Running The Disk Defragmenter Program; Checking For Hard Disk Drive Errors; Understanding Hard Disk Drive Space - HP s3700f - Pavilion - Slimline Troubleshooting And Maintenance Manual

Running the Disk Defragmenter
Program
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When Microsoft Windows Vista
stores files on your hard disk drive, it often divides
them into multiple pieces (or fragments) so they fit into
available space on the drive. Opening a fragmented
file takes more time because it must be retrieved from
more than one place.
The Disk Defragmenter program groups the
fragmented files together on your hard disk drive to
improve computer performance. This does not affect
the location of files and folders on your computer.
NOTE: The Disk Defragmenter program may take a
long time to complete. You can run it unattended
overnight.
1 Save your work and close all open programs.
2 Press the Ctrl-Alt-Delete keys simultaneously.
3 Click Start Task Manager.
4 On the Applications tab, select all the programs
that are listed, and then click End Task. Close the
Task Manager.
5 Click the Windows Vista start button,
All Programs, Accessories, System Tools,
and then click Disk Defragmenter.
6 Click Defragment Now.
If Disk Defragmenter repeatedly starts, a background
program is still accessing the hard disk drive. Restart
the computer in Safe Mode, and then run the Disk
Defragmenter program again:
1 Click the Windows Vista
start button, click the Arrow
button next to the Lock button,
and then click Restart.
2 Press the F8 key as soon as the first logo screen
appears.
3 In the Windows Advanced Options menu, use the
arrow keys to select Safe Mode, and then press
Enter.
4 After Windows Vista starts, use the procedure
above to run the Disk Defragmenter program.
5 To turn off Safe Mode, repeat step 1.
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operating system
Checking for Hard Disk Drive
Errors
Perform the following procedure to check the integrity
of the hard disk drive in Windows Vista. Close all
open programs before beginning the disk check.
1 Click the Windows Vista start button, and
then click Computer.
2 Right-click the hard disk drive that you want to
check, and then click Properties.
3 Click the Tools tab.
4 Under Error-checking, click Check Now.
5 If desired, place a check mark in the
Automatically fix file system errors and
Scan for and attempt recovery of bad
sectors check boxes.
6 Click Start. If prompted to restart the computer,
click Yes.
The computer will restart and check the hard disk
drive for errors.
Understanding Hard Disk Drive
Space
The hard disk drive on the Hewlett-Packard and
Compaq computers with the Windows Vista operating
system preinstalled may appear to be smaller than
what is stated in the product specifications, in the
documentation, or on the box. Hard disk drives are
described and advertised by manufacturers in terms of
decimal (base 10) capacity. Windows Vista and other
programs, such as FDISK, use the binary (base 2)
numbering system.
In decimal notation, one megabyte (MB) is equal to
1,000,000 bytes, and one gigabyte (GB) is equal to
1,000,000,000 bytes. In the binary numbering
system, one megabyte is equal to 1,048,576 bytes,
and one gigabyte is equal to 1,073,741,824 bytes.
Because of the different measuring systems, you may
see a difference between the size reported by
Windows Vista and the size advertised. The storage
capacity of the hard disk drive is as advertised.
Windows Vista reports smaller capacity in the
Windows Explorer tool and in the Computer window
because it shows information about one partition on
the hard disk drive at a time. One of the partitions
contains the system recovery information.
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Maintenance