Disk Checking

[roodogg]

Every time my computer boots up it goes directly to a disk check Checking file system c: The type of file is NTFS What is the deal? i can cancel disk check and computer runs fine if i continue check it flashes a blue error screen and goes right back to a disk check.. What to do? Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks in advance

 

[Kaiser]

Back up your data now. Your hard drive is dying.

 

[roodogg]

if i get an external hd can i back up to new hd and bypass the internal hd? what causes a hd to die a slow death?

 

[g32]

YOUR COMPUTER IS TRYING TO SCAN YOUR HARDDRIVE FOR AN ERROR , ONE OF THE SECTORS MIGHHT BE BAD ON THE HARDDRIVE , YOU NEED TO RUN A CHKDSK IN YOU COMMAND PROMPT . BEST WAY TO DO THIS WOULD BE TO BOOT TO SAFE MODE WITH COMMAND PROMPT THIS WILL ENABLE THE COMPUTER TO START UP WITH MINIMAL DRIVERS , THEN PROCEED TO THE COMMAND PROMPT ITS LOCATED UNDER ACCESSORIES WHEN YOU GET THE PROMPT UP TYPE CHKDSK /F THERE ISA SPACE BETWEEN CHKDSK AND /F THIS WILL FIX THE ERRORS IN THE SECTOR THAT IS GIVING YOU THIS PROBLEM , EVEN IF U CANT BOOT INTO SAFE MODE RUN IT IN NORMAL MODE SAME WAY COMMAND PROMPT . LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES

 

[roodogg]

ran command in normal mode says "cannot lock current drive" "chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process" then it asks if i want to run a check next time the computer boots but that is what is does already and it does not fix itself did not run in safe mode because i cant remember how to get my computer into safe mode

 

[g32]

sounds like you need to fix your computer with a operating cd , wht i mean is , for example if you are currently running windows xp , you would insert your windows xp operating system diskand restart your computer it will display many options from that cd one of the options will be if you want to repair widows , choose that one , all that feature will do is check the sectors on your harddrive and see if there are any missing dll files or missing files on your computer , if your hardx drive was going bad your computer wouldnt boot at all .

 

[roodogg]

my thoughts exactly

 

[roodogg]

my windows xp disk is unreadable. i tried to clean the disk and all i was able to get was an error message that windows xp cannot be read. I will try to get my hands on another disk.

 

[g32]

let me know if you need help i will guide you thru it .

 

[Kaiser]

Listen to me

Back your data up, you drive is ready to die. The recovery disk is not going to do anything at this point, forget it. The message that you got when you ran chkdsk /f is perfectly normal and everyone will get that since the system drive is locked while operational. It will ALWAYS prompt you to reboot. As far as the chkdsk is concerned, you should run a chkdsk /r instead as yous drive map is probably off by now and you need to validate free space. Nevertheless, since your machine prompts you on a normal basis to run chkdsk, your drive IS, in fact ready to die. You can either take my word for it or your can come back here within the next couple months asking how to do a data recovery on a failed drive. Your choice.

 

[sup]

Kaiser is 100% correct..

back up your data ASAP and replace the drive, it might MIGHT limp along for another month or so but it could also fail completely tomorrow. drives are cheap

 

[g32]

first off chkdsk /r and chkdsk /f are the same thing and , nobody ever stated to use a recover disk . i work on computers for a living job is a network supervisor and data analyst we have roughly 50 computers in the office , i do this shit for a living . I said to use a operating disk to repair the bad sector in the harddive i never said use any recover disk , you can do wht u like . and go buy a hard drive who knows maybe im wrong i havent seen the computer up close if you wanna waste you money go ahead . computers are very simple and have many common problems i see them every day , if we replaced harddrives evertime a blue screen came up it would be ridiculous. my 2 cents . but when you really dont know wht your doing you just replace the hardrive . Im not trying to come off being a smart ass .

 

[Kaiser]

first off chkdsk /r and chkdsk /f are the same thing and , nobody ever stated to use a recover disk . i work on computers for a living job is a network supervisor and data analyst we have roughly 50 computers in the office , i do this shit for a living . I said to use a operating disk to repair the bad sector in the harddive i never said use any recover disk , you can do wht u like . and go buy a hard drive who knows maybe im wrong i havent seen the computer up close if you wanna waste you money go ahead . computers are very simple and have many common problems i see them every day , if we replaced harddrives evertime a blue screen came up it would be ridiculous. my 2 cents . but when you really dont know wht your doing you just replace the hardrive . Im not trying to come off being a smart ass .

Well, you honestly need to start readin up again. For years chkdsk /f has NEVER ben the same as chkdsk /r. Here is the output of chkdsk /?:


volume Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon),
mount point, or volume name.
filename FAT/FAT32 only: Specifies the files to check for fragment

/F Fixes errors on the disk.
/V On FAT/FAT32: Displays the full path and name of every fi
on the disk.
On NTFS: Displays cleanup messages if any.
/R Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information
(implies /F).
/L:size NTFS only: Changes the log file size to the specified nu
of kilobytes. If size is not specified, displays current
size.
/X Forces the volume to dismount first if necessary.
All opened handles to the volume would then be invalid
(implies /F).
/I NTFS only: Performs a less vigorous check of index entrie
/C NTFS only: Skips checking of cycles within the folder
structure.

he /I or /C switch reduces the amount of time required to run Chkdsk by
kipping certain checks of the volume.

Also note:

**broken link removed**

With the following quote:

/r Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. The disk must be locked. /r includes the functionality of /f, with the additional analysis of physical disk errors.


So now you can clearly see that you are totally wrong about that statement. Note the part about physical disk errors, sound familiar?

Next, you mention replacing a hard drive for blue screen. Are you in the same thread, because the beginning post states that every time he boots his PC, the box goes into automatic chkdsk. This is almost always because of hardware problems if it constantly happens because chkdsk cannot fix the problem, yet NT still sees that there is a problem in the table. The reason it blue screens is more than likely because the registry files are corrupt from the bad sectors that chkdsk cannot seem to fix. You see, in Windows, the most written to and read section of a drive is where the registry is because it is essentially a database. If a drive is going to have problems, probably 60% of the time it is going to include this area.

Lastly you throw your resume out there. Wow, all of 50 nodes huh? The pressure you must be under with handling 50 nodes. My house has 27 nodes and thats just my home network. I am one of 5 senior/lead infrastructure engineers for a world wide company with 486,000+ nodes, & 140,000+ users along with owning my own company. There is no one technical above me in ranking in this company either. I'm also highly publicised on the net, along with being a past Microsoft MVP. So there, you have my resume now. You can either believe I know what I'm doing and learn something or you can be close minded as you have and continue your tasks of administerring 50 nodes.

And, oh, I'm not trying to come off being a smart ass.

 

[sup]

chkdsk running every boot up.................................0 dollars
backing up your data............................................0 dollars
new 80G HD.......................................................35 dollars

getting your expert advice owned on the forum.........PRICELESS

For everything else, there's MASTERCARD

 

[akursus]

Back your data up, you drive is ready to die. The recovery disk is not going to do anything at this point, forget it. The message that you got when you ran chkdsk /f is perfectly normal and everyone will get that since the system drive is locked while operational. It will ALWAYS prompt you to reboot. As far as the chkdsk is concerned, you should run a chkdsk /r instead as yous drive map is probably off by now and you need to validate free space. Nevertheless, since your machine prompts you on a normal basis to run chkdsk, your drive IS, in fact ready to die. You can either take my word for it or your can come back here within the next couple months asking how to do a data recovery on a failed drive. Your choice.

Yep... Exactamundo. Spot on advice. Shit after reading this thread I almost feel like I have to throw out my resume to even comment but I'm not gonna. Let's just say I'm like Kaiser but I don't work for the private sector. I've also been building very high end cutting edge machines for gamers from scratch for a long LONG time as a side hobby. If I start seeing chkdsk AT ALL I start making sure the users' profile and important data are backed up as would any decent IT person worth their salt. Chkdsk is prompted because your hard disk is losing sectors. The fact that it's being prompted every time... well, time is running short my friend. Just like Kaiser said... Your HDD is failing. Don't mess with any repair disks... that shit almost NEVER works anyway and I only attempt to use those if it's too late and a user has lost data as a last ditch effort to recover it. (once again... almost never helps because you have bad HDD sectors)

If I remember right... chkdsk, without any switches, prompts you if it finds errors and asks you if you want it to try to fix them after it's finished scanning. With the /F switch... it simply tries to fix them without asking. Chkdsk /R is a much longer process and works at a lower level scanning not only the sector but also reading/writing to sectors to see if A: they are readable B: the data can be recovered and moved.

I NEVER try to step into any "IT" pissing matches but I felt I needed to backup Kaiser's advice as spot on because... quite frankly, it sounds like you needed it.

Ursus~

 

[akursus]

chkdsk running every boot up.................................0 dollars
backing up your data............................................0 dollars
new 80G HD.......................................................35 dollars

getting your expert advice owned on the forum.........PRICELESS

For everything else, there's MASTERCARD

God... I needed that today...

I'm sorry g32... but that's god damned funny...

Ursus~

 

[sup]

if i get an external hd can i back up to new hd and bypass the internal hd? what causes a hd to die a slow death?

Yes you can backup (copy) from your internal straight to your external. USB or IEEE1394 (firewire) usually will map themselves as drive letter E:

to save some grief, delete your temp internet, temp, and history before you copy your profile.

you will want to copy your profile (C:/documents and settings/<user>)
and anything you saved to the root of C:

depending on which email program you use.. you should export your addressbook into ldif format, and copy any 'local folders'/'saved mail' you have established.



once you have verified your data, replace the internal HD with a new one and format/install/patch. Then you can copy your 'old' data back over.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Here's what I'd do (but there's probably a better way). I'd remove the old drive utterly (completely) and replace with a new drive and install windows and all your programs. The I'd put the old hard drive in as second drive or use one of these sweet little gadgets which you can find anywhere:

http://www.newertech.com/products/products_univ_adptr.php


They come in many brands and work with almost any kind of drive (you can find one at any computer shop). I even used for for my dinky little laptop drive when I put it to rest (RIP). Then you can copy all the data from your old drive to your new drive as needed: applications, downloads, all your outlook pst files or dbx files from outlook express, even your My Documents folder. Just plug into a USB port on the newly installed computer. Done!

It's pretty slick!

 

[oldfella]

Well, you honestly need to start readin up again. For years chkdsk /f has NEVER ben the same as chkdsk /r. Here is the output of chkdsk /?:


volume Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon),
mount point, or volume name.
filename FAT/FAT32 only: Specifies the files to check for fragment

/F Fixes errors on the disk.
/V On FAT/FAT32: Displays the full path and name of every fi
on the disk.
On NTFS: Displays cleanup messages if any.
/R Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information
(implies /F).
/L:size NTFS only: Changes the log file size to the specified nu
of kilobytes. If size is not specified, displays current
size.
/X Forces the volume to dismount first if necessary.
All opened handles to the volume would then be invalid
(implies /F).
/I NTFS only: Performs a less vigorous check of index entrie
/C NTFS only: Skips checking of cycles within the folder
structure.

he /I or /C switch reduces the amount of time required to run Chkdsk by
kipping certain checks of the volume.

Also note:

**broken link removed**

With the following quote:

/r Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. The disk must be locked. /r includes the functionality of /f, with the additional analysis of physical disk errors.


So now you can clearly see that you are totally wrong about that statement. Note the part about physical disk errors, sound familiar?

Next, you mention replacing a hard drive for blue screen. Are you in the same thread, because the beginning post states that every time he boots his PC, the box goes into automatic chkdsk. This is almost always because of hardware problems if it constantly happens because chkdsk cannot fix the problem, yet NT still sees that there is a problem in the table. The reason it blue screens is more than likely because the registry files are corrupt from the bad sectors that chkdsk cannot seem to fix. You see, in Windows, the most written to and read section of a drive is where the registry is because it is essentially a database. If a drive is going to have problems, probably 60% of the time it is going to include this area.

Lastly you throw your resume out there. Wow, all of 50 nodes huh? The pressure you must be under with handling 50 nodes. My house has 27 nodes and thats just my home network. I am one of 5 senior/lead infrastructure engineers for a world wide company with 486,000+ nodes, & 140,000+ users along with owning my own company. There is no one technical above me in ranking in this company either. I'm also highly publicised on the net, along with being a past Microsoft MVP. So there, you have my resume now. You can either believe I know what I'm doing and learn something or you can be close minded as you have and continue your tasks of administerring 50 nodes.

And, oh, I'm not trying to come off being a smart ass.

F'ing cyber thug!! LOL Kaiser I couldn't resist. Priceless man just priceless!!

 

[g32]

wow im really impressed that your company has that many worlwide nodes wht is that suppose to mean? you can only fix so many at one time . when you run chkdsk /r and it cannot fix that sector then you run chdsk /f and fix it i do this on daily basis maybe im not one of 5 senior/lead infrastructure engineers for a world wide company with 486,000+ nodes . wow thats great im very impressed with your knowledge .but ill tell u i can run with the best of them to bad you couldnt help someone repair their hard drive you could only tell them how to buy a new hard drive . i would have thought some one being that you a microsoft mvp u could help some one fix a problem that is easily fixed without having to buy a hardrive . ive showed this email to many friends and technical gurus and i think you are a fraud .486,000 nodes , 27 nodes in you house ? ok this isnt a pissing match i could care less im not impressed . i think i can handle my job pretty good , i read one of you articles about how to hide original the url address of your website , why dont you tell people how to spoof emails too. its a good thing u dont work for me cause every time a blue screen came up and you decided its time to replace the harddrive you would be fired for costing the company $ ,and i think the only place you are highly regarded on the net is on this board .good luck managing all those nodes . i deal with real bussiness people and usually the guys who got it dont brag unlike you . im very open minded . just not impressed by you and you copy and pasting skills.