chkdsk

CHKDSK is a decades‑old Windows utility, but encountering the message “CHKDSK cannot open volume for direct access” can still stop even experienced users cold — especially when important data sits on the affected drive. The error usually means CHKDSK can’t get exclusive, low‑level access to the...

Diagnose App Crashes & Startup Issues with Event Viewer and Custom Views (Win10/11) Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 20-30 minutes Introduction When an app crashes or Windows takes forever to start, the first place to look is the Event Viewer. Event Viewer records system, application...

Windows 11’s crash screen may look familiar, but the reasons behind the crash and the route to recovery are rarely simple — this feature walks through practical, verified BSOD (and the newer black crash‑screen) troubleshooting, consolidates the basic steps Guiding Tech outlines, and layers in...

If a Seagate external hard drive suddenly fails to appear in File Explorer or Disk Management, the immediate reaction is panic—especially when the drive holds irreplaceable photos, documents or a backup. The good news: this is a common, solvable class of problems. The bad news: rushing into...

Create and Use a Bootable Windows 10/11 Recovery USB to Repair Startup Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 20-30 minutes Introduction A bootable Windows recovery USB gives you the tools to fix startup problems, run offline repair utilities, restore system images, and — if needed —...

Error 0x8000FFFF — the dreaded “Catastrophic failure” — is rarely fatal, but it’s a disruptive Windows error that often appears after an update, during a System Restore, or when a core servicing operation fails; it generally signals corrupted system files, a damaged component store, driver...

Microsoft’s switch from the familiar Blue Screen of Death to a minimalist black crash screen has drawn attention — and a fresh wave of questions from Windows 11 users who now confront the so‑called Black Screen of Death. This change is cosmetic in part, but it also comes bundled with new...

When Windows refuses to remove a file, the frustration is immediate — but the reasons are usually diagnosable and fixable. This in-depth guide walks through every practical method to force delete a file that won't delete on Windows 10 and Windows 11, explains why files become stubborn in the...

File system errors on Windows 10 and Windows 11 can look cryptic — a terse message, an error code, or “The parameter is incorrect” when you plug in a USB stick — but they usually point to fixable problems with system files, disk metadata, or the drive itself. This guide consolidates proven...

The SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED blue screen is one of those Windows errors that looks frightening but, in most cases, can be diagnosed and fixed without replacing hardware — provided you approach it methodically and understand what the stop code is telling you. This article breaks down...

I bought a SATA/PATA/IDE to USB 2.0 Adapter Converter Cable for 2.5/3.5 Hard Disk Drive , off Ebay which has never been used i forgot about it . How do i set it up to use to recover files . Thank you . Trevor Bilton . I'm also no longer a member of Ebay .

Over the years I’ve built a compact, free toolkit of Windows utilities that quickly expose the usual suspects when a PC slows down: low disk space, runaway background processes, flaky RAM, overheating hardware, or an aging storage drive. The MakeUseOf piece that started this conversation lays...

When a sudden blue screen flashes across your Windows machine displaying the cryptic message “Video Scheduler Internal Error,” the moment is often jarring, especially for those relying on their computers for gaming, creative work, or even basic productivity. While the error’s official stop code...

Windows users regularly face a diverse array of technical issues, ranging from system file corruption to network woes and application freezes. While graphical tools and third-party utilities can help, the Windows Command Prompt remains an underutilized but powerful ally for troubleshooting and...

Have you been staring at your screen, waiting for your cursor to stop its maddening spinning dance? If you’re a Windows 11 user, this frustrating occurrence can put a damper on your productivity and peace of mind. Don’t worry; you’re not alone in this cursor conundrum. In fact, several factors...

Hello, I just registered. Auto repair displays: CRITICAL_ PROCESS_DIED. F8 safe mode won't open when starting up. Bought a recovery CD. Won't restore or reset. Command prompt: CHKDSK completed but sfc /scannow won't run, saying Windows Resource Protection. Can't boot into Windows 10 to open RUN...

An "unclean file system" or "unclean volume" occurs when a data storage device (e.g. USB stick) is disconnected without being safely unmounted. At the next connection, Windows asks the user to "repair" the volume, meaning running CHKDSK. From experience, I know that Windows 7 does not allow...

I was unable to add files to one specific folder on a Blu-ray disc. Later, there was a zero-byte file dated 1974-07-25 that would result in error 0x80070570 when trying to rename it in Windows Explorer. Trying to open it with Notepad or through the "type" command inside CMD results in an error...

Hello all, hope no rules are broken. Windows 10 22H2 - 19045 32 bit, 4Gb memory Ran Chkdsk, DISM and Scannow - all come up clean Increased page file size, increased non-paged pool and services\null increased IRP stack size - resource monitor shows good memory resources Restart usually...

This post was originally going to be a question, but upon further examination, I have figured out a likely cause. The error 0x80071AC3 which could occur while copying files to a BD-R (Blu-ray disc recordable) is likely caused by a decade-old bug in the UDF 2.60 live file system driver of...