External drive - advised has errors - says to to run check disk

[Melissa]

Dear Forum,

i have a Seagate (Western Digital) 3TB External Hard Disk Drive.

I just ran the Norton Tune Up tools and it checked my external hard drive and advised that I run a chkdsk.

Is there another program I could use?
How would I go about running a chkdsk then using the Windows prompt?

It is only a small question - but I am very unsure and when in doubt ask.

 

[Layback Bear]

I surly would not let Norton run check disk.

This tutorial by Brink is what you are looking for.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html

I would also recommend NOT using Norton Tuneup or any other Tuneup Tool.
To me they are snakeware.

 

[Melissa]

thanks Layback Bear - you have assisted me once again.
Norton removed all my temp folders etc - I am going to turn that function off an let Windows do it think.

The Tutorials work wonders. I was just worried about the external hard drive - I have had times where the data was lost. Cost me $700.00 to retrieve it.

 

[Layback Bear]

For that kind of cost it wouldn't hurt to have two external drives for the same backup.
Kept in two different places for safe keeping.

 

[Melissa]

Agreed. One bitten twice shy.

I now know the value of cloud back up's and having a back up of a back up..
The drag and drop method works well for beignners.
I lost all the data off a failed 500GB Hard Drive that members off here assisted me in gaining partial retrieval. Which I never be able to repay the gratitude. I learnt a lot also. Some things I will never change either. Never touch anything you do not know about. You helped me personally too. My cancer still is bad. Gone to next stage.

 

[CKWD]

Hello Melissa!

I understand you're having a problem with an external drive. IS it a Seagate or Western Digital, specific make and model?

My advice would be like @Layback Bear's, the best software you could use is always the manufacturer's software or as next – third party health checking tools. If your external is a WD check it with the WD Data Lifeguard Software, after you have first backed up, just in case. Do both Quick and Extended tests, alongside checking the drive's SMART values. If the drive is not WD, the certain manufacturer's tool should be capable of those tests, as well.

The results will give you conclusions on the health state of the drive, as chkdsk is to detect errors with the storage device.

Post back what happens!

CK_WD