Microsoft ScanDisk
| A component of Microsoft Windows | |
|---|---|
|
Text-based version of Microsoft ScanDisk running on Windows 98 | |
| Details | |
| Other names | ScanDisk |
| Type | Utility software |
| Included with | MS-DOS 6.2 and Windows 9x |
| Related components | |
| CHKDSK | |
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 Graphical version of ScanDisk on Windows 98 | |
|
ScanDisk prompt when it finds an error | |
|
ScanDisk Surface Scan Options dialog box | |
|
ScanDisk Advanced Options dialog box |
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Microsoft ScanDisk (also called ScanDisk), is a diagnostic utility included in MS-DOS and Windows 9x. It checks and repairs file systems errors on a disk drive. It was first introduced in MS-DOS 6.2 and succeeded its simpler predecessor, CHKDSK.
ScanDisk included a more user-friendly interface than CHKDSK, more configuration options,[1][2] and the ability to detect and (if possible) recover from physical errors on the disk. This replaced and improved upon the limited ability offered by the MS-DOS Recover utility.[3] Unlike CHKDSK, ScanDisk would also repair crosslinked files.[4]
In Windows 95 onwards, ScanDisk also had a graphical user interface, although the text-based user interface continued to be available for use in single-tasking ("DOS") mode.[5][6]
However, ScanDisk cannot check NTFS disk drives, and therefore it is unavailable for computers that may be running NT based (including Windows 2000, Windows XP, etc.) versions of Windows; for the purpose, a newer CHKDSK is provided instead.
On Unix-like systems there are tools like "fsck_msdosfs" to do the same task.[7]
See also
References
- ↑ "ScanDisk command-line options". Microsoft Support. Microsoft Corporation. 2007-01-23. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "MS-DOS 6.2 ScanDisk.INI". Microsoft Support. Microsoft Corporation. 2003-10-14. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "What Does RECOVER Do? (Revision 3.0)". Microsoft Support. Microsoft Corporation. 25 November 2003. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "How to Fix Cross-linked Files (Revision: 2.0)". Microsoft Support. Microsoft Corporation. 10 May 2003. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
If you are running MS-DOS 6.2 or later, run ScanDisk, instead of [~snip~]
- ↑ "Windows 95 Documentation". Microsoft TechNet. Microsoft Corporation. 1996-03-03. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "Description of ScanDisk for Windows (Scandskw.exe) in Windows 98/Me (Revision: 1.3)". Microsoft Support. Microsoft Corporation. 23 January 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "FSCK_MSDOSFS". FreeBSD System Manager's Manual. The FreeBSD Project. 13 August 1995. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
Further reading
- Stinson, Craig (1998). "ch. 16: Optimizing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting". Running Microsoft Windows 98. Redmond, Washington: Microsoft Press. ISBN 1-57231-681-0. Retrieved 24 December 2011.