Win XP, NTFS and Error Checking

Running Win XP Home Sp1. Just had a fresh install and formatted with NTFS file system. Previous file system was FAT 32 which would do the standard disck check everytime the system crashed or wasn't shut down properly.
I've noticed the sytem does not run this automatic error checking with the NTFS format. Is this the usual proceudure for NTFS or is there something somewhere which needs to be enabled?

 

NTFS is a little more robust than FAT32 and usually won't call for a scan unless something is broken or you have set to force a scan.

Abnormal shutdown in the absence of other problems will rarely (if ever) trigger a chkdsk.

 

Thanks Newt. I wasn't aware of that. (I was so used to Win 98SE and I upgraded my XP Home over that installation and kept my FAT32 file system) Now that I have a CLEAN INSTALL of XP Home and changed to NTFS file system, things appear a little different.

Just for my own clarification.....there would be no "HARM" in my doing an "error check" via the File>Properties>Tools menu or running the disk defrag on this NTFS system?

 

PeteC has it.

I do chkdsk /f if my PC starts doing any strange things or chkdsk /r (checks files and drive surface as well as all the chkdsk /f items) if I have time.

And while NTFS can certainly continue to operate at fragmentation levels that would have FAT32 failing, I still like to defrag once a month or so. For one thing, the XP defrag utility will also compact your registry.

 

Newt,

Is there a link you can post which shows what the switches mean as in
chkdsk /f and chkdsk /r?

 

Just open a Command window (Start > Run type cmd) and type chkdsk /?. Note the space before the forward slash.

BTW, this works with any command. To see the available commands, simply type help in the Command window. Also, see Microsoft's Command-line reference A-Z page.

 

Thanks a lot.