Check for disc errors

Checking for disk errors is also another useful tool provided by Windows XP. This tool is available in the Tools tab of the hard disk properties sheet. It gives you simple check box options to check for file system errors and recover bad sectors. This Error Checking tool needs complete access to the disk for it to work. Applications must be closed and, in some cases, you need to reboot before it starts to gain complete access to the disk. If you use your computer a lot, it is a good idea to run this tool once a month to make sure your disk is in good working order.