How to clean a hard drive
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
Hard disk drive is one of the most important components of the computer system. It is place where all sorts of data and information are stored in a digital encoded form on the hard platters magnetically. This is a kind of storage memory for the computer system and thus it requires excellent maintenance. Once a hard disk is crashed then it becomes really tough even for the technically skilled person to help the people recover the lost data and therefore it is usually recommended to frequently clean the hard disk. A regular cleaning process at least once each a month will delete all kinds of applications that can be harmful, it will make the disk work faster and most important as it would create some more empty space for the data. Before one actually cleans the hard disk one should save all required data in some external memory else that will not be recovered later.
Materials Needed:- Knowledge about hard disc and how to manage data
Step 1
In case of windows XP version one can choose to scan the hard disk and this can be done easily. Double click on my computer option on desktop or the start menu.
Step 2
Then right click on the hard drive which is usually C drive.
Step 3
Select the option as properties and then go to tools menu.
Step 4
Select the 'CHECK NOW' tab. Then select both the options provided and this will help in removing and scanning the bad sectors and also fix them.
Step 5
Then select 'start'. After pressing on this tab windows would ask the user if the user wants to schedule scan disk to run next time as one will boot the system.
Step 6
Click on yes and once the system has done scanning it would restart automatically.
Step 7
While booting process goes on a light blue light would blink and this signifies that windows are following the error checking process.
Step 8
To increase the space on the hard disk one needs to follow a disc cleanup process and defragmentation procedure and this is easy to do.
Step 9
One needs to click on my computer
Step 10
Then on right clicking the hard disc one needs to opt for properties.
Step 11
Press on 'DISC CLEANUP' and mark all the required options and press ok. This would delete many unwanted things. Once the unwanted data is removed it leaves small holes and defragmentation will rejoin them.
Step 12
One needs to again click on hard disk and go to properties.
Step 13
Select tools and defragment now tab.
Step 14
Select on 'analyze now' then press ok and it will defragment the hard disc.