive surface.

Ashampoo HDD Control

Unlike the programs discussed above, HDD Control is not a free program. This application is a whole set of tools designed to restore the health of your hard drive. This program also offers the ability to test the surface of the hard drive.

Select the "Surface Test" option.

The test is very simple and accessible to the average HDD Control user. To start it, you just need to click the “Surface Testing” button. It lacks additional options that would allow you to customize the type of test. During testing, only two types of sectors are identified: with excellent reading results and bad sectors.

Victoria HDD

Victoria considers the health of the hard drive being tested to be "GOOD".

This application can collect information about the SMART health of your hard drive. It also allows you to test the disk surface, reassign damaged sectors using the Remap operation, and reset bad sectors. It also divides sectors into groups:

• bad sectors (Error),
• stuck sectors with a read time of more than 600 ms,
• freezing sectors with read times from 200 to 600 ms,
• sectors with reading time from 50 to 200 ms,
• sectors with reading time from 20 to 50 ms,
• Victoria diagnoses normal sectors within the framework of data reading up to 5 ms.

To test your hard drive, you can run this program in Windows graphical mode. Next, you will need to select the “Tests” tab. This is where the surface tests are located. There are four options available for working with the hard surface:

• Ignore,
• Remap
• erase,
• Restore.

First of all, you can perform the Ignore test to determine whether there are bad sectors on the surface of the hard drive. If they are, then you need to start the Remap test. This test will allow you to reassign the addresses of damaged sectors to the reserved area, where normal sectors are located.

Types of available tests and sector categories. Victoria checks the surface.

If, after the Remap test, Victoria continues to diagnose bad sectors, then you can still try to restore their functionality by using the Restore test. The Erase option should be used wisely under Windows, as it writes zeros to sectors - erases sector data. It can only be used within a certain selection of sectors, the data of which is not related to the operating system.

Brief summary

It should be noted that there is a difference between errors eliminated by the chkdsk utility of the Windows operating system and bad sectors eliminated by programs such as Victoria HDD. The former are caused by file system problems, and the latter are often the result of the loss of magnetic properties of sectors of the hard drive surface and its gradual degradation. However, chkdsk can also fix some problems with bad sectors.

To eliminate bad sectors, you can use such applications as: Data Lifeguard Diagnostic, Ashampoo HDD Control, HDDScan, Victoria. We highlight the Victoria HDD application as the best for checking and eliminating bad sectors, as it offers a number of tests: Ignore, Remap, Erase and Restore. It allows you not only to detect faulty hard surface structures, but also to treat the HDD.

You can check your hard drive for errors and fix them either using third-party programs or through the built-in services found in Windows by default. Next, we will look at several ways to automatically check your hard drive and fix problems found on it.

Checking the disk for errors in Windows 7

You can run diagnostics through the command line, disk properties, PowerShell, and Control Panel. Each of the proposed options scans the disk for errors of various types, so it is recommended to use all three instructions and only after that, if the problem is not found, resort to diagnostics through third-party programs.

Checking the hard drive using commands

Through disk properties

Video tutorial: Checking HDD

Via PowerShell

Using the control panel

Using third-party programs to diagnose and check the hard drive for bad sectors

If checking the disk using standard methods does not bring the desired results, then you can use third-party programs that perform disk diagnostics.

You can download the program for free from this site - http://programdownloadfree.com/load/system/test_hdd/victoria/71–1-0–122. Its capabilities and advantages include the following parameters:

HDAT 2

Similar to the previous application, but supporting a larger number of hard drive models and operating modes. The official website of the program is https://hdat2.com.

CrystalDiskInfo

The program has a beautiful and understandable design, as well as the presence of the Russian language. Official website of the developer -

http://crystalmark.info/?lang=en. In addition to the basic functions common to all the programs described above, CrystalDiskInfo supports diagnostics of external drives, checks the status and temperature of the HDD, and has a wide selection of disk settings.

Correcting detected problems

In most cases, errors found will be corrected automatically. But sometimes, the computer may detect an error, but not get rid of it, but only inform you about its presence. In this case, you must correct the error yourself.

Using the Victoria program

The Victoria application can both scan the disk for errors and correct those found.

So, checking a hard drive or SSD can be done using either third-party or built-in programs. In most cases, any errors found will be corrected automatically. Before you start working with the disk, it is recommended to restart your computer, and you should do the same after you finish working with it.