1.

Solve : boot problem--always goes to chkdsk?

Answer»

I'm running XP Home with 2Mb RAM. A few weeks ago my laptop started something new on boot-up. It presents the following screen:

"Checking file system on C: The type of the file system is FAT32. One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency. You may cancel the disk check, but it is strongly recommended that you continue. To skip disk checking, press any key within 10 seconds."

If I press a key, boot-up continues without any apparent failure. Everything seems to work OK.

If I do not press a key within 10 seconds, the following screen appears:

"Windows will now check the disk.
Volume Serial Number is 320D-180E
Windows is verifying files and folders.
0 percent completed."

At this point, the computer freezes; no disk checking is done; I have to press the power button for several seconds to shut down the computer. Then, turn the laptop back on and it all starts over again.

Several times I have run Chkdsk /f on the boot drive (C:). Once it found a problem and seemed to fix it. Regardless, every attempt to reboot brings up the same dreaded attempt to "check the disk."

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help!Hello
If u have Restore disk that came with the laptop, don't use the disk. Try to barrow a XP Home edition from someone. If u have Win XP CD boot from it and do like if u r going to install Windows, but do not CHOOSE THE OPTION REFORMAT. Keep following the instruction and u will get to a option that states fix this Window Install. Select this option and let it run. Write back with the results.Boot to the XP CD and choose the FIRST repair option, which will take you to the recovery console. Once there, run chkdsk /rClick Start, then Run, type cmd, and click "Ok".
At the prompt in the command window that OPENS, type:
fsutil dirty query C:
and press "Enter".
Does the result of this indicate the drive is "Dirty"?
Broni - as you probably know, autocheck runs when it detects a dirty bit. Unfortunately it does little (actually nothing) to repair the situation. I've always found the best solution is to run checkdisk with the /r switch from the RC. I agree, but chkdsk may go into a loop for other reasons too. That's why, I asked.Thanks to Midsail and Allen (but I have no XP disk).
Thanks to Broni for the suggestion to try: fsutil dirty query C:

The response I received is: "Volume-C: is dirty"

Is there a magic "soap?"Quote

Is there a magic "soap?"
LOL

Pretty much what Allan said. In more details....


* If you have SPYWARE Doctor installed, uninstall it.
* If you have ZoneAlarm installed, open it, click the "Overview" tab, then select "Preferences", and UNcheck the "Protect ZA Client" check box.


Click Start, then Run, type cmd in the Open box and click "OK".
At the prompt in the Command window, type the following commands, pressing "Enter" after each one:
Please, note the spaces.

* chkntfs /d <--- (This will reset autocheck options to default...will come back invalid on some installations)
* chkntfs /c C: <--- (This will allow checking the specified drive )
* chkntfs /x C: <--- (The x switch tells Windows to NOT check the specified drive on the next boot)


At this point, restart your computer, it will not do a chkdsk and will boot directly to Windows.


This next step is important as this is where the Dirty Bit will be unset.

Click Start, then Run, type cmd in the Open box and click "OK".
At the command prompt, type the following, pressing "Enter" after each one:
Again, note the spaces.

* chkdsk /f /r C: <--- (To manually run a full chkdsk operation on the specified drive)
* Y <--- (To accept having it run on the next boot)


This should take you through 5 stages of the scan and will unset the Dirty Bit.
Be patient...this is a very thorough check and will take quite a while.

Finally, when the chkdsk operation has completed, type:
fsutil dirty query C:
press "Enter", and Windows will confirm that the Dirty Bit is not set on that drive.

Reboot again and see if chkdsk still runs on startup. The simpler method is to download the recovery console .iso from (http://forums.pcpitstop.com/index.php?showtopic=150212). Burn it to a cd then boot to the recovery console and run chkdks /rMany thanks to Broni and Allan. You are very kind to try to help.

Per Allan, I downloaded the .iso, copied it to a CD, and tried to boot from it, but unsuccessfully. I used "F2" at the beginning of the boot process to enter the setup and made sure CDRom preceded the hard drive for boot sequence. I still could not boot from the CD.

So, I tried Broni's steps.

I do not have Spyware Doctor.
I do not have ZoneAlarm.
(I use CA Internet Security Suite.)

All PROCEEDED well with the "chkntfs" commands. As indicated, the next boot went fine with no attempt to "chkdsk." Then, I entered the "chkdsk /f /r C:" command and answered "Y" to accept it to run on the next boot.

On the next boot, the same old screen RETURNED, indicating that the disk would be checked if I did not "hit any key" within 10 seconds. So, I did not hit any key. After 10 seconds, disk checking tried to start, but everything froze at "0 percent." All I could do was shut the computer down.

Then...I went through the entire procedure again...all the chkntfs commands... reboot... chkdsk /f /r C: command... and reboot again. This time, I did hit a key within 10 seconds, and got the message that "disk checking had been canceled...Windows has finished checking the disk"...after which bootup continued normally.

Bottom line...I cannot seem to run "chkdsk /f /r C:" no matter what I do.

Once again, thanks for any additional suggestions.
Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to DISC" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, unfortunately, you're out of luck, because Toshiba doesn't provide any diagnostic tool.Quote from: rasteeg on October 18, 2009, 08:38:27 PM
After 10 seconds, disk checking tried to start, but everything froze at "0 percent." All I could do was shut the computer down.

How long do you wait before hitting the power button. With FAT32 file system, it takes awhile to get off "0 percent".You can't just "copy" the .iso to a cd, you need to burn it to a cd using a program (http://www.petri.co.il/how_to_write_iso_files_to_cd.htm)Again, thanks to all who have responded. Much appreciated.

Thanks for the reminder about "burning" not "copying." I went back to the "recovery console .iso" per Allan's comment, burned the .iso file, booted from it, and endeavored to run chkdsk /r. No go. It just sat there. Would not get past 0 percent, even after 6-7 minutes.

Per Broni, I went to http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287... and downloaded the windows hard drive diagnostics for my drive (Seagate). The drive flunked the first short test, and the instructions advised downloading the DOS version of the diagnostics and run the "long version of the test" which could also do some repair. I did so.

When attempting to run that longer test with the repair option, the test froze at the beginning and would proceed no further.

However, perhaps all is not lost! The last 2 times I have booted the laptop, it has booted normally (without that ornery chkdsk screen). Maybe something among all the attempted fixes worked without reporting that it did so??? If this is not the end of the story, I'll try again. However, it may be, so once more, THANK YOU ONE AND ALL who have offered such helpful advice.




Drive failing any manufacturer test is not good news


Discussion

No Comment Found

Related InterviewSolutions