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November 24th, 2003 00:00
Error checking
I am trying to run error checking (the old Scandisk) on my Dell Dimension 4300, running XP. When I check the bottom box only, it gets to phase 4 and reboots the computer. When I check both boxes and it asks me to restart Windows, the error checking begins, and after a while, it reboots again, and it will go on like this for hours if I don't stop it. I have tried doing this in safe mode, and it doesn't work. I ran diagnostics and received several errors stating "uncorrectable data error or media is not write protected." How can I correct this problem and continue my weekly maintenance as I have done for the past 18 months? Thanks for the help.
Denny Denham
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November 24th, 2003 04:00
I don't understand what you mean when you refer to "phase 4." There are only three steps in chkdsk: file checking, index checking, and security descriptor checking. When you run chkdsk again, after it completes (or you stop it) go to Start|Control Panel|Administrative Tools|Event Viewer and look under Applications for the results of the run. Chksdk runs will show Winlogon as the source. Right-click those entries and select Properties. The information there should give you an insight into what is amiss with the run.
Donald053
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November 24th, 2003 12:00
When I run error checking when I only check the bottom box (scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors), it goes through phases 1, 2, and 3, then it shows phase 4, but nothing happens, except for the reboot. When I check both boxes (scan listed above, and automatically fix file system errors), it asks if I want to have error checking run when Windows starts again, and I say yes and restart the computer. It will get to a certain point and reboot and do this over and over again. When it was working properly, there were 5 phases that showed, and it would tell me how far each phase had progressed.
Denny Denham
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November 24th, 2003 16:00
I see what you mean. I have never used that route to run chkdsk and having now done so I'm not impressed, as it doesn't identify what each phase is doing.
Go to Start|Help and Support and search on chkdsk. If you run the program from a command line (Start|Run, type cmd and click OK, then type either chkdsk /f or chkdsk at the command prompt) you will get much more information about what the program is doing, and may also get an idea of what is causing the continuous reboots.
Message Edited by Denny Denham on 11-26-2003 09:29 AM
Donald053
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November 24th, 2003 17:00
Denny Denham
2 Intern
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18.8K Posts
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November 24th, 2003 20:00
I'm not holding my breath either. It's possible that the chkdsk file is corrupted. You can try replacing it using System File Checker (type SFC /scannow at a command prompt) or by extracting a new copy from your Windows XP CD by opening a command prompt and entering:
extract x:\i386\chkdsk.ex_ c:\windows\system32\chkdsk.exe/b>
(Substitute the letter of your CD-ROM drive for x above, and there is a space between "_" and "c:\".)
Donald053
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November 24th, 2003 22:00
Well I tried it and it worked perfectly, in 3 stages. It said there were 16 files in bad sectors. Then I tried chkdsk /r, and it said it was going to do 5 stages. At 15% of stage 4, it stopped, flashed a screen for a half-second that said something about technical stuff, and rebooted the computer.
I also ran a Dell diagnostic check and it came up with several errors that all read the same way: uncorrectable data error or media is write protected. Any other ideas?