My Windows 7 desk top computer runs ok but frequently runs CHKDSK on startup. I get error messages about orphan files. Is my hard drive failing? I tried to run CHKDSK/f from the DOS window but I get access denied, something about privileges. I am the only user so I should have admin privilege, no? How do I run chkdsk?

 

If you want to check your hard drive I would suggest you visit the hard drive manufacturers website and you'll find the necessary software available for download.

 

In Win7 you can do a CHKDSK through the Disk Management function in Control Panel

Open Control Panel -> System and Security then under Administrative Tools click 'Create and format hard disk partitions' to open the Disk Manager.

Right click on the disk and select Properties. Click the Tools tab and then the Error Checking button.

Good luck!

 

On my Win10 Pro64 PC, I need to open the DOS window as Administrator to run CHKDSK.

 

In Win7 you can do a CHKDSK through the Disk Management function in Control Panel

Open Control Panel -> System and Security then under Administrative Tools click 'Create and format hard disk partitions' to open the Disk Manager.

Right click on the disk and select Properties. Click the Tools tab and then the Error Checking button.

Good luck!

Thanks for walking me through the menus. I ran chkdsk and it reports no errors.

 

Run, don't walk. All the major disk drive manufacturers have self test firmware built in and you can run it via their software. I recently had a PC that started slowing down, ran the self-test and it indicated the drive was failing. Caught it early enough that I was able to clone the drive.

 

Run, don't walk. All the major disk drive manufacturers have self test firmware built in and you can run it via their software. I recently had a PC that started slowing down, ran the self-test and it indicated the drive was failing. Caught it early enough that I was able to clone the drive.

I have been trying to clone the disk using Macrium but the process fails. I get a read error. I ran chkdsk c:/r. No joy. I don't know what to try next. Any thoughts?

 

Hmmm, you might be too late. Sorry. Copy as much of the data as possible. You might also try different software. I gave up on macrium. Used EaseUS several times but there are lots out there. Viel Glück
.

 

I have been trying to clone the disk using Macrium but the process fails. I get a read error. I ran chkdsk c:/r. No joy. I don't know what to try next. Any thoughts?

Stop using the drive ASAP. I’d install a new drive and get a cheap enclosure for the failing one. Then you can start recovering and copying your files.

If you’re lucky, you’ll get your files and be able to fix the drive. You can use it for extra storage or whatever. Take it from someone who’s been through a catastrophic drive failure. You won’t regret getting the new drive.

 

Stop using the drive ASAP. I’d install a new drive and get a cheap enclosure for the failing one. Then you can start recovering and copying your files.

If you’re lucky, you’ll get your files and be able to fix the drive. You can use it for extra storage or whatever. Take it from someone who’s been through a catastrophic drive failure. You won’t regret getting the new drive.

Well WayneH I did exactly as you suggested. I copied everything onto a new disk and shut off the computer untill this afternoon. I installed a new solid state drive and the operating system. I am in the process of copying the programs to the ssd . What I would like to do is install my programs and data on the D: drive and later add another drive as a mirror. New question: What is the most efficient way to install my programs on the D: drive? Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

 

What is the most efficient way to install my programs on the D: drive? Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

I'm a Mac user and there are easy ways to do this on a Mac but I can't help you much with a Windows system. There should be some sort of migration tool that could be used when you get a new computer.

For the record, what I suggested was immediately removing a failing drive into an external enclosure. I wouldn't have copied things off of it first since touching a failing drive in any way can send it over the edge. But if the drive worked well enough to get stuff off it, you're probably fine.

 

I'm a Mac user and there are easy ways to do this on a Mac but I can't help you much with a Windows system. There should be some sort of migration tool that could be used when you get a new computer.

For the record, what I suggested was immediately removing a failing drive into an external enclosure. I wouldn't have copied things off of it first since touching a failing drive in any way can send it over the edge. But if the drive worked well enough to get stuff off it, you're probably fine.

No matter which way you slice I needed to copy as much as possible from the failing drive. Forgive my ignorance bit I don't understand the advantage of putting the drive in an external enclosure.

 

Not sure I understand removing it from the system. The point about using the drive as little as possible is pertinent though. You have X minutes of use left. If the amount of time to save the data is less than X, all is good. If not, you're screwed. No point in reducing X any more than you have to.

Note that power cycling the drive can cause X to be reduced, even to the point of 0. I've had that happen.

 

Not sure I understand removing it from the system.

Yeah, I guess that's not completely necessary in most cases. The main point is to quit using a dicey drive as your boot drive. If it's having problems being read properly, removing it prevents the system from trying over and over to mount a directory. Instead you can boot from a fresh drive and you can be running recovery software before the failing drive in an external enclosure is attached, so that the only software to interact with the drive is the recovery software.