Not all errors are expressed in windows that appear on the desktop and the inability to perform any action. Much more often, they imperceptibly accumulate on your computer and gradually slow down its work. Periodically it is worth checking the device for possible errors, and not only the system, but also the hard drive and the registry. All the methods described below include the automatic correction of the faults found.
Content
How to check the system for integrity and errors
Through the sfc command
Through the DISM utility
How to check hard drive for errors
Through the "Explorer"
Through the "Control Panel" (storage diagnostics)
Through the command line
Via PowerShell
How to check the registry for errors
How to check the system for integrity and errors
As a result of incorrect shutdown of the computer, exposure to viruses and other problematic situations, system files may be damaged or changed. The consequences of this, as a rule, are expressed in problems when starting individual programs or turning on the computer, but sometimes they can be invisible to the user. Scanning the system for integrity is the first thing we recommend doing when you encounter problems with Windows 10.
Through the sfc command
This is the main way to check the integrity of the operating system. It is intended for cases with problems with the performance of the computer. Through the sfc command, only a superficial analysis is carried out, with the help of which it will not be possible to find and fix all possible errors. However, this method is quite fast and is ideal for preventive computer scans. A deeper analysis is possible through the DISM utility, which is described below.
Open command prompt as administrator. It can be found by searching in the start menu. To run as administrator, right-click on it and select the appropriate item.
Run Command Prompt as Administrator
Open command prompt as administrator
Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. The analysis will start. All identified errors will be automatically corrected on the spot.
sfc /scannow command
Type sfc /scannow to fix errors automatically
The sfc command cannot fix errors in files that are currently in use by the system. If you receive a notification about such failures, be sure to run the DISM utility.
Through the DISM utility
The DISM utility performs a full system scan for errors and integrity violations. The analysis launched by it lasts quite a long time, but it allows you to identify and correct all violations in the system. Internet is required for verification.
Before starting the utility, disable the antivirus and all running programs, and try not to use the computer during the analysis.
Open command prompt as administrator and type dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
command dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
For a complete analysis of the integrity of the system, enter the command dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth at the command line
There are a few more commands of this utility that you may find useful:
dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth for information about the status and presence of damage to Windows components;
dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth to check the integrity and corruption of the component store.
How to check hard drive for errors
All data written to the computer is divided into small fragments, which are placed on sectors of the hard disk. During the operation of the computer, these sectors can be damaged. Bad sectors are hard disk "errors". When the hard drive tries to read information from a bad sector, the reading process "stops". The result of this is unnecessarily long turning on the computer and launching some programs.
You cannot fix bad sectors, but you can prevent the hard drive from working with them. The process of finding and eliminating these sectors is called defragmentation. Even if no errors are found, as a result of defragmentation, the space on the hard disk will become more ordered, which will also speed up the process of reading information.
It is not recommended for SSD owners to do defragmentation: in such a case, it will not only be useless, but will also shorten the life of your drive.
Through the "Explorer"
This is the main way to check the hard drive. Windows 10 should do it automatically, without the knowledge of the user, in order to keep the hard drive in order. Defragmentation will take you about an hour, so it's best to leave it overnight.
In Explorer, right-click on one of the drives and open its properties.
Go to disk properties
Open the properties of one of the drives
Go to the "Service" tab and click "Optimize".
Switching to Disk Optimization
Go to the "Service" tab and click "Optimize"
Select one of the disks and click on "Optimize". Once the defragmentation is complete, repeat what you have done with the rest of the disks in the list.