Check disk errors

Question

Hello,

I hope I am posting in the correct section.

I don't know much about informatics, only the basics and following tutorials. My computer is running slower and my brother told me to perform a diskcheck and defrag.

I did a CheckDisk today and it shows the following errors:

The volume bitmap is incorrect

Windows found problems with the file system

Should I still do the fixing part? Or can it mess up my computer?

I have windows 7 Home premium. Service Pack 1

Only one HDD and no partitions.

Thank you for reading.

Answer 1

I did the chkdsk c: /r.
Thank you for the hints.
I only have programs that I use, and I disabled most startup programs (except windows and needed ones) through msconfig.

I run malwarebytes and ADWcleaner once in a while, it never detected anything.
I have kaspersky internet security, I know this one sometimes take a bit more of ram. But I have it for years and the computer is rarely slow.

Is 140gb free, good for 1TB? Or should I leave more free space?

I have noticed that the computer takes longer to start (load windows). Could this be disk failure even though westerndigital says it's healthy?

Are these startup programs needed?

Answer 2

Note that when you run the chkdsk  c:  /r you will see a message like this:

If you respond in the affirmative that will queue the chkdsk with error correction to run the next time the system restarts.

It looks like you have about a 1TB HDD so the chkdsk with error correction will take a long time to run (several to many hours) depending on the size of the volume being checked, the amount of data on the volume, the speed of your system, and what the chkdsk finds to do.

Do not interrupt or try to cancel/stop the chkdsk once it starts as it will always finish sooner or later so wait it out.  You can be sure it is still working by observing the HDD access light on your system (if so equipped) or maybe hearing that the HDD is "working".

You really shouldn't have to run a defrag manually since Windows 7 comes with a Scheduled Task that runs defrag every Wednesday at 1:00AM or as soon as possible after that...  

But you can still run the defrag manually if you desire.

Answer 3

Chkdsk is highly unlikely to make a difference in performance.  The things that will:

Programs that startup on every startup and stay running: Skype, AOL, Garmin, dropbox,  Disk burner software, lots of others. If you will provide me with a list of the programs that you have installed, I can point out the main culprits to you.

Most of them allow you to change the default settings so they do NOT start on every startup.  Those programs and there can be many can eat up a lot of resources.  Many if not most, are programs you rarely use.  If they are not started up on the startup, you can choose to start them from the menu.

Malware will affect performance.  Occasionally download and run ADWcleaner.  It is free and does NOT install and always run.  It is not the same as your antivirus software and will often find malware that the AV did not.

Do not install more than ONE antivirus program.  In fact when your current subscription is up, consider changing to one that is NOT a "security" product.  All you need is the Antivirus software that is part of it.  The rest of it is a real resource waster and does not make your computer safer.  You may even have trouble locating AV only software.  The sellers don't like to sell it because they cannot price it as highly.  On top of that, security products make it very difficult if not impossible to diagnose a problem.  In fact, I will not even try on a computer with it installed.

Most installed malware "protectors" are indeed resource hogs.  I don't allow them on my clients' computers.  Just run ADWcleaner periodically.  In fact, almost all software that claims to make your computer run better/faster, does exactly the opposite.

If your disk is too full, it will slow performance.  Consider 75% of its capacity to be your limit.  If you use more than that, it will gradually slow performance more and more as that 75% rises.

If your disk is 60% or more in use, manually run the defragmenter.  Below 60% it will not make a noticeable difference and defragmentation is a waste of time.

Reset Windows Update to Never.....  Run it at your convenience when you choose to.  It can otherwise badly affect pefromance.  Anyway, Microsoft stopped issuing security updates for Windows 1 1/2 years ago.

Answer 4

Thank you for your reply.

I did it because I think the computer is a bit slower.
I have a desktop, the HDD is 3 years old.
I ran the WesternDigital program to check the disk and it says it's healthy.

Answer 5

Run chkdsk again.  This time chkdsk c: /r

The r qualifier will cause the program to not only check the disk's stored data integrity but very likely correct the errors it finds.

What led to you running this program?

Did it start itself?

Do you have a laptop or desktop PC?

How old is the disk in the computer (more often than not the same age as the computer unless you replaced it)

The reason I ask is more often than not when you start to see disk errors it is the progenitor of a failing hard drive.