When attempting to run Norton Speed Disk in normal mode the computer freezes, and uninstalling Norton SystemWorks does not help fix the problem. I discovered there was a virus in Vet quarantine, which I subsequently deleted. Subsequently I uninstalled Vet, then downloaded and installed the latest version and was able to run a Vet scan in safe mode where no virus was detected. Vet support suggested the reason for Speed Disk freezing is my hard disk may have faults and is starting to fail. Running ScanDisk on the hard drive through Safe Mode showed no faults, and Defragmenter also completed in Safe Mode without detecting any bad clusters. Can you suggest any other way of testing the hard disk? I am beginning to think I will have to reformat the hard disk and reinstall Windows. This raises the question whether I should upgrade to a more recent operating system. If so, which operating system do you recommend? In the course of all this activity I discovered a large number of Norton protected files in the Recycle Bin, most of which I have no idea what they do. Should I empty the bin? The computer is running Windows 98.

Since ScanDisk does not detect any errors on the disk and Disk Defragmenter does not detect any bad clusters, it is probably unlikely your hard drive is failing. However, it’s always possible. Your first method of testing the hard drive is using ScanDisk to run a surface scan. This will test the physical surface of the disk for errors. To complete a surface scan, start Windows in Safe Mode then start the ScanDisk utility. In the ScanDisk window, select the ‘Thorough’ test. Click the ‘Options’ button and make sure you scan both the System and Data areas of the hard drive and that the option to ‘Do not perform write-testing’ is disabled (as we want ScanDisk to perform the write-testing function). You can find a full explanation of these advanced ScanDisk functions at support.microsoft.com/kb/186365. If any unrepairable errors are found during the surface scan, this may indicate a failing disk. However, it will depend on the amount and severity of the errors. You may wish to contact me again detailing any such errors before replacing the drive. Another utility you may wish to try is called SpinRite that is available from www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm (the makers of the ShieldsUp! Security test). SpinRite is a utility which can scan hard drives and perform maintenance functions and warn of any potential problems before they cause data corruption. SpinRite can also be used to recover data from a failing drive. While I have not used this program myself, I have heard very good things about it. Be aware this utility is not cheap, costing US$89.00. At the previous URL you can download a video demonstration of SpinRite given on The Screen Savers (a US technology show). For a full explanation of SpinRite’s features, have a look at www.grc.com/spinrite.htm.

Regarding the question of reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows, this is a good idea every few years (especially if you are regularly installing and uninstalling programs) since miscellaneous data (such as orphaned files and registry information) can accumulate in the system. Given that your computer is currently running Windows 98, it obviously isn’t a new machine but is rather a computer of some vintage (no offence intended’¦). You could probably get away with installing Windows XP, but it wouldn’t perform anywhere near the level of Windows 98. In any case, purchasing Windows XP outright is quite an expensive exercise, so I would recommend that you stay with Windows 98 for the time being and only upgrade to Windows XP should you choose to buy a new computer or upgrade your existing machine. Finally, on your question on emptying the Norton Protected Files from the Recycle Bin, this feature protects against the accidental or inadvertent deletion of particular files (for more information see the Norton SystemWorks help). Unless a file has been deleted by you, or some program that you wish to recover, then emptying the Norton Protected Files should be fine. On my computer I generally empty Norton Protected Files each time I empty the Recycle Bin, since I generally know that no files have been accidentally deleted. However, you may want to wait a few days just in case.