Clusters

If you are talking about hard drive clusters, you are experiencing hard drive failure. Backup data while you can, and go shopping.

well, you might want to make *sure* you don't have a failing hard disk, by running scandisk with the Thorough option checked but to answer your question, the lost clusters are bits of files caused by your untidy method of rebooting. Windows wants tobe shutdown propertly. simply turning off power (such as when you hit the reset button) is a no-no. windows wants to do housekeeping when it goes off and so to you want to 'restart' your computer with Start/Shutdown/restart. not with the reset button.
why you having to do this? we should fix the problem(s) causing you to need to restart...

Possible causes,
1, Failing HD
2, Heatsink fan failing
3, Power supply failing
4, Cabling lose
5, RAM failing or insuficient
6, To many open programs
7, To many programs on start menu
8, To hot and or heat buildup
9, To much dirt and dust accumilation in case
10, pc in to crowed an area [heat]
Heat problems cause most of the "freeze ups" in pc's. DDR needs extra cooling.[which I did not know untill I read an article from TheChas.
Hope this helps.

Gary, I assume you are having to reboot two or three times a day because your computer is locking up. This has nothing to do with the lost clusters. Over time, Installing and uninstalling software creates holes of unusable space on your hard-drivewith fractured clusters and lost chains of clusters. Because of this, you should run a disk defragmenter on your hard-disk. This will recover the lost clusters, but it will only help the lock-up problem a little-bit. Just as installing and uninstalling software creates a mess of your hard-drive, it also makes a mess of your system registry. It gets longer and longer and makes your computer slow down and hang-up from time to time. So, you will also have to clean your registry if you want to fix all of the problems. When your computer is rebooted with the reset button instead of a proper shutdown, it automatically runs a scandisk. This is why you have been noticing the lost clusters. To Defragment you disk in W98, click Start, clickPrograms, click Accessories, then click Disk Defragmenter. To fix your registry, you will need a utility because editing your registry can be dangerous. Always backup your registry before making any changes to it. There are many program utilitiesfor cleaning your registry, check the downloads on CNET & ZDNET first, you may even find one FREE! Just running the Defragmenter should speed things up a bit and may even cut down on the lock-ups and that's a built-in utility with W98, you can't get any cheaper than free. Hope this helps! Tim Cade, TEC Advantage Inc.

You need to back up what data you want to save off of this drive. Go to the manufacturers site and download their diagnostic software.

If you are reading the errors right the drive is failing. Backup data, Recertify the drive with the OEM's software or replace the drive.

If you have lost clusters that systems files reside on this could be the reason for the lockups.

I would take action before you lose data that's important.

Good Luck Lee