ScanDisk runs every time I boot my Windows 98se PC.

I let it run yet there's never a problem. How can U stop it from happening?

Ken Loveday, Penrith, NSW

This may be due to a "hang-up" caused by ScanDisk itself. Try this:

The next time ScanDisk runs on startup, click the Cancel button. After the computer starts up, go to Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools and select ScanDisk. Set Standard test for type of test (the default is Thorough). Select all your hard drives drive by holding down the shift key and clicking them. Click the Start button. ScanDisk will now run a relatively quick "standard" test. When it's finished. close ScanDisk.

The nuisance should be cured. If it's not, however, you need to edit the file C:\Msdos.sys (use Notepad).

The [Options] section in that file can be empty or contain (among other things) the setting

AutoScan=n

where n can be 0, 1 or 2. The default, which operates if the line is absent, is 1.

This line determines if ScanDisk runs after a shutdown failure.

0 = doesn’t run.

1 = prompts to give the option of running or not

2 = runs without prompting, but prompts before fixing any errors.

Setting this to =0 should stop the nuisance, but it will also mean that ScanDisk won't run automatically when it should, so try the other solution first.

Jan Wikström